Standard Assessment Tests, or “SATs”, are a national system used to determine a student’s proficiency with critical reading, math, and writing.
SATs can sometimes feel like an eternity in the making, before being finished in the blink of an eye. In total, students can expect their exams to last just three hours, with 154 questions to answer in that time.
Despite that, they determine quite a lot when it comes to higher education. We all know how much this 180 minutes can shape college prospects. But how much does an SAT score affect your wider career development?
In this short guide, we’ll assess just that. From the way in which it will immediately impact your next steps, to the skills which the SATs teach you to thrive in your career, here are four ways that good SAT scores and performances can help your professional life to flourish.
1. The Immediate Impact of College
While it may not feel like it, your career takes its first few steps as soon as you apply for college.
Your profession may not end up being that closely tied to your degree – but just having this qualification could see you take a step ahead of rival candidates during the application phase of a job hunt.
That’s especially true if you’ve managed to qualify for an Ivy League placement or scholarship.
Employers look at where you went to college, as much as what you studied. The higher your SAT score, the more likely you are to get into one of these esteemed institutions.
Generally speaking, it’s agreed that you’re going to want to aim for a score of 1300 or more to be accepted onto a scholarship, with the higher the score making it more likely to be able to get into one of these top schools.
2. It Helps To Define Your Path
While the SATs may not cover as many topics as your end-of-year exams, they do provide a solid breakdown of your strongest core skills.
Are you more of a numbers and stats kind of person, or do your talents lie in the creative world? Could it even be that logic and problem-solving are your strongest assets?
The SATs will make it clear where your natural abilities lie, which will in turn give you a more rounded picture of the kinds of careers which might suit you best in the future.
Knowing this while you’re still in the education system should make it easier to start positioning yourself for the kind of job you want well ahead of time.
3. Some Employers Will Consider Your Scores
While not a universal practice amongst employers, some will use your SAT scores to make a judgement call between close matched prospective applicants.
In 2023, the average SAT score sat at 1028 (out of a total of 1600). Aiming for anything around or above this mark will ensure you’re showing workplaces that you’re an asset worth investing in.
For those who decide to forgo attending college altogether, your SATs will serve as the best indicator to companies that you’re a capable worker.
Even if you know you’re going to omit higher education, focusing on your SATs still makes sense for impressing future employers.
4. The Skills Can Be Transferable
The SATs won’t just help you position yourself for a more prosperous career.
They’ll also teach you valuable, transferable skills which can help to maximise your output as a worker.
Just some of the ways you’ll find exam skills making your professional life easier include:
- Time management
- Creative writing skills
- Working with numbers and percentages
- Organization
- Creating a schedule (during revision sessions)
- General work ethic
The trick here is to get so used to drawing on these skills that you don’t even realise you’re utilizing them.
The more exams you do, the easier this will become. Having these talents at your disposal will make you stand out for all the right reasons to any future employers.
It’s always wise to take SATs seriously. But with further clarity on how these results could impact your wider professional life moving forwards, it’s never too early to start thinking about getting some study sessions in.