Georgia’s SAT scores tick down, still beat national average

Georgia’s college-bound seniors in the class of 2024 didn’t score quite as well on the SAT as their peers in the class of 2023, but they still beat the national average.

Georgia’s mean score was 1030 in 2024, compared to a mean of 1045 the previous year . Georgia’s average in 2024 was 35 points higher than the national mean score of 995.

Here are some things to know about the test and this year’s results:

What is the SAT?

The SAT is known as a college-entrance exam, although recently some colleges have made the tests optional for applicants. Students receive scores on two sections of the test — a reading and writing section, and a math section. Each part is scored on a scale of 200 to 800. A student’s total score ranges from 400 to 1600.

How did local districts perform?

When comparing mean scores across metro Atlanta school districts, it’s important to keep in mind that size and participation rates vary. Those elements can affect average scores. Students in smaller school districts, particularly in wealthier communities, often perform better on the exams.

In metro Atlanta, Forsyth County had the highest mean score of 1174. City Schools of Decatur had the second-highest with an average score of 1169. The median household income last year in Forsyth County and the city of Decatur, respectively, were $134,821 and $129,992, well above the statewide average of $74,632, according to U.S. Census Bureau data.

Cobb County’s mean score was 1105, which outperformed Atlanta Public Schools (921), Clayton (901), DeKalb (994), Fulton (1063) and Gwinnett (1016).

Why have some colleges gone ‘test-optional?’

Some colleges and universities didn’t want to discourage qualified students from applying if they didn’t have high standardized test scores, so they implemented test-optional admissions policies. Additionally, during the COVID-19 pandemic, some colleges temporarily suspended the requirement. The University System of Georgia has waived the requirement for most of its schools, except for some research universities, until the fall of 2026. In metro Atlanta, schools like Emory University and Agnes Scott College have test-optional admissions.

However, when students choose not to submit standardized test scores, colleges will usually give more weight to other application materials, like grades, whether the applicant took challenging classes, and their personal statements and answers to other questions on their application.

Are college entrance exams on their way out?

About 90% of four-year colleges in the U.S. have gone “test-optional,” according to the National Center for Fair & Open Testing. However, some elite institutions such as Yale, Dartmouth and Brown have reinstated testing requirements recently. Yale, for example, requires students to submit one of four tests: the SAT, ACT, an International Baccalaureate test or Advanced Placement exam. The university calls its approach “test flexible,” meaning students can choose which test they’d like to submit.

The ACT, an entrance exam some students take instead of the SAT, has argued that standardized tests can give colleges a more accurate idea of a student’s performance, whereas grades can be inflated.

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