SAT distribution for top colleges--see how they hoover up the top scorers, leaving crumbs for the rest

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The consensus is that at between 1% to 1.5% of all test takers, including super scorers, score above 1530. There were approximately 1.97 million test takers according to the college board. 19,700 to 29,500 SAT takers scored above 1530.

Data is based mostly on 2024-2025. SAT above 1530:
Harvard: 54% submitted an SAT (892 students). 65% scored above 1530. 580 students
Yale: 61% submitted an SAT (950 students). 50% scored above 1530. 475 students
Princeton: 56% submitted an SAT (783 students). 50% scored above 1530. 391 students
Columbia: Those applying to Columbia know why it isn't here
Brown: 61% submitted an SAT (1,046 students). 40% scored above a 1530. 418 students
Cornell: 44.9% submitted an SAT (1,583 students). 35% scored above a 1530. 554 students
Dartmouth: (2020 data) Dartmouth as you know started to hid its SAT scores post-covid. 57% submitted an SAT. 682 students. 30% score above a 1530. 204 students
UPenn: 50% submitted an SAT. 1,204 students. 80% scored above a 1530. 963 students.
MIT: 83% submitted an SAT. 918 students. 65% scored above 1530. 596 students
Stanford: 50% submitted an SAT. 857 students. 60% scored above a 1530. 514 students
Caltech: Pre-covid: 79% submitted an SAT. 186 students 75% scored above a 1530. 140 students.
Duke: 47% submitted an SAT. 824 students. 65% scored above a 1530. 535 students
Rice: 48% submitted an SAT score. 546 students. 60% scored above a 1530. 262 students.
Northwestern: 46% submitted an SAT score. 963 students. 55% scored above a 1530. 529 students.
Georgetown: 78% submitted an SAT score. 1232 students. 30% scored above a 1530. 369 students.
Notre Dame: 684 submitted an SAT score. 30% scored above a 1530. 205 students.
Vanderbilt: 27% submitted an SAT score. 447 students. 60% scored above a 1530. 268 students.
Emory: 43% submitted an SAT score. 623 students. 30% scored above a 1530. 186 students.
WashU: 29% submitted an SAT score. 538 students. 60% scored above a 1530. 322 students.
Johns Hopkins 50% submitted an SAT score. 691 students. 75% scored above a 1530. 518 students
NYU: 28% submitted an SAT score. 1598 students. 35% scored above a 1530. 559 students.
Georgia Tech: 77% submitted an SAT score. 2,966 students. 25% scored above a 1530. 741 students.
USC: 30% submitted an SAT score. 1044 students. 55% scored above a 1530. 574 students.
Illinois: 41% submitted an SAT score. 3,719 students. 15% scored above a 1530. 550 students.
UMichigan: 51% submitted an SAT score. 3,697 students. 25% scored above a 1530. 924 students.
Tufts: 38% submitted an SAT score. 687 students. 30% scored above a 1530. 206 students
Northeastern: 24% submitted an SAT score. 653 students. 20% scored above a 1530. 130 students
Boston University: 33% submitted an SAT score. 1,093 students. 25% scored above a 1530. 273 students
Boston College: 28% submitted an SAT score. 662 students. 20% scored above a 1530. 132 students.
Univ of Washington: 1,069 submitted an SAT score. 10% scored above 1530. 106 students
UVA: 45% submitted an SAT score. 1,805 students. 15% scored above a 1530. 270 students.
UNC: 28% submitted an SAT score. 1,320 students. 25% scored above a 1530. 330 students.
Williams College: 35% submitted an SAT score. 190 students. 55% scored above a 1530. 104 students.
Amherst College. 39% submitted an SAT score. 187 students. 55% scored above a 1530. 103 students

Pomona, Harvey Mudd, Claremont-McKenna, Pitzer, and Scripps: Average about 50-75 students each who score above 1530. Purdue's SAT 75% is only 1470, but 9000 submitted an SAT. I estimate that at least 500 students there have an SAT above 1530. 200-250 total.

This figure doesn't include those SAT scorers above 1530 who enroll at UC Berkeley or UCLA. Pre-covid, combined they had about 2,500 SAT scorers above 1530.

Chances are very good that if you scored above 1530 on an SAT you are attending one of these colleges.

Where is this from?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The figures for the number of 1570+ scorers are low.

When the College Board last released data on the number of scorers at a given score in 2015, the SAT was scored out of 2400. Approximately 17,500 scored in the top 1% out of 1.7 million test takers. There are now around 2.4 million test takers.

A 1570 concordance on the 2400 scale is 2360-2370.

There were only 2,500 scorers who achieved a score of 2360 or higher in 2015.

Even with superscoring, there are probably fewer than 7,500 1570+ SAT scorers each year.

