What's a Good 8th Grade ACT / SAT Score? (2024)

FAQs

What's a Good 8th Grade ACT / SAT Score? ›

What's a Good SAT / ACT Score for an 8th Grader? From the table above, we can conclude that a good SAT / ACT score for 8th graders, which beats three-quarters of similar students in the U.S., is a 19 on the ACT and a 900 (over both sections) on the SAT.

A good score for an 8th would be 1300+. An exceptional score for your age would be 1500+. You're only in 8th grade, so just focus on the PSAT. Take the PSAT as many times as you can.

The average national SAT score is between 1050 and 1100 every year (on purpose), putting an 1150 at an above-average 67th percentile — that's a score to be proud of! It means that you scored higher than 67% of all other test takers.

Yes, a score of 1400 it is extremely good. It places you in the top 95th percentile nationally out of the 1.7 million test takers of the SAT entrance exam.

And the good news is that scores of students below 8th grade are not stored in the SAT server. This is because the College Board considers SAT scores to be expired after every 5 years. This means that your 6th grader can comfortably take the SAT and get experience without any negative impact.

PreACT® 8/9 is a multiple-choice assessment that provides 8th and 9th grade students an early measure of College and Career Readiness while serving as a practice opportunity for the ACT® test. Learn more and register for PreACT 8/9 at act.org/preact8-9.

College Board doesn't send PSAT 8/9 scores to colleges. These scores are not intended to be part of college admission decisions. They should not be included on student transcripts that will be reproduced and sent to colleges unless the student (if 18 or older) or parent/guardian has granted permission.

For all versions of the PSAT, the College Board has established benchmarks. Students in the eighth grade taking the PSAT 8/9 should earn a 390 on the reading and writing section and a 430 on math. On the same test, students in the ninth grade should earn a 410 in reading and writing and a 450 in math.

While you can start taking the ACT or SAT test for college admissions as early as 8th grade, we typically recommend that students wait until 11th grade to take the test for the first time. These college admissions tests evaluate your knowledge of everything you should learn throughout high school.

A good PSAT score is a composite score of 1070 or higher, which puts you in the top 25% of all PSAT test takers.

Can I get into Harvard with a 1400 SAT? ›

While a 1400 makes you eligible to apply to places such as Harvard, Yale, and the University of Pennsylvania, it won't make you a competitive candidate.

Although the SAT is primarily used for college admissions, there is no age requirement to take the SAT. Some middle school students take the test to help plan their high school curriculum or to gain testing experience.

There's no absolute SAT requirement at Harvard, but they really want to see at least a 1460 to have a chance at being considered. Exclusive: Want to learn how to improve your SAT score by 160 points? Download our free guide on the top 5 strategies you must be using to improve your score.

In short, no. Colleges don't look at middle school grades when weighing a student's application. College admission officers are able to get enough information from high school grades to make an informed decision on which students to accept.

Students who score higher than 1080 on the SAT are above average nationally from a percentile basis. These students also hold a 51% or higher SAT percentile. Thus, a good SAT score on a national scale is above 1080.

The 990 SAT is in the 37th percentile. This means just shy of 1,300,000 of the 2.13 million test takers scored the same or higher than you. On the flip side, that means you outperformed more than 1.8 million test takers.

Again, research has found that the average ACT score for sophom*ores is 18 points. Anything above that would be considered great for a 10th grader.

Your Composite score and each test score (English, mathematics, reading, science) range from 1 (low) to 36 (high).

Most high school students take the ACT for the first time in their junior year. While you may wait to take it until the fall of your senior year, it's usually best to sit for the ACT sooner, ideally by the spring of your junior year.

PSAT Averages

Nationally, the average score for the Math and Reading / Writing sections are about 490, for a total score of 980. This would put you squarely in the 50th percentile of scoring.

What is a good PSAT score for Ivy League? ›

In other words, if your main priority is getting into the Ivy League, you should aim for a composite PSAT score anywhere between 1280 and 1520. If you're looking at less selective institutions, then the 80^th percentile is a good benchmark.

Working to obtain a high SAT score won't just help you when applying to colleges – it can also help you win scholarships. Many colleges and universities offer merit-based scholarships dependent on your SAT score. Studying hard for the SAT can really pay off!

Average PSAT Scores: 920-1050

10th-grade students who scored between 920 and 1050 on the PSAT test will fall within the top 50% of all test takers.

If you're really set on getting a great score on the PSAT/NMSQT, it might be a good idea to take the PSAT 8/9. Since the PSAT/NMSQT is only offered once a year in October, you will only have two chances maximum to take it (one in 10th grade and one in 11th grade).

There are three different versions of the PSAT. The PSAT 8/9 is relatively new and designed for eighth and ninth graders. The PSAT 10 and the PSAT/NMSQT have the same content, but only the PSAT/NMSQT can lead to scholarships through National Merit and other providers.

We recommend that students take the test they'll get a better score on. For most students, the ACT is the easier test to prep for and to take. However, for some students, the SAT is a better fit. Colleges do not have a preference for one test over the other.

College admission tests like the SAT and ACT are standardized tests typically taken in your junior or senior year. Colleges use scores from these tests to help them make admission decisions. Each college has its own admission processes and policies, and they use scores differently.

The SAT and ACT generally cover the same topics. Both ACT and SAT scores are used for college admissions decisions and awarding merit-based scholarships. Most colleges do not prefer one test over the other. Neither the SAT or ACT is harder than the other.

The average SAT score for admitted students at Ivy League schools is about 1550, so you want to be aiming for a PSAT score that puts you around 1490.

