As far as getting admission to a college abroad is concerned, you might clearly know the value of the SAT Exam. You already know that college admissions are always competitive and you as a candidate need to aim for higher scores to get into the list of targeted cutoffs. This is something valuable to ensure that you get the college that you are looking for. If you want to know more about SAT Exam Cutoff and a list of colleges with different cutoffs, This article covers everything in detail to help you with the needed insights.
Do you want to know how SAT Cutoff can have an impact on your college admissions and selections? Since SAT Cutoff is the most common method of colleges and universities to shortlist you, it is important that you know the essentialities of it.
The SAT Cutoff Marks is simply a standard that universities and colleges use to determine whether you are eligible for admission or not. The SAT Exam is given by a huge number of students worldwide and every college lists out various factors on the basis of which they shortlist students. The Cutoff can be considered as a range of scores that decides whether you can apply for admission to certain colleges or not.
The universities abroad in countries like the US and UK prefer to shortlist you if you have crossed the scores of 1300-1400. Since there are multiple criteria in terms of securing admission, you always should aim for a high SAT score to increase your chances for admission to top-level colleges. Apart from that, various reputed colleges also seek your academic performance in high school, extracurricular activities, and overall portfolio.
If you are applying for admission in any of the colleges or universities in countries like the US, UK, and Canada, you should plan to study well in the SAT Exam to achieve scores above 1300-1400. This can be your golden opportunity to get admission to reputed colleges like Yale, Harvard, Stanford, etc.
The Cut-off is a determinant factor in many colleges and universities as they receive thousands of applications from applicants worldwide. This is the reason why institutions release cut-offs along with other criteria for offering admission to candidates. Being an applicant, you should know about various colleges and their cutoffs so that it becomes easy for you to plan the examination well.
Getting admission into top colleges can always be competitive. The SAT Cutoff Marks usually range from 1300-1400 and also go beyond 1500 depending upon the institution. The Top Universities always aim to intake students with the highest SAT scores and this is the reason you should always aim for higher grades. In most cases, it also depends on the colleges and universities you are applying to as every college has its specific criteria of offering admission to candidates. Additionally, there can be other factors also that can play a role in securing admission into top-tier colleges.
Due to covid-19, many universities and colleges have also decided to go test-optional while some of them have eliminated the requirement of SAT. The section on the test-optional universities and colleges is also covered in the article.
If you want to understand the cut off for top universities, here is the table that can help you in a better way:
| Harvard University | Ranges between 1480 to 1600 |
| Yale University | Ranges between 1480 to 1600 |
| UCLA | Approx. 1400 |
| Penn University | Approx. 1500 |
| Cornell University | Approx. 1390 |
| Carnegie Mellon University | EBRW Score is Required 730+ and Maths Score is Required 780+. |
| Stanford University | Maths Score Cut-off is Above 770, EBRW Score Cut-off is Above 735. |
| Duke University | Approx. 1475 |
| Boston University | Approx. 1510 |
| UC San Diego | Approx. 1490 |
| UT Austin | Approx. 1480 |
| University of Pennsylvania | Ranges between 1470 to 1550 |
If you are following the covid update, you might be aware that some universities have made the SAT Exam non-mandatory. The universities and colleges have called this step “Test-Optional” where it is completely on the choice of students to whether they want to submit SAT Test Scores or not. In such cases, it is definite that this will not impact your admission but other areas like your high school grades, essays, portfolio, etc. will be given a competitive weightage.
There are numerous universities and colleges which have decided to go test-optional seeing the covid conditions. The list of such universities and colleges you can refer are listed below:
| University of Chicago | Test-Optional |
| Harvard University | Test-Optional for 2021-22 |
| California Institute of Technology | SAT is not required for 2021-22 |
| Brown University | Test-Optional for 2021-22 |
| Cornell University | SAT is not required for 2021-22 |
| New York University | Test-Optional for 2021-22 |
The SAT Exam is solely based on grading which ranges between 200-1600. A score above 1400 can be seen as a fairly good score but the higher the one scores, the better it is. For instance, if you have scored 1450 out of 1600, it means that you will stand a pretty solid chance of getting into your dream college.
While preparing for the SAT Exam, it is always recommended that you aim for higher grades to secure a chance of admission into colleges such as Harvard, Cornell, Duke, etc.
| Percentile | Score |
| 99+ | 1560-1600 |
| 99 | 1520-1550 |
| 95 | 1430-1440 |
| 90 | 1350 |
| 85 | 1290 |
| 80 | 1240-1250 |
| 75 | 1200-1210 |
| 50 | 1040-1050 |
In general cases, the SAT is a requirement for admission to colleges abroad. Since covid, as there are various boundations and guidelines that may vary from country to country, many of the colleges have become “Test-Optional” which have made the admission process easier for students. You can also check for test-optional colleges in this article itself.
The Universities in the US have changed some of their policies to accommodate students who are not able to take the SAT Exam due to restrictions and closure of centers. Here are the common policies which colleges and universities are currently following:
The Scholastic Assessment Test or SAT is a great way to get admission in the UK, US, New Zealand, or Canada. It specifically requires the candidate to achieve a range of 1200 – 1350 in which their score falls into the 75th percentile and above. This specific score range mentioned here is right on what most colleges require for admission.
The SAT Cutoff can be a mandatory factor that can decide whether you are going to be selected for admission or not.
