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SAT 2021 scores rise above national national average
SAT logoConyers, Ga. – Rockdale County Public Schools (RCPS) Class of 2021 graduates achieved the highest ever SAT scores since current benchmarks were put in place, rising above national scores. The 2021 mean composite score for RCPS is 1057, up from 994 in 2020. The mean composite score for Georgia public schools is 1077 and the mean composite score for U.S. public schools is 1038, up from 2020 scores of 1043 and 1030 respectively. 

RCPS Superintendent Dr. Terry Oatts said, “We are extremely proud of the performance of our 2021 graduating seniors who took the SAT while navigating unpredictable learning environments during an unprecedented public health crisis. Not even a pandemic could prevent these seniors from pursuing their postsecondary aspirations and achieving college and career readiness. While no one college entrance exam is wholly predictive of students’ likely success in college as the College Board itself readily acknowledges, we are committed to supporting our students’ college and career readiness by enhancing a wide range of indicators including but not limited to providing them with effective advisement, exposing them to appropriate test preparation for college entrance exam success, and affording them a viable curriculum that punctuates their postsecondary readiness for college, careers, and military success.”

According to the Georgia Department of Education, the 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020 SAT scores are comparable but comparisons to 2016 or earlier are not valid.  The 2017 SAT results set a new baseline for year-to-year comparisons. Reports prior to 2017 were based on the old SAT, which had a different score scale and different benchmarks.

Students should be sure to complete the necessary core academic and Advanced Placement courses prior to taking college entrance exams. Often students take these tests before they have exposed themselves to the rigor of Advanced Placement courses, which are critical to posting a high score on this type of assessment. RCPS supports its students’ aspirations to go to college and will continue to provide free SAT preparation and improved advisement to parents and students so that they may achieve this goal.

RCPS has a guide for parents and students called Map Your Future at www.rockdaleschools.org/mapyourfuture which outlines the best approach and timeline for preparing to take college entrance exams beginning at the middle school level. SAT scores cannot be significantly increased through short-term preparation programs or memorization strategies. Students must be exposed to higher level concepts, complex reading material, and sophisticated problem-solving activities at an early age. As a school district, RCPS will continue to provide increased opportunities for advanced and enriched learning that exceeds that of the basic curriculum.

RCPS recommends the following guidelines for students to be successful with college entrance exams:
•    Know which entrance exam is required by the college for which you are applying (ACT, SAT).
•    Ideally, students should take entrance exams at the beginning of their senior year after successful completion of core content courses.
•    Students should complete at least one Advanced Placement course prior to testing.
•    Students in 11th and 12th grades should attend SAT prep workshops and utilize free online SAT prep tools such as www.khanacademy.com