What’s the average SAT score for Harvard and Yale? Prepscholar lists some averages but I’m not sure how accurate they are.
Generally what applicants look for are middle 50% ranges, meaning the range of scores for those in the middle 50% of the freshman class. That is usually a more useful figure than an “average” which can be skewed by some very high or low scores. For Yale’s middle 50% go here: https://admissions.yale.edu/what-yale-looks-for. Harvard provides on its site a 2100 to 2350 middle 50% range for class of 2016, see https://college.harvard.edu/frequently-asked-questions and click on “Do I need minimum required SAT, ACT, and subject test scores?” but apparently does not provide a section breakdown. USNews, using Harvard’s 2015 (a year earlier) figures gives the middle 50% ranges as 700-800 math, 700-800 reading, and 710-800 writing.
The obviuous comparison problem that exists today is that those score ranges are based on the prior form of the SAT test and not the new one. It is currently impossible to provide the middle 50% range or average for admitted freshman who took the new test for the simple reason that the current applicants are the first ones to submit the new test and most are still awaiting admission.There are published conversion tables for old to new tests but whether those really indicate admission ranges that will occur is anyone’s guess.
Thanks drusba!
Just also wondering what the purpose of superscoring is. I heard that top schools aren’t really looking for the combined score to be over a certain number but rather looking for the scores in the different sections to be above 700. Am I right?
Sure, @KiwiOz , but until both sections are 750+, you’re at (at least some degree of) risk of being negatively compared to an applicant with higher scores.
Thanks @marvin100