<p>I didn't notice this before, but on collegeboard it says this: </p>
<p>The College Board has received some inquiries from admissions officers about SAT averages for this year's cohort.</p>
<p>Based on scores through the January 2006 administration, we are currently estimating a decline of 4-5 points across the Critical Reading and Math sections combined, as compared to last year's full cohort. Once scores from the April 2006 test are analyzed and included, we expect that 2006 cohort score averages could show a small additional decline.</p>
<p>This year we have seen some changing test taker patterns, including a trend of some students taking the test less frequently. At this point, we believe that this decrease in repeat test-taking may account for some of the average score decline. The average student who retests increases his or her combined Critical Reading and Math scores by approximately 30 points.</p>
<p>While we understand that individual colleges' applicant score averages may have increased or decreased slightly, we have heard that some colleges are reporting declines that are larger than what we are currently seeing in the cohort. We are working to understand this situation better.</p>
<p>We want to assure you that it is valid to compare students' scores from this year's exams with those from past years. If admissions officers have any questions about student scores from this years applicant or admitted pool, please contact us.</p>
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