The beauty of the US university application process is that it looks at every student as an individual. In order to do so, universities invite their applicants to showcase their passions through their personal and supplemental essays, extracurriculars and more.

But your academic record is still a major factor in deciding whether or not you will get that final tick of approval from admissions officers, who wade through tens of thousands of applications each round. This means, your high school grades and SAT results matter - the latter often being the deciding factor as to whether an application is given a thorough read by an admissions officer or not.

What is the SAT?

The SAT, or Scholastic Aptitude Test, is a 3 hour exam that tests a student’s skills in math, reading and writing; there is also an optional essay which we highly recommend you take.

A few points to note:

• You’ll be scored out of 1600, with 800 of those marks allocated to the math portion of the paper and the other 800 to the combined reading and writing sections
• The test is held approximately 6-7 times per year
• You can register for the test on the College Board website
• You can take the test more than once
• The cost of test registration is approximately $100, or $150 if you decide to do the optional essay
• Less than 0.05% of students score a perfect 1600/1600

Interested in the Ivy League? Here are the scores you are aiming for

Given the US application process is holistic with various elements coming into play, there is no hard and fast rule as to what SAT score gains you entry into the Ivy League or other world leading universities such as Stanford, MIT, Caltech, UChicago or Duke.

However, we can identify some trends as to the SAT scores of the students who do gain admission. Below you can look at the scores you may need to be in the ballpark for admission to a world leading university.

Harvard

Admitted student score averages

• Math: 740-800
• Evidence Based Reading & Writing: 720-780
• Total score: 1460-1580

Princeton

Admitted student score averages

• Math: 730-800
• Evidence Based Reading & Writing: 720-770
• Total score: 1450-1570

Yale

Admitted student score averages

• Math: 730-790
• Evidence Based Reading & Writing: 720-770
• Total score: 1450-1560

Columbia

Admitted student score averages

• Math: 740-800
• Evidence Based Reading & Writing: 710-760
• Total score: 1450-1560

University of Pennsylvania

Admitted student score averages

• Math: 740-800
• Evidence Based Reading & Writing: 700-760
• Total score: 1440-1560

Brown

Admitted student score averages

• Math: 720-790
• Evidence Based Reading & Writing: 700-760
• Total score: 1420-1550

Dartmouth

Admitted student score averages

• Math: 720-790
• Evidence Based Reading & Writing: 700-770
• Total score: 1420-1560

Cornell

Admitted student score averages

• Math: 710-790
• Evidence Based Reading & Writing: 690-750
• Total score: 1400-1540

Stanford

Admitted student score averages

• Math: 720-800
• Evidence Based Reading & Writing: 700-770
• Total score: 1420-1570

Caltech

Admitted student score averages

• Math: 790-800
• Evidence Based Reading & Writing: 740-780
• Total score: 1530-1580

MIT

Admitted student score averages

• Math: 780-800
• Evidence Based Reading & Writing: 720-770
• Total score: 1500-1570

The University of Chicago

Admitted student score averages

• Math: 750-800
• Evidence Based Reading & Writing: 720-770
• Total score: 1470-1570

Duke

Admitted student score averages

• Math: 710-790
• Evidence Based Reading & Writing: 670-750
• Total score: 1380-1540

What is Crimson’s NEW SAT Mastery Course?

The curriculum for Crimson’s new SAT Mastery Course was developed by Harvard grads, literature PhDs, and top SAT tutors from around the world, with an aim to reduce your study time while maximising your results.

The course is designed to build a student’s confidence in applying crucial subject-knowledge and test-taking skills on all four parts of the SAT Test:

• Reading
• Writing and Language
• Math (with two subsections, No Calculator and Calculator)
• Optional Essay

Our students receive one-on-one tutoring with an SAT expert from Crimson’s global network of tutors, connected by Google Hangout or Zoom, and with instantaneous communication and feedback through Crimson’s hi-spec App for iOS.

What does the SAT Mastery Course Involve?

Our Mastery Course is built around a series of personal online tutoring sessions with top US College students and graduates and includes:

• Five full practice tests
• Extensive homework problems tailored to the curriculum
• An online test platform built into the Crimson App

The course’s five key units include:

• Critical Reading (5 hours + homework)
• Mathematics (10 hours + homework)
• Writing and Language, including Essay (10 hours + homework)
• Crimson Practice Test Review (5-10 hours)
• College Board Practice Test Review (5-10 hours)

To sign up for Crimson's SAT Mastery Course, talk to one of our academic advisors and book your free consultation today!

How can my SAT Mastery Course Tutor Tailor the Classes Just For Me?

Just as US colleges value diversity of talents and interests on campus, Crimson values the individual needs of each and every one of their students. That is why each of your SAT Mastery Classes lessons will:

• Provide you with practice questions and instant feedback from your tutor.
• Be followed by a comprehensive homework assignment to solidify the knowledge and skills gained during your lesson.
• Be placed on your Progress Tracking System, which gives you instant grading, breaking down question types and providing detailed explanations.
• Focus on your areas for improvement to make your study time as efficient and effective as possible.

Why Choose the Crimson SAT Mastery Course?

Simply put, it works. Not only was the course designed by some of the best educational minds in the SAT sector, it seamlessly fits into a student’s already busy schedule, with everything easily organized through the self-reporting Crimson App.

Here’s what some of our past students had to say!

"I found the math easy, but when I first started tackling the reading and writing sections, I was getting 25-30 questions wrong. After my sessions with my Crimson SAT tutor, I got that down to 4 or 5 questions wrong. In my actual SAT, I got a perfect score in writing and math - honestly, my Crimson tutor helped me so much!" Oliver M., Rice University admit. Class of 2023

“My Crimson SAT tutor was amazing. She helped me pull my SAT score up a good 90 points from where it started." Allie B., Duke University admit. Class of 2023

“I got frustrated when I’d sit down to take a SAT practice test and get all these questions wrong. But then I came on board with Crimson and my tutor was amazing. She helped me approach the test with an eye for the techniques needed. I know I wouldn't have done anywhere near as well if I hadn't had her help.” Abby S., University of Southern California admit. Class of 2023

Final Advice!

With millions of students taking the SAT, here are a few things to keep in mind when planning for and taking the test:

1. Book the test early. In many regions around the world, test centers have limited seats and can book out early. Crimson tutors and strategists can help you plan in advance, to make sure that you don’t miss out on sitting the exam on one of the seven annual testing dates.
2. While you can take the test as many times as you would like, we recommend that you do not take it more than 4 times. Many universities receive the results of all your SAT tests and taking it too many times can appear excessive. The trick is to make the most of the times you do sit the SAT! Taking Crimson’s SAT Mastery Course is a great way to maximise your results in a comprehensive, time efficient fashion.