The PSAT is scored on a scale of 160 to 760 points for each section - Mathematics and Evidence-Based Reading & Writing (EBRW). This means that the highest possible score for the PSAT is 1520, as it is made up of the math and EBRW scores. Note that this score depends on 1520, not 1600 as in the SAT.

What PSAT score is equivalent to SAT? ›

PSAT scores are placed on the same scale as SAT scores. The idea is that a 650 on the PSAT represents the same achievement as a 650 on the SAT. To the extent that PSAT and SAT scores can be used interchangeably, they can also share a concordance.

You should also have a 4.18 GPA or higher. If your GPA is lower than this, you need to compensate with a higher SAT/ACT score. For a school as selective as Harvard, you'll also need to impress them with the rest of your application. We'll cover those details next.

GPA requirements for Harvard

At Harvard, the standard GPA is 4.18. (While some schools publish an unweighted GPA, most utilize a weighted GPA out of 4.0.) Harvard needs you to be at the top of your class with a GPA of 4.18. To compete with other applications, you'll need to receive almost all A's.

Can I get into Harvard with a 3.7 GPA? Harvard does not have a minimum GPA requirement. However, Harvard is highly competitive, so it may be challenging to get in with a 3.7 GPA. The average GPA for entering Harvard students is 3.9.

The College Board recommends taking your first SAT during the spring of 11th grade. By this point, you should have learned most of the major concepts tested on the exam and will have ample time to retake the SAT one or more times, if needed. You may wait to take your first SAT until the fall of your senior year.

As California and other states work to define what “college and career readiness” means, a new study finds that a more reliable predictor of whether a student does well in college is his or her high school grades, rather than ACT or SAT scores.

Students can take the SAT as many times as they want; however, there are typically only seven test dates throughout the year. Most students take the exam twice, once at the end of their junior year and again at the beginning of their senior year.

So you're probably wondering, What's a good SAT score for scholarships, and how can I find them? The short answer is that you should aim for an SAT score between 1200 and 1600 if you want to secure some scholarships based on merit–and the higher within that range you score the more money you're looking at.

Admissions Summary

Yale University is extremely selective with an acceptance rate of 6%. Students that get into Yale University have an SAT score between 1470–1560 or an ACT score of 33–35. Regular applications are due January 2.

The GPA requirements for Harvard University are between 3.9 to 4.1. You will need an incredibly high GPA and will likely be graduating at the top of their class in order to get into Harvard University.

Do 8th graders get held back? ›

State law requires districts to have promotion and retention criteria for students who are in their last year of middle school (most commonly eighth grade) and are ready to move on to high school (EC Section 48070.5[a][5]).

Do Grades in 8th Grade Matter? While colleges don't look at middle school marks, these marks do still matter. Your grade eight marks can dictate whether you are eligible to enroll in IB or AP classes, which colleges do take into consideration when looking at applicants.

Pupils are aged 14–15 during eighth grade.

The highest SAT score you can possibly earn is 1600. The lowest SAT score is 400. Your total SAT score is comprised of a Math section score and an Evidence-Based Reading and Writing score.

What's a Bad SAT Score? A score of 1040 or below is considered below average for SAT test-takers. A score of 890 or below puts you in the bottom quarter of test-takers. This means that if you scored a 1040 or below, you should consider retaking the exam to improve your chances of getting into a good college.

A 1050 SAT score falls at about the 49th percentile, meaning that you scored higher than 49% of all other test takers.

Your SAT score, which ranges from 400 to 1600, is the sum of your two section scores: Math and Evidence-Based Reading and Writing (EBRW). Each section uses a scale of 200-800 in 10-point increments. A good score on Math or EBRW, then, would be around 600.

To be considered competitive, the score has to be between 650 and 690 in Reading and Writing and 610 to 670 in Math. Above average is 510 to 580 in Reading and Writing and 520 to 600 in Math.

Unfortunately, 930 is not a good SAT score. In reality, it's a weak score that will keep you from achieving your college admissions goals. Although you're still outperforming the majority of test takers, it's still not enough to get you into the top schools in the country.

A good PSAT score is a composite score of 1070 or higher, which puts you in the top 25% of all PSAT test takers.

Is 860 a good SAT score for an 8th grader? ›

The 860 SAT is in the 17th percentile. This means just shy of 1,800,000 of the 2.13 million test takers scored the same or higher than you. On the flip side, that means you outperformed more than 1.8 million test takers.

Yes. A 1300 on the SAT indicates good performance in all sections of the exam and places you around the 87th percentile of all test takers, meaning you scored higher than 87% of all test takers.

Harvard University's SAT scores for admitted students range from 1480 - 1580, with an average score of 1530. Although SAT scores are optional, we recommend that students aim for a good SAT score of at least 1530 to be competitive in the admissions process at Harvard University.

490 SAT Score Standings

Out of the 2.13 million test-takers, 2131958 scored the same or higher than you. You can apply to 15 colleges and have a good shot at getting admitted. You have a very low chance of getting into 1483 schools with this score.

The 840 SAT is in the 14th percentile. This means just shy of 1,800,000 of the 2.13 million test takers scored the same or higher than you. On the flip side, that means you outperformed more than 1.8 million test takers.

Harvard applicants with a combined SAT score of 1300-1400 and an average GPA of 3.5-4.0 have a better chance of being accepted to Harvard University.

Score Range

This tells us that it is possible to be admitted to MIT with a composite SAT score in the range of 1300-1380, although most students are within the 1510-1580 range. We do recommend, however, that you strongly consider retaking the SAT if your composite score is beneath 1550.

It depends. For the Ivy League, competitive scores range between 1500-1550. For other highly competitive schools, it's above 1400. 1300 and above will make you a competitive applicant for most other public universities and private universities.