<p>Do the percentiles on your SAT mean anything to colleges, or is it just the actual scores that matter. I'm not sure how this whole percentile thing works(I know what percentiles mean, but im not sure how colleges use it).</p>
<p>that's a great question! someone please answer </p>
<p>BUMP BUMP BUMP BUMPITY BUMP BUMP BUMPITY BUMP BUMP lal lala la</p>
<p>I'd like to know that too. I'm in the 99th percentile for math, is that going to help me out at all? (I only took it once, but I got a 790 math! whoo!)</p>
<p>They kind of go together...all people with a score of 500 are in the same percentile; therefore, to consider both percentile and score would be redundant</p>
<p>Exactly...your score is more important because generally the percentiles are the same.</p>
<p>I don't think it's possible that they cared less. Most admissions officers only see the scores themselves, official score reports are just used to verify the raw information you provide in applications. Being 99% for something won't matter because your score will be hella high regardless.</p>
<p>Percentile is the percent of people with a score lower than yours. This is why people with 800s are 99 percentile and not 100, because a percentage of people have the same score as they do.</p>
<p>Because of the range of error on the SAT, statistically there is no real difference between 790 and 800. Congrats.</p>
<p>so what generally is a 700? 95%? lower, higher?</p>
<p>I was wondering about this too...</p>
<p>I got a 660 on my Math IIC, which doesn't seem like SUCH a bad score, but the percentile was 44 =( so it'd be a good thing if colleges only saw the scores..</p>
<p>I'm not sure, but I'll say again, percentiles mean very little when compared to the scores. The scores are looked at in the context of the applicant pool, that's what I think. (I think 700 is in the 90s for percentile, though, but again, it doesn't matter. For me it was the scores themselves, not the 99 percentiles that made me happy).</p>
<p>It's all comparative. Colleges won't care that a 660 is 44%ile in the nation; they care about the %ile within their own applicant pool. So even though a 660 is average on a nationwide basis, it may be above or below average for different colleges' applicant pools.</p>
<p>Edit: ew I just realized Murasaki said the same thing I wanted to say. Boo. And yes, I believe 700+ is around 90%ile. I think it's a little higher for CR and a little lower for math, but don't quote me on that.</p>
<p>good point. That makes a lot of sense.</p>
<p>CR 700 = ~95%
MA 700 = ~93%
WR 700 = ~96%</p>
<p>Here's the subject test percentiles:
<a href="http://www.collegeboard.com/prod_downloads/highered/ra/sat/SubjTestPercentileRanks.pdf%5B/url%5D">http://www.collegeboard.com/prod_downloads/highered/ra/sat/SubjTestPercentileRanks.pdf</a></p>
<p>i really don't think the percentile matters too much. most colleges are able to distinguish a good score from a bad one based on their criteria. it all depends where you apply to.</p>
<p>The percentile is your percentile based on all those who took the SAT. That includes students who are not applying to the most or more selective colleges. If you want to see where you fall for a particular school you need to go to the admissions page of their website, and find the admitted student profile for the previous year. That will show you where your SAT scores need to be in line with other students who were admitted to that school. The percentile on your SAT score does not mean anything, good or bad, except to show you where you fall based on everyone who took the test.</p>
<p>yay strawberryred i got 660 on Math 2C too. I kinda felt stupid bc everyone else in my precal class was in the 700s, but this kid i know in ap calc took math 1c and only got 720
whatev.</p>