SAT Score

Questions I have :
Is it possible to improve your SAT score from 930 to 1550?
How many hours do you need to do to improve your score?
How do you improve your math section ( currently mines a 430 )
How do you stay motivated for studying for the SAT, because I tried doing some khan academy problems, but ended up having a mental breakdown since my dumbass got all of the questions wrong
How many practice test is a solid amount to do before you take the test?
How do I not give up on life and college because I kind of has nothing going for me?
If I get a high SAT can it make up for my low GPA of a 3.44?
What is the minimum SAT score that can take me places and secure me a spot in colleges?
Would having a tutor help a lot?

@Helen101

I am an SAT tutor. Here is what I can say based on the information given.

  1. Yes, but I wouldn’t count on it. If you are scoring a 930, then it is likely there is a lot of content on the test that you just aren’t familiar with. Other problems that are more readily addressable (e.g. needing more time) could make improving quicker. But if timing is not a problem, you will need to learn a lot of material and improve at various skills: a couple years of math, a lot of grammar, vocab, reading skills, etc. This would not be easy and would take a lot of time–at least a year of serious prep. Even then, getting in the 1500s would be difficult.

  2. No set number, but this will take you A LOT of time. I sort of answered this in 1.

  3. You need to learn a lot of math. There are no shortcuts here.

  4. Regarding staying motivated, I am not sure what to tell you.

  5. Where you are, it is not mainly about practice tests. It is about acquiring skills and learning content.

  6. There is more to life than academics. Much more. Indeed, while not doing well academically can be upsetting, it is very unlikely that academic success will make you happy. More successful people aren’t generally any happier. Happiness does not come from success. Besides, you still have many years ahead of you. There are always people who are highly successful who take unconventional paths. I know of people who didn’t even go to college, and then many years later had a change of heart, attended community college and eventually worked their way up to professor at very prestigious universities. Remember, success is more about where you end up, than how fast you get there. It’s not about where you are at the age of 25. Also, I am sure there are many colleges that would take you even with your current gpa and test scores. Most colleges aren’t very selective at all.

  7. Depends what you mean by “make up”. Better SAT scores will increase chances of admission. They cannot negate a sub-par GPA completely, but they can make a difference.

  8. There are some schools that have minimums. You can look this up. Many of the schools talked about on CC, don’t have minimums, however.

  9. Yes, but it would take a lot of sessions, and a very significant financial investment. A tutor might be necessary to helping you acquire many of the skills you need.

If you have any more questions, let me know. Best of luck.

The common dataset for any college will list the 25th and 75th percentiles for the SAT Math and SAT EBRW for admitted students so this can help you gauge possible minimums.

Just Google Common Dataset for Name of College.

If there was a tried and true formula that a student would have to do X number of practice questions (or practice tests) to improve their score, everyone would have a 1600.

A great score will not make up for a less-competitive GPA, but it can help with some scholarships.

Don’t be in a rush to take the test (until it is fall of your senior year and you’re about out of time). Get through Algebra 2, keep taking practice tests, use Khan Academy or whatever other resources are available to you. Keep taking practice SATs until you get those scores within a stone’s throw of your goal.


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Is it possible to improve your SAT score from 930 to 1550?

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Look, nothing is impossible, but let’s try to be realistic. There is no guaranteed path for any student to get a 1550, let alone somebody starting from a 930. A 1550 is scored by fewer than 1 in every 200 students. So if your class had a representative national distribution with 400 kids in your grade, you would likely have one of the two highest scores from your school. (Btw, this kind of question about statistical distribution is a classic SAT math question about the largest statistical set to which a score can be generalized). So consider that the kids that some of the kids competing for a 1550 already are starting from positions that make it much easier for them to get there.

It might be easier to think about from a sports perspective. Suppose a kid had never run 2 miles faster than 20 minutes. Could the kid expect to train to be able to run those 2 miles in 9:30 (4:45 pace)? Could be, but it would surely take the kind of sustained commitment that could not be accomplished in one summer, and it would require a certain degree of ability and dedication.

And then there’s the question of why you think you need a 1550. There are really no elite schools that are going to overlook a gpa much lower than their average acceptance rate even with an exceptional SAT score (unless you have billionaire parents willing to donate a few million $ or are an athletic recruit).

But here’s the good news: there are a ton of perfectly fine schools that will accept you with a 3.44gpa, and you will expand that number significantly by working towards an attainable score in the 12 or 1300’s. Even then it’s going to take time and work to strengthen your missing skills. It’s not enough to simply do enough practice quizzes. You need to spend time working and reworking the problems that you get wrong until you understand every facet of why you got the problem wrong. It you just look at the correct answer and move on, you will not retain the core material understanding that will prevent you from making similar mistakes.

So when you get a problem wrong on Khan Academy, rejoice that it give you an opportunity to improve your skill where you need it. If you are already getting the problem correct than doing it is not expanding your skill base.

Good luck!