I just find this implausible because my kid has a single-sitting 1570 and really doesn’t seem like she’s all that unusual.

It’s not that unusual at my kid’s school or probably at yours. It’s unusual elsewhere. An old friend lives in a state like Arkansas and the newspaper ran an article about her kid’s high standardized test score. That wouldn’t be news where we live. I don’t think it helps that much for the same reasons.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:According to SFFA, a 1550 gave awhite applicant a 30% chance at Harvard. Slightly less if Asian.

Good odds considering overall acceptance rates.

Reminder that SFFA compared races within thst SAT range, not to slightly lower SAT.

It doesn't mean that 1550 is a big boost over 1500.

White: 1500-1550: 10.2% admit rate
White: 1550+: 21% admit rate

Asian: 1500-1550 8.5% admit rate
Asian: 1550+: 18.5% admit rate

That is statistically significant. The data can be found in https://studentsforfairadmissions.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Doc-415-1-Arcidiacono-Expert-Report.pdf

Difference between them is likely due to more white kids being recruited athletes at those top schools

[Anonymous]

DC has a 1570 but isn't even applying to any of those schools. We make too much for Need-based and none of them give any merit to speak of. :/ yes we have college savings but not $800K+ ($100K/year times 2 kids) for just undergrad costs

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DC has a 1570 but isn't even applying to any of those schools. We make too much for Need-based and none of them give any merit to speak of. :/ yes we have college savings but not $800K+ ($100K/year times 2 kids) for just undergrad costs

What schools are they applying to? Many of those schools listed offer academic/non-need based aid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DC has a 1570 but isn't even applying to any of those schools. We make too much for Need-based and none of them give any merit to speak of. :/ yes we have college savings but not $800K+ ($100K/year times 2 kids) for just undergrad costs

What schools are they applying to? Many of those schools listed offer academic/non-need based aid.

DP, but my similar kid is only applying to flagships. Just didn’t vibe with those small private schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DC has a 1570 but isn't even applying to any of those schools. We make too much for Need-based and none of them give any merit to speak of. :/ yes we have college savings but not $800K+ ($100K/year times 2 kids) for just undergrad costs

5-6 schools ivy/type give some amount of need based financial aid to students from households making 300k. A 1570 provided top rigor and top grades is best served at a T20/ivy or WASP. The most selective of which will likely give your family aid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DC has a 1570 but isn't even applying to any of those schools. We make too much for Need-based and none of them give any merit to speak of. :/ yes we have college savings but not $800K+ ($100K/year times 2 kids) for just undergrad costs

5-6 schools ivy/type give some amount of need based financial aid to students from households making 300k. A 1570 provided top rigor and top grades is best served at a T20/ivy or WASP. The most selective of which will likely give your family aid.

With the tax on endowments and the loophole of tuition paying students, expect to see these income figures to only increase. It is cheaper to give more aid than it is to pay the tax for some of these schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DC has a 1570 but isn't even applying to any of those schools. We make too much for Need-based and none of them give any merit to speak of. :/ yes we have college savings but not $800K+ ($100K/year times 2 kids) for just undergrad costs

5-6 schools ivy/type give some amount of need based financial aid to students from households making 300k. A 1570 provided top rigor and top grades is best served at a T20/ivy or WASP. The most selective of which will likely give your family aid.

I really don’t understand why this kid would be best served at a T20 instead of, eg, a state school engineering program. Especially since the state school means graduating with $200k in savings. (And no, the rich schools are not going to give my kid money, because I have the money, I just don’t necessarily think it’s best spent this way.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DC has a 1570 but isn't even applying to any of those schools. We make too much for Need-based and none of them give any merit to speak of. :/ yes we have college savings but not $800K+ ($100K/year times 2 kids) for just undergrad costs

What schools are they applying to? Many of those schools listed offer academic/non-need based aid.

DP, but my similar kid is only applying to flagships. Just didn’t vibe with those small private schools.

Same. My younger child who may want a smaller school is very interested in W&M from the visit we had with older sibling.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DC has a 1570 but isn't even applying to any of those schools. We make too much for Need-based and none of them give any merit to speak of. :/ yes we have college savings but not $800K+ ($100K/year times 2 kids) for just undergrad costs

What schools are they applying to? Many of those schools listed offer academic/non-need based aid.

DP, but my similar kid is only applying to flagships. Just didn’t vibe with those small private schools.

My kid is the same.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DC has a 1570 but isn't even applying to any of those schools. We make too much for Need-based and none of them give any merit to speak of. :/ yes we have college savings but not $800K+ ($100K/year times 2 kids) for just undergrad costs

What schools are they applying to? Many of those schools listed offer academic/non-need based aid.

DP, but my similar kid is only applying to flagships. Just didn’t vibe with those small private schools.

