How many people score a perfect SAT component score?

waji · 11-03-2009, 12:08 PM

I was wondering how many students or what percentage of them scores a perfect score in one of the components?

bclintonk · 11-03-2009, 02:07 PM

2009 college-bound seniors:
Total # test-takers: 1,530,128
Scoring 800 M: 10,052
Scoring 800 CR: 8,833
Scoring 800 W: 4,946
Scoring 800 M + 800 CR: 1,192
Scoring 800 M + 800 CR + 800 W: 297

As for percentages, you do the math. It's pretty tiny.

Note that roughly 90% of those scoring 800 on M did not match that score on CR, and nearly 85% of those scoring 800 on CR did not match that score on M. Most of us are a little stronger in one than in the other, and some of us are quite lopsided.

Sci-Fry · 11-03-2009, 02:37 PM

Where did you obtain those statistics from? Could you provide a link?

mifune · 11-03-2009, 08:20 PM

Try this site: SAT Data Tables

It has plenty of data tables but I am not sure if it provides the statistics that you are looking for.

hlhgxu · 11-04-2009, 02:06 PM

The names of the links at the data table site with the links to the exact tables

Composite (CR+M) Percentile Ranks (.pdf/522K)
http://professionals.collegeboard.co...osite_cr_m.pdf

Composite (CR+M+W) Percentile Ranks (.pdf/557K)
http://professionals.collegeboard.co...ite_cr_m_w.pdf

If you go to ACT site, you can also find similar information.

The chances of getting perfect ACT is about twice higher than getting perfect SAT.

The reason that I went searching is my daughter, a junior, got the perfect 2400 SAT on her first attempt last month. I got curious about the chances. She was lucky.

Shrinkrap · 11-04-2009, 02:13 PM

^Can't be JUST luck! Wow!

fresh101 · 11-04-2009, 03:43 PM

^that's pretty ridonculous!! (trying to still stay hip!)

fresh101 · 11-04-2009, 03:46 PM

Also, on that table, 297 ppl got 2400, 184 ppl got 2390.
Almost as if to say that getting 2400 is relatively easier than a 2390!

hlhgxu · 11-04-2009, 06:36 PM

Agree! I mean among those that are capable of the feat and there are many of those including some of her friends, luck has a great deal to do with it. It is a confidence booster for her, but she also knows that it is just a score. We are glad that she carries on her routine as before after some initial excitement.

hlhgxu · 11-04-2009, 06:38 PM

I think that this may be because that everybody capable of 2400 is going for 2400, not 2390.

mifune · 11-04-2009, 07:02 PM

2390 is the rarest score since some scaled scores do not even include 790. For instance, the Math section can follow the curve 800-780-750 and the reading often follows the curve 800-800-800-780. Since the 800 is far more prevalent, the 2390 as the rarest score is not surprising.

fresh101 · 11-04-2009, 07:55 PM

^smart explanation. I never thought about it that way.

hlhgxu · 11-04-2009, 08:07 PM

Makes good sense...thanks.

187 · 11-04-2009, 08:29 PM

A 790 usually only occurs for Writing.
I also found it pretty surprising that there were 70 more 2400s from males than there were from females. It would have made more sense the other way since there were 100,000 more females that took the test than males did.

mifune · 11-04-2009, 09:14 PM

Males have fared better than females in multiple-choice tests in numerous studies. However, women do outperform men in Writing, which may be partially attributed to the essay portion. Also, the quality of one's penmanship can contribute to a high score, which is something many males lack.