SAT Participation and Performance

More than 1.66 million students took the SAT in the class of 2012, making it the largest class of SAT takers in history. The mean scores for the SAT class of 2012 were 496 in critical reading, 514 in mathematics and 488 in writing. Since 2008, SAT participation has increased 6 percent, while critical reading scores have declined four points, writing scores have declined five points, and mathematics scores have remained stable.

SAT Performance — 2008-12
All Schools	CR	M	W
2008	500	514	493
2011	497	514	489
2012	496	514	488
Public Schools	CR	M	W
2008	496	508	487
2011	493	506	482
2012	491	505	481

Mean Scores by Year – 1972–2012

Mean Scores by State, By Participation Rate – All Schools

Mean Scores by State, By Participation Rate – Public Schools

High School Course Work and SAT Performance

Academic preparedness for college is in large part dependent on the type and rigor of courses that students take in high school. Among SAT takers in the class of 2012, 75 percent reported completing a core curriculum. On average, SAT takers who reported completing a core curriculum performed better on the SAT than those who did not complete a core curriculum.

SAT Performance by Core Curriculum Completion

Differences in Core Curriculum Completion

While students who complete a core curriculum tend to perform better on the SAT, rates of core curriculum completion vary in relation to numerous demographic and socioeconomic factors. This is a critical issue for American educators, as academic preparedness for college is strongly linked to the type and rigor of courses that a student takes in high school. That is why the College Board has been a partner in the Common Core State Standards initiative from the beginning. Providing a rigorous learning platform that prepares all of our nation's students to perform in the classroom is crucial to our nation's future prosperity.

Advanced Course Work and SAT Performance

The College Board's Advanced Placement Program^® (AP) represents a high standard of academic rigor. Research consistently shows that students who score a 3 or higher (out of 5) on AP Exams typically experience greater academic success in college and have higher graduation rates than their otherwise comparable non-AP peers.

As in previous years, students who reported taking Advanced Placement or honors courses outperformed their peers on the SAT.

Mean SAT Scores by AP or Honors Participation Class of 2012
	CR	M	W
English and Language Arts AP/Honors	553	558	544
Mathematics AP/Honors	558	589	551
Natural Sciences AP/Honors	562	582	554
Social Sciences and History AP/Honors	562	567	552
Mean Scores for All Test-Takers	496	514	488

AP is an especially powerful tool for underserved students. The National Center for Educational Accountability found that minority and low-income students who took AP courses, particularly those who scored a 3 or higher on the exam, were much more likely to earn a college degree within five years. Despite strides made in recent years, minority and low-income students participate in AP/Honors course work at lower rates than their peers.

Percentage of High-Achievers Remains Stable

The SAT has enjoyed a significant increase in participation while maintaining a consistent percentage of high-achieving test-takers. Despite a decline in mean scores, there are more high performers on the SAT than ever before, and the percentage of students scoring in the top two score bands (600-800) on each section of the SAT has remained fairly stable during the last five years.