My kid is the same.

Same. 1550 SAT hoping for honors college plus merit aid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The consensus is that at between 1% to 1.5% of all test takers, including super scorers, score above 1530. There were approximately 1.97 million test takers according to the college board. 19,700 to 29,500 SAT takers scored above 1530.

Data is based mostly on 2024-2025. SAT above 1530:
Harvard: 54% submitted an SAT (892 students). 65% scored above 1530. 580 students
Yale: 61% submitted an SAT (950 students). 50% scored above 1530. 475 students
Princeton: 56% submitted an SAT (783 students). 50% scored above 1530. 391 students
Columbia: Those applying to Columbia know why it isn't here
Brown: 61% submitted an SAT (1,046 students). 40% scored above a 1530. 418 students
Cornell: 44.9% submitted an SAT (1,583 students). 35% scored above a 1530. 554 students
Dartmouth: (2020 data) Dartmouth as you know started to hid its SAT scores post-covid. 57% submitted an SAT. 682 students. 30% score above a 1530. 204 students
UPenn: 50% submitted an SAT. 1,204 students. 80% scored above a 1530. 963 students.
MIT: 83% submitted an SAT. 918 students. 65% scored above 1530. 596 students
Stanford: 50% submitted an SAT. 857 students. 60% scored above a 1530. 514 students
Caltech: Pre-covid: 79% submitted an SAT. 186 students 75% scored above a 1530. 140 students.
Duke: 47% submitted an SAT. 824 students. 65% scored above a 1530. 535 students
Rice: 48% submitted an SAT score. 546 students. 60% scored above a 1530. 262 students.
Northwestern: 46% submitted an SAT score. 963 students. 55% scored above a 1530. 529 students.
Georgetown: 78% submitted an SAT score. 1232 students. 30% scored above a 1530. 369 students.
Notre Dame: 684 submitted an SAT score. 30% scored above a 1530. 205 students.
Vanderbilt: 27% submitted an SAT score. 447 students. 60% scored above a 1530. 268 students.
Emory: 43% submitted an SAT score. 623 students. 30% scored above a 1530. 186 students.
WashU: 29% submitted an SAT score. 538 students. 60% scored above a 1530. 322 students.
Johns Hopkins 50% submitted an SAT score. 691 students. 75% scored above a 1530. 518 students
NYU: 28% submitted an SAT score. 1598 students. 35% scored above a 1530. 559 students.
Georgia Tech: 77% submitted an SAT score. 2,966 students. 25% scored above a 1530. 741 students.
USC: 30% submitted an SAT score. 1044 students. 55% scored above a 1530. 574 students.
Illinois: 41% submitted an SAT score. 3,719 students. 15% scored above a 1530. 550 students.
UMichigan: 51% submitted an SAT score. 3,697 students. 25% scored above a 1530. 924 students.
Tufts: 38% submitted an SAT score. 687 students. 30% scored above a 1530. 206 students
Northeastern: 24% submitted an SAT score. 653 students. 20% scored above a 1530. 130 students
Boston University: 33% submitted an SAT score. 1,093 students. 25% scored above a 1530. 273 students
Boston College: 28% submitted an SAT score. 662 students. 20% scored above a 1530. 132 students.
Univ of Washington: 1,069 submitted an SAT score. 10% scored above 1530. 106 students
UVA: 45% submitted an SAT score. 1,805 students. 15% scored above a 1530. 270 students.
UNC: 28% submitted an SAT score. 1,320 students. 25% scored above a 1530. 330 students.
Williams College: 35% submitted an SAT score. 190 students. 55% scored above a 1530. 104 students.
Amherst College. 39% submitted an SAT score. 187 students. 55% scored above a 1530. 103 students

Pomona, Harvey Mudd, Claremont-McKenna, Pitzer, and Scripps: Average about 50-75 students each who score above 1530. Purdue's SAT 75% is only 1470, but 9000 submitted an SAT. I estimate that at least 500 students there have an SAT above 1530. 200-250 total.

This figure doesn't include those SAT scorers above 1530 who enroll at UC Berkeley or UCLA. Pre-covid, combined they had about 2,500 SAT scorers above 1530.

Chances are very good that if you scored above 1530 on an SAT you are attending one of these colleges.

Your numbers and conclusion don't add up. Based on your numbers roughly 10K students with more than 1530 attend those schools. But that's still about 40% (based on your SAT number). Besides I wouldn't categorize some of those schools "top".

[Anonymous]

For the state flagship, it depends on what state you live in. The ones in Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania don't. The ones here in Virginia, maybe Maryland do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For the state flagship, it depends on what state you live in. The ones in Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania don't. The ones here in Virginia, maybe Maryland do.

Sorry, I’ve lost the plot. These state flagships do and don’t do what?