How Did Your High School Rank in the SAT?

SAT scores in Florida are up, and that spells good news for seniors striving to get into the college of their choice.

The Department of Education recently released the 2012 SAT scores for Florida's high school seniors.

Compared to last year, Florida’s average critical reading SAT score is up five points; the average math score is up three points; and the average writing score is up five points.

Florida’s average scores in the reading, mathematics and writing portions of the SAT were 492, 492, and 476, respectively.

That's a little lower than the national average of 496, 514, and 488, but Florida Education Commissioner Pam Stewart is focusing on the positive.

“I am pleased that our students are improving their SAT performance,” she said in a statement. “The data released are proof that their hard work is preparing them for the next step in education and life.”

How Did Our Schools Rank?

At Durant High School., 433 of the 508 seniors took the SAT, with a mean score of 433 for reading, 482 for math and 450 for writing.

At Newsome High School, 473 of the 480 seniors took the test. Their mean score for reading was 518, math was 527 and writing was 502.

At Riverview High School, 383 of the 531 seniors took the test, scoring 467 in reading, 477 in math and 460 in writing.

At Bloomingdale High School, 474 of the 565 seniors took the SAT, scoring 504 in reding, 515 in math and 483 in writing. 565 474 84 percent 504 515 483

At Spoto High School, 179 of the 269 seniors took the test, scoring 443 in reading, 443 in math and 435 in writing.

How Do Our Schools Compare?

With a mean score of 518, Newsome High ranked third in the county behind King with 518 and Plant with 525. Bloomingdale High came in fourth with 504.

Newsome ranked second in math with a mean wscore of 527, behind Plant with a score of 534. King came in third with 523 and Bloomingdale fourth with 515.

Newsome also is third in the county in writing with a score of 502, behind King with 513 and Plant with 510.

Why the Big Deal?

The critical reading, writing and mathematics sections of the SAT are worth between 200 and 800 points each. An SAT score can range anywhere from a 600 on the very lowest end to a 2400 on the very highest end.

A high SAT score can help a student get into the college of his choice, earn money for college and even exempt the student from introductory-level classes.

The University of Florida requires a minimum score of 460 in reading, 460 in math and 440 in writing.

The University of South Florida has higher standards: 520 for reading, 540 for math and 500 for writing.

The University of Central Florida requires 530 for reading, 560 for math and 510 for writing.

The University of Miami looks for 600 in reading, 630 in math and 600 in writing.

Florida State University looks for a total SAT score of 1740 (with reading, math and writing scores combined.) 

Students hoping to get into Duke, Harvard or Stanford universities will have to try a lot harder.

Duke requires a 660 score in reading, 690 in math and 670 in writing.

Harvard looks for 690 in reading, 700 in math and 690 in writing.

And Stanford wants 670 in reading, 690 in math and 680 in writing.