For the Math section, I’ve matched up the Old SAT percentile ranks to Old SAT scores. Both New & Old SAT test scales have the same 200-800 endpoints, but the New SAT has a bulge in score increase that is pronounced at the lower end of the percentile ranking (i.e. it makes the low scorers on the new SAT seem a lot “smarter”). You can copy and paste this table in Excel to graph it and play with it.
There’s a similar trend with the Verbal sections.
%tile Old New difference
99% | 800 | 800 | + 0
99% | 790 | 800 | + 10
99% | 780 | 790 |
99% | 770 | 780 |
98% | 760 | 780 | + 20
98% | 750 | 770 |
97% | 740 | 760 |
97% | 730 | 760 | + 30
96% | 720 | 750 |
95% | 710 | 740 |
93% | 700 | 730 |
92% | 690 | 720 |
91% | 680 | 710 |
89% | 670 | 700 |
88% | 660 | 690 |
86% | 650 | 670 | + 20
83% | 640 | 660 |
81% | 630 | 650 |
79% | 620 | 640 |
76% | 610 | 630 |
74% | 600 | 620 |
71% | 590 | 610 |
68% | 580 | 600 |
66% | 570 | 590 |
63% | 560 | 580 |
60% | 550 | 570 |
56% | 540 | 570 | + 30
53% | 530 | 560 |
50% | 520 | 550 |
47% | 510 | 540 |
43% | 500 | 530 |
40% | 490 | 520 |
36% | 480 | 510 |
33% | 470 | 510 | + 40
30% | 460 | 500 |
27% | 450 | 490 |
25% | 440 | 480 |
22% | 430 | 470 |
19% | 420 | 460 |
16% | 410 | 450 |
14% | 400 | 440 |
12% | 390 | 430 |
11% | 380 | 420 |
9% | 370 | 410 |
7% | 360 | 400 |
6% | 350 | 390 |
5% | 340 | 380 |
4% | 330 | 370 |
4% | 320 | 360 |
3% | 310 | 360 | + 50
3% | 300 | 350 |
2% | 290 | 340 |
2% | 280 | 330 |
1% | 270 | 310 | + 40
1% | 260 | 300 | +
1% | 250 | 280 | + 30
1% | 240 | 260 | + 20
1% | 230 | 250 | + 20
1% | 220 | 230 | + 10