What exactly does "National Parcentile" mean?

Test Preparation SAT Preparation
1

<p>Hi all,
So I got 2140 in the Dec test (almost on the verge of slitting my own throat since I was easily getting 2200+ in the practice tests), but there's no chance of a retake so I have to live with it. Anyway despite the mediocre score, my national percentile is 97% for Math and Writing, and 93% for CR. But what exactly does this mean? Does it mean I did better than 97/100 people of my own country who gave the test, of students in the USA or of students worldwide who gave the test with me?</p>

<p>Thank in advance.</p>

2

<p>No, it means that you performed better than 97% of the students who took the test that month nationally. So, out of everyone in the US who took the same test, you are in the top 3% in that section basically. Congrats! :D</p>

3

<p>umm…the thing is I don’t live in the US, and neither did I give my test in the US :p</p>

<p>So it the national percentile comparing me to test-givers of my own country or of test givers in the US?</p>

4

<p>Ahh, I see. Well then I’m not sure… It may still be comparing it to the US or it may be your own country…</p>

5

<p>most likely US i would imagine</p>

6

<p>No one who knows for sure? :/</p>

7

<p>The national percentile indicates the same thing for both domestic and international test-takers: the percentage of students that performed at most as well as this particular test-taker did, counting both national and international students.
This is the intended idea, at least… But as the number of domestic students who take the test each year is obviously much bigger than that of international students, the latter may be safely disregarded and perhaps (not sure here) CB might take a sample consisting only of national students when computing those percentiles. I don’t think it would significantly affect the final results, though…</p>

8

<p>For U.S. test takers, the percentiles listed on the score report are relative to seniors graduating in the previous school year. So, in the September 2011 to June 2012 SAT tests the percentiles are relative to the senior class of 2011. The current month’s scores do not enter into the percentile calculation.</p>

<p>I’m not sure if the comparison group is different for international test takers.</p>

9

<p>If you scored in the 99th percentile, you scored better than 99 percent of the people who took the test in the nation etc.</p>