This is an overview of the general SAT cutoff score for the Top 20 universities in the USA.
| University | SAT Cutoff (Composite Score) |
| Harvard University | 1520 |
| Stanford University | 1505 |
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) | 1535 |
| University of California Berkeley (UCB) | 1415 |
| University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) | 1455 |
| Yale University | 1515 |
| Columbia University | 1505 |
| Princeton University | 1505 |
| New York University (NYU) | 1510 |
| University of Pennsylvania | 1500 |
| University of Chicago | 1470 |
| Cornell University | 1480 |
| Duke University | 1510 |
| Johns Hopkins University | 1505 |
| University of Southern California | 1440 |
| Northwestern University | 1495 |
| Carnegie Mellon University | 1460 |
| University of Michigan | 1435 |
| Brown University | 1485 |
| Boston University | 1420 |
Most universities also have specific section SAT cutoffs for the scores. The averages for the last admission year (19-20) are outlined in the tables below:
| University | SAT Cutoff (Reading and Writing Score) |
| Harvard University | 710-770 |
| Stanford University | 700-770 |
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) | 730-770 |
| University of California Berkeley (UCB) | 650-740 |
| University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) | 690 |
| Yale University | 740-800 |
| Columbia University | 700-770 |
| Princeton University | 710-770 |
| New York University (NYU) | 670-740 |
| University of Pennsylvania | 700-760 |
| University of Chicago | 730-770 |
| Cornell University | 680-760 |
| Duke University | 720-770 |
| Johns Hopkins University | 720-760 |
| University of Southern California | 660-740 |
| Northwestern University | 700-760 |
| Carnegie Mellon University | 700-760 |
| University of Michigan | 660-740 |
| Brown University | 700-770 |
| Boston University | 650-720 |
Here are the SAT Cutoffs for the Maths section of top US Universities:
| University | SAT Cutoff (Math Score) |
| Harvard University | 740-800 |
| Stanford University | 740-800 |
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) | 780-800 |
| University of California Berkeley (UCB) | 680-790 |
| University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) | 715 |
| Yale University | 720-770 |
| Columbia University | 740-800 |
| Princeton University | 740-800 |
| New York University (NYU) | 690-790 |
| University of Pennsylvania | 750-800 |
| University of Chicago | 770-800 |
| Cornell University | 720-800 |
| Duke University | 750-800 |
| Johns Hopkins University | 750-800 |
| University of Southern California | 680-790 |
| Northwestern University | 730-790 |
| Carnegie Mellon University | 760-800 |
| University of Michigan | 680-790 |
| Brown University | 730-790 |
| Boston University | 670-780 |
This article has already covered the concepts of “Test-Optional”, it is now important for you to refer to information on which universities have completely scrapped the requirement of SAT Scores in 2021.
| Worcester Polytechnic Institute |
| Boston University |
| University of California |
| Tulane University |
| University of Washington |
| Northeastern University |
| Scripps College |
| Texas Christian University |
| Reed College |
| Paul Smith’s College |
| Pacific University Oregon |
| Northern Illinois University |
| University of New England |
| Minerva Schools at KGI |
| Massachusetts College of Art & Design |
| Loyola University New Orleans |
| Hampshire College |
| Governors State University |
| Dickinson College |
| Columbia College Chicago |
| Catholic University of America |
| California Institute of Technology |
As an SAT Exam applicant, it is crucial that you understand the requirements for the SAT Exam in 2021-22. As SAT Score is not the only criterion for admission into colleges abroad, there are also numerous factors listed by colleges that play a role while shortlisting a candidate for a specific course. In 2021-22 also there are still various factors that will play a role in determining your chances of admission other than SAT or ACT Scores. Here are some of the points to help you understand it well:
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The SAT Cutoff goes above 1300 for most of the universities. If you refer to prestigious universities, some even prefer to take candidates who have scored above 1400-1500. It is the same for all international applicants.
The SAT Score has the highest probability of consideration but other than this the colleges also refer to high school grades in order to shortlist you. Some colleges even do accept ACT Scores as an alternative to SAT Exam.
The SAT Cutoff Exam is graded out of 1600 marks in total which covers sections like EBRW (Evidence-Based Reading & Writing) and Mathematics (Calculator & Non-Calculator).
The SAT Exam is most appropriate for students who are currently in high school. Since it is the exam for securing undergraduate admissions, the students who have attained the age of 13 years+ and passed class 9 can apply for the SAT Exam.
The maximum score for the SAT Exam is 1600 whereas the lowest exam score is 400.
The highest recommended score is 1500 above which might help you get into one of the prestigious colleges in the US.
The usual score which can be considered fair enough to get admission is above 1200. It is always recommended that you should aim for higher grades in order to secure your chances of getting a good college.
A score above 1400 is considered a good score that will make you eligible for most of the popular colleges abroad. In case you are aiming for top-tier colleges, you should attain scores above 1500.
There is no negative marking in the SAT Exam.
There are no specific criteria that mention the passing marks in SAT Exam. It is all about the cumulative score and college cutoff which is a major determinant to shortlist you.
There is no limit on the number of attempts as you can appear for it multiple times. It is just that you have to pay the fee every time you register for the exam.
The colleges use the SAT Scores to determine whether a student is eligible for getting admission or not. Many universities in countries like the US, UK, and Canada mark this as a crucial factor for offering admission to candidates.
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