<p>A 2400 means you did better than someone with a score in the 2300’s , so it is indeed very impressive. Any score 2300+ is highly impressive, however.</p>
<p>I’m satisfied with my score despite the fact that it’s not a perfect 2400, considering there’s a very good chance you could do worse the next time you take the test. To be honest I don’t consider that tiny point increase to be worth all the trouble.</p>
<p>You know I’d actually have to disagree with you on that, winning11. It absolutely requires a generous helping of luck (I know because I did get that score - somehow). I know because my practice tests weren’t even close, and then something happened, and then… well. I’d say I’m #2 on Randwulf’s list, by the way. But I WAS extremely lucky.</p>
<p>It takes a ridiculous amount of luck to get a 2400 without being able to score consistent 2250s and above. </p>
<p>But say, for example, you got a 2250 consistently on the practice tests. Let’s say that you missed three on math, for a 730, 4 on critical reading for a 770, and 3 on writing for a 750. Most of the questions you would have been able to eliminate down to 2 answers or less. </p>
<p>assuming a curve of 0 misses in math, 2 misses in CR, and 1 miss in writing with an essay of 9-10 to get an 800 in each section, to get a perfect score, you would need to not have missed the 3 on math, two on critical reading, and 2 in writing. That’s 7 problems right there.</p>
<p>1 / 2^7 is a pretty small number, but given the amount of test takers out there ~1.5 million people, there’s bound to be a handful of 2400s that were not deserved and were gained by sheer dumb luck (with perhaps a bit of glancing off the genuine 2400 sitting next to you)</p>
<p>Note: there are about 300 2400s, 125 2390s, 290 2380’s, but considering that many of the 2300+ retake their tests in hopes of 2400 glory, there are quite a few doubles, and the number of 2300+ scores is probably a good deal overstated.</p>
<p>I actually disagree that these two types get 2400s. Your actual intelligence is probably not correlated with your SAT score, since the test is so uniquely structured that practice is crucial. </p>
<p>I also contest that luck is a huge part of getting a 2400. If one is able to buckle down, to let no little question escape, to have clarity of thought and an understanding of how the test functions, then it is wholly possible to consistently score 2400s. These things largely come through practice. Brains? Give me a break. For the SAT, “brains” are largely unnecessary, not to demean the test (I mean brains in the colloquial sense…obviously you need to use your brain otherwise you’d be a vegetable).</p>
<p>The luck factor comes in only when you have time pressure and you just happen to overlook something. You can definitely practice to get above a 2300 though.</p>
<p>Just to illustrate what separates scores at the top end…My daughter just got a 2330. She got a 770 (two wrong, one omit) on the CR, had she answered one more question correctly she would have had an 800. She was perfect on the math and writing MC, but only got an 8 on the essay. As close as that is, she’d be the first to tell you she has no doubt her score would go down if she took it again. Luck plays a huge role. She left three blank on what turned out to be the experimental section.</p>
<p>well I got a 2400 in october so I can give my opinion.</p>
<p>It’s only luck once you reach a certain point. Barring a few outliars, the people that get 2400s would mostly score 2350+ if they took it again. If I took the SAT 3 more times, I’d probably get another 2400 at least once, and wouldn’t ever be under 2330.</p>
<p>And the “luck” (apart from getting the ocassional guess right) is simply making sure not to misread any questions or make a careless mistakes (which, due to how long the SAT is, requires some luck indeed).</p>
<p>But how do you get to consistantly scoring 2330+? That isn’t luck at all. Preparation probably plays a role, for some more than others, but it’s foolish to say that it doesn’t take intelligence. I’m hardly the smartest person in the world, but for the VAST majority of people, no matter how much studying they do they can never hit anything close to 2400. Intelligence is a prerequisite. That isn’t to say that the people that score 2400 are the smartest in the country, just that a good bit of intelligence is needed-to a point. Without that, there is no hope. With it, then it takes some preparation and luck. As far as what amount of intelliegence is required to have a chance, i can’t say.</p>
<p>Stix2400 said exactly what I was thinking, just in a much better, clear, and useful way. Intelligence really does have to do with it, I guess ( and I’m not trying to boost my own self esteem) because though you can prepare for the SAT every waking moment of your life and score splendiferously, there are quite a few people who really didn’t memorize the thousands of words, attempt to psychoanalyze the test makers, or try to systematically deconstruct the essay section and still got a 2400. I, for one, looked at noitaraperp’s brilliant cr thread but realized I could get them right simply by reading the passage once, answering the questions, and referring back as necessary. That didn’t come with practice. Furthermore, no 2400 is undeserved, IMHO. I think randwulf was pretty spot-on with his categories.</p>
<p>I think that a 2400 usually requires quite a bit of luck. electronblue’s daughter got an 80 MC and 8 Essay. If the curve was right, and one of the graders had been a bit more generous, she could have had an 800 on the writing. In CR, even if you have a really good vocabulary, SAT could test you on a word you don’t know. It is just your luck.</p>
<p>I think it’s definitely a combo of luck, intelligence, and preparation. A guy at my school absolute genius got a 2400 with no studying, so it is possible. I think you can definitely tell it is just luck. In the practice exams I’m doing right now, on some of the math sections I get all of them right because I am understand the questions better. Also, for critical reading who can chance if you know all the vocabulary or not?</p>
<p>Haha my problem on CC is my vocabulary… I have OK vocabulary… I miss maybe 3 on the passage base sections and like 9 on the vocabulary. Go figure…</p>
).</p>