Section 1: What do we mean by a raw and scale SAT and ACT scores?
Section 2: How does one score affect the other?
Section 3: How are ACT scores broken down?
Section 3: How can I check my SAT raw and scaled scores on ChalkTalk?
What do we mean by raw SAT score and scale SAT score?
The raw score is simply calculated using the number of questions answered correctly. For every question answered correctly on the SAT, a student receives one point.
The scaled score of between 200 and 800 is converted from the raw score a student earns on each section. The conversion happens through a process called equating, which ensures that the different forms of the test or the level of ability of the students do not affect a student score. In other words, equating makes it possible to make comparisons among test takers who take different editions of the test.
What do we mean by raw ACT score and scale ACT score?
A raw score is the total number of questions a student gets right in a section (English, Math, Reading and Science). For example, if you got 70 out of 75 English questions right, your raw English score would be 70.
A scale score is the final score a student gets for each section, on a scale of 1-36. Specifically, it's a translation of the student's raw score via an equating process developed by ACT, Inc.
How does one score affect the other?
Your raw SAT/ACT scores won't tell you much about how a student's score compares with peers or other test takers in general.
Scale scores, on the other hand, reflect how well a student did in relation to other test takers who took any variation of the SAT/ACT.
So, equating is not curving a student score relative to other test takers of the same SAT/ACT version. Instead, equating controls for slight variations in different SAT/ACT exams to ensure that scaled scores represent the same level of ability across different test dates.
For instance, a 600 on SAT Math exam (x) has to represent the same ability level as a 600 on SAT Math exam (y). So if test (x) turns out to be more difficult for students, the raw-score to scaled-score calculation will be adjusted so that a slightly lower raw score still nets a 600 scaled score.
How are ACT scores broken down?
Standardized tests can feel challenging, and the complex scoring system can feel impossible to understand. However, when you break it down, it is much simpler than you might assume.
Your composite score, or overall ACT score, is the average of your four scale scores on each test. Your raw scores for each section are simply the number of questions you answered correctly. Let’s use the table below to practice calculating your composite score.
You can find and download the PDF conversion sheet here.
Understanding your raw scores will allow you to calculate how many more points you need and how many more questions you must answer correctly to get those points. Adapted from PrepMaven
How can I check my SAT raw and scaled scores on ChalkTalk?
Log in to your ChalkTalk account.
Select the Tests tab.
Select the test you want to review (Placement, Mid, or Exit Test).
Under this table, you will find the scores, which include the raw score per subject & sitting.
Under this table, you will find the scaled score for each subject, as well as the total scaled score:
For the SAT - the total score for each subject is out of 800, and the scaled score is out of 1600 as shown below
For the ACT - the total score for each subject is out of 36, and the scale score is also out 36 as shown below
That's all :)
Reference:
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