Let’s use math as an example to understand SAT scoring. You will receive two SAT scores: a raw score and a scaled score. Although the scaled score is the one that colleges will consider, we need to start this process by understanding the raw score.

There are 54 math questions on a full SAT and each of the 54 math questions is worth one point. Thus, your maximum raw score for math is 54. (To get a 54, you would need to answer each question correctly.)

When you begin your first math section, your raw score is zero. Each time you answer a question correctly, you pick up one raw score point. Each time your skip a question, your raw score remains unchanged (i.e., you do not lose a fraction of a point, but you do not gain a precious point either). Each time you answer a question incorrectly, you lose 0.25 (except in the free response section where there is no penalty for wrong answers).

Let’s look at a few examples:

40 correct, 8 skipped, and 6 wrong would result in a raw score of 38.
40 correct, 14 skipped, and 0 wrong would result in a raw score of 40.
50 correct, 0 skipped, and 4 wrong would result in a raw score of 49.
8 correct, 14 skipped, and 32 wrong would result in a raw score of 0.
0 correct, 6 skipped, and 48 wrong would result in a raw score of -12.
(Note: All raw scores with fractional parts are rounded, as appropriate. Thus, 32.25 = 32, 32.5 = 33, and 32.75 = 33.)

After your final math raw score is calculated, it gets converted to the 200-800 scale. The math raw score – scaled score conversion typically looks something like this:

54 – 800
53 – 790
52 – 770
51 – 760
.
.
.
2 – 210
1 – 200
0 – 200
-1 – 200
-2 – 200
.
.
.

I hope this helps.

I will be traveling most of the day today. I will send you a note tomorrow morning.

You should probably check out the College Board’s Frequently Asked Question (FAQ) page on scoring. After you have hacked around a bit, let me know if you have any follow-up questions. The relevant link is below:

http://www.collegeboard.com/highered/ra/sat/sat_scorefaq.html

Thanks for the comment. I agree 100%. Not only will following my advice help a student avoid getting rattled before test, it may actually create a positive mindset that is likely to carry over into the test itself. If I ever re-shoot the video I will be sure to add your thoughts.