SAT Dates 2026-27: Test Dates, Deadlines, and When Scores Come Out

If you took the SAT on October 3, 2026, your scores come out on October 16, 2026. The next SAT dates this fall are November 7 and December 5, with scores released on November 20 and December 18. Here is the full 2026–27 calendar, what to do the day your scores arrive, and how to decide whether to retake.

SAT test dates and score release dates, 2026–27

Dates come from the College Board's SAT dates and deadlines and score release dates pages. Schools see the same scores in their reporting portal about three days later. We update this page as new release dates are announced.

Taking the SAT at school? The fall SAT School Day runs from October 1 to 30, 2026, and your school handles registration. Ask your counselor when your scores will be available.

The day your scores come out

1. Log in to your College Board account to see your total score (400 to 1600) and your two section scores, Reading and Writing and Math (200 to 800 each).
2. Compare your score with your colleges, not with friends. Most colleges publish the middle 50% range of their admitted students' SAT scores on their admissions page or in their Common Data Set. A score inside that range is competitive there; a score above it is a strength.
3. Look at the section scores separately. Many students are much closer to their goal in one section than the other. That tells you where a retake can gain the most.

Should you retake? A quick way to decide

• Retake if your score is below the middle 50% range for the colleges you care about, and you have at least four weeks to prepare before the next date.
• Check the timing. November scores arrive on November 20, after some early application deadlines. Ask each college whether it will accept scores that arrive after its deadline.
• Think about superscoring. Some colleges combine your best section scores from different test dates. If your colleges do, a retake that focuses on one section can be worth a lot.
• Don't retake just to retake. If you are already in the range for your colleges, your time may be better spent on applications and essays.

Four weeks to a better SAT Math score

If Math is the section to raise, four focused weeks before November 7 or December 5 is enough to make a real difference:

1. Week 1: Work through our SAT math practice questions and mark which of the four areas your mistakes come from.
2. Week 2: Algebra, the biggest area. Review slope and linear equations and systems of equations.
3. Week 3: Advanced Math. Review factoring and exponent rules, then do one full official practice test in the Bluebook app.
4. Week 4: Redo every question you missed, and practice pacing: 35 minutes per module.

Teacher's note: When a score comes back lower than hoped, the most useful thing is to look at the questions you missed, not the number. Sort them into "didn't know how," "knew how but slipped," and "ran out of time." Each pile needs a different fix, and the slips are almost always the quickest points to win back.