<p>I find such admissions reassuring. If many colleges are trying to nudge the SAT range a little higher, the cumulative effect is the impression that every candidate must walk on water in order to get in. If many colleges exaggerate even a little bit about their SAT scores, it’s as if they’re inventing hundreds of very high scoring applicants out of whole cloth.</p>
<p>If you scored at the college’s (official) 75th percentile, you may really be at the 80th percentile. If you think you’re at their 30th percentile, you may really be at the 45th percentile. In short, your score may be more impressive than you realize.</p>