Is 1300 a good SAT score?
Yes, 1300 is a good SAT score. It sits around the 87th percentile, so you scored higher than about 87 out of 100 test takers, and it is roughly 250 points above the average of about 1050. It is a strong score for most public universities and many private colleges, but usually below the typical range at the most selective schools.
The SAT is scored from 400 to 1600: 200 to 800 for Reading and Writing and 200 to 800 for Math. College Board says the average is around 1050 and that 1350 or higher puts you in the top 10%. A 1300, for example 650 plus 650, lands just under that line and far above the College Board readiness benchmarks of 480 in Reading and Writing and 530 in Math.
Whether 1300 is good for you depends on your college list. Colleges publish the middle 50% of SAT scores of the students they admitted, with the 25th percentile at the bottom and the 75th at the top. At or above a school's 75th percentile, a 1300 helps you there. Inside the range, it is a normal score for that school. At the most selective colleges that range often starts above 1400.
| Score | What it means |
|---|---|
| 1600 | Highest possible score |
| 1350 and up | Top 10% of test takers, per College Board |
| 1300 | About the 87th percentile |
| About 1050 | Average score, per College Board |
| 480 RW and 530 Math | College readiness benchmarks |
| 400 | Lowest possible score |
- 1Look up the middle 50% SAT range of each college on your list. It is on the admissions page or in the school's Common Data Set.
- 2Compare your 1300 with it: at or above the 75th percentile is a plus, inside the range is normal, below the 25th percentile is a weak spot.
- 3At test-optional colleges, send the 1300 if it is inside or above that school's range. If it is below, think about applying without a score.
- 4Check merit scholarship cutoffs. Some schools award money at set scores, so a small gain can pay off.
- 5If you retake, start with a full practice test, sort every miss by topic and drill your weaker section for a few weeks before test day.