First time taking math SAT, got a score of 680. Good sign or bad?

Since the 7th grade, I started working on SAT vocab and during the summer, I would take SAT practice tests about 2 times a day, but I didn’t take it seriously. After months and months of not practicing, I took an official online math practice test seriously this time, and got a 680 (17/20). Is this considered good for a first timer?

^ i meant 2 times a day during the summer. I plan to take the SATs in exactly 1 year

The SAT is an aptitude test, not an achievement test. “Studying” for it makes up for a deficiency - something you should have had. Since it is typical for a student to take the SAT as a high school junior, your junior high deficiency compared to the “studying” is difficult to read, particularly because you talked about the verbal portion and then switched to math.

In general terms, your math 680 puts you near the 90th percentile for college bound seniors. That would appear to be a “good” sign.

@JustOneDad thanks for the input, and also i read on college board that the average math score for college bound students was a 513?

That’s the math average for graduating seniors who took the test. Presumably, many of them are college bound.

You can’t just say 680 after getting 17/20… You need to take the full test and make that assumption. The scores even fluctuate upon finishing the whole test. Section 2 may be easier than the other sections, or section 8 might be easier – too many variables.

Overall, I would say you can get to 800 if you try hard enough. In MS when I took the math portion, I had trouble getting to 800 even if I knew all the materials. I ALWAYS made that one mistake that would bring me down. I made the most stupid mistakes (I remember saying 9*3=36 or something…)

I hear Dr.Chung is a good book for math if you wanna get a solid score upon entering 700+.

If you know all the materials, then it’s just practice in getting a solid score. Recently, I’ve developed a new strategy that would help me get 800 – Don’t rush but work quickly; then go and check my answers. I would be done within 10-15 minutes for each section, giving me time to work on the hardest question if I happen to stumble by or give me plenty of time to check through my answers. I remember finding 3 mistakes in one section on the PSAT.

@sjwon3789 thank ya!