Fun Facts

If it’s Any Consolation…..SAT Scores of the Rich and Famous

According to the College Board, the SAT measures "college readiness."

Fair enough.

But what does this all mean in terms of success in real life?

I honestly have no idea, but I can tell you that Ann Leary, Julie Klamm, Laura Zigman and I were all neck in neck for position of "lowest score."

*Here's an SAT score list of the rich and famous:

Bill Gates 1590

Paul Allen 1600

Bill O’Reilly 1585

Ben Stein 1573

Stephen King and Meredith Vieira "in the 1300s"

Al Gore 1355

President George W. Bush 1206

John Kerry 1190

Kobe Bryant 1080

Janeane Garofalo 950

Howard Stern 870

Bill Cosby "less than a 500"

 

*These scores are out of 1600 (not the 2400 score of today), and SAT scores were recalibrated in 2005 because the center was no longer 500.  In other words, these scores would appear slightly higher if taken today.

NOTED (after the fact): A few people have pointed out to me that these scores aren't verifiable, so I'll add here that I found them on the internet and have no idea if they're true.

What is verifiable are my very own abysmal scores from high school, and my somewhat successful life despite abysmal scores.  Here are few more stories like mine (i.e. terrible SAT scores/successful lives -- nonetheless).

Illustrations by Jennifer Orkin Lewis

 
20 Comments
 
 
  • Guest

    How is it that some of these don't end in zero?

    • http://www.perfectscoreproject.com Debbie Stier

      That is a good question, and I should have said, I FOUND THESE ON THE INTERNET AND THERE WAS NO WAY TO VERIFY.....
      BUT, in the comments of this post it explains that they used to do that: http://www.universitylanguage.com/blog/20/famous-sat-scores/

      I believe that SAT scores were at one time—pre-1974—not necessarily divisible by 10. If you look carefully, the only scores that are not divisible by 10 come from people who clearly took the test before 1974. If you want to see how different IQ estimates are depending on when you took the test, compare Garofalo’s post 1974 score with Namath’s 730 from before 1974 here:http://www.braingle.com/mind/iq/convert.php?year=1&satm=600&satv=606&grev=&greq=&calculate=Calculate+IQ

  • Elise

    All I can say is OMG I can't believe George Bush beat me....I always assumed that I was smarter than him...didn't he get into an Ivy League schoo, how did he do it with those scores?l...just goes to show you money does count!

    • http://www.perfectscoreproject.com Debbie Stier

      .....And I had no idea I was so much smarter than "Dr." Cosby. (Not that these are IQ tests or anything...or even representative life life skills, for that matter.)

  • Shade Olayioye

    I can't believe that you are obsessed with these exam,it's the worst :)  didi you ace the exam? it's very difficult.

    • http://www.perfectscoreproject.com Debbie Stier

      Are you kidding?  I did HORRIBLY in high school (almost couldn't do worse).  http://ow.ly/5atE8

      Managed to block it out of my consciousness for decades -- until I had to face them again as a parent.  Then tried to do a few questions of the day and thought "Who ARE these kids who are acing this test" (and how do I get me one of them).

      And that's how it all began.  I've done better as an adult, but thus far, have hardly budged my score.  I do feel like I'm starting to get somewhere though.  Will be interesting to see if my next score report verifies that!

      I do love it now though ;)

      • Shade Olayioye

        I don't the exam is a bore , I need to take it again so that I transfer to Barnard College. i just want to get it over with, pass the exam and give my books away to the salvation Army.
        I read that you take the exam every month?  meaning that you took it yesterday?
        getting a 2400 is going to be very hard,but I wish you luck. I'm aiming for a 1500 - 1800 score.
        any tips for studying for more than 20 minutes a day?

        • http://www.perfectscoreproject.com Debbie Stier

          I'm taking it every time it's offered in 2011 (7 times....so not every month).  Yes, I did take it yesterday!

          I think you need to get higher than that to transfer to Barnard, no?

          I'd recommend you get the College Board Blue Book and do one short test per day  and go over all of your errors to make sure you understand them.

          If you can afford a tutor for a little while, it's worth it, and I'd hire Stacey Howe-Lott.

          Read http://blog.pwnthesat.com/ every day and this blog too: http://www.ultimatesatverbal.blogspot.com/

          • Shade Olayioye

            Sorry I'm aware that the exams aren't every month. yes i know, the median score for a Barnard Student is 2060,but I don't think that it really applies for transfer students. if i get more than 1600 i'll be grateful. I actually have the book,but it's not proving to be that helpful.  at least for the math section.

          • http://www.perfectscoreproject.com Debbie Stier

            Are you spending time in that beginning section?  If so, don't!  Just do the tests...but make sure you understand the solutions to what you got wrong.  Khan Academy has done almost all of them: http://www.khanacademy.org/sat  

            Also, would be worth it to spend a little time with a tutor, if you possibly can.  I'm happy to help too (no charge!) if you would like to call me with q's and I'll explain what I can!  Or email me and I'll try to explain on email.

          • Anonymous

            I'm also happy to help as well :-)

          • Shade Olayioye

            well I've tried to read the beginning section,but find that its a waste of time. Great,what your email ? Thank you for the link its very helpful :)

          • http://www.perfectscoreproject.com Debbie Stier
          • http://www.perfectscoreproject.com Debbie Stier

            and FORGET that beginning section.  I did it.  Waste O Time.

          • Shade Olayioye

            oh I definitely will :) and thanks for the email. I 'll send an email right now.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_5D4ZKQLO5I3A3N4YL4C5QFAX4E Steve

    This list has been floating around without any citations for a while now.  It certainly isn't verified, and seems inaccurate.  For instance, the lowest score possible is a 400, no?  The origin of this list was highlighting Rush Limbaugh's and Bill O'Reilly's high scores, and was featured on right-leaning sites, etc.  So, I think that is a bit of a red flag. 

    • http://www.perfectscoreproject.com Debbie Stier

      I'm sure you're right. I'll add a line noting that.  

    • http://www.perfectscoreproject.com Debbie Stier

      Ok, updated, noted, and hopefully clarified ;)

      BTW, I think it's possible to score under a 400.  I thought you could get a 200, no?

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_5D4ZKQLO5I3A3N4YL4C5QFAX4E Steve

    removed

  • JustsomeGuy

    I've seen this list in other places and if anyone believes Bill O’Reilly got even close to a 1585 then you're an idiot. O’Reilly hasn't even said he got a 1585.
    I bet he didn't even take them.

    Eliot Spitzer as been on record as saying he got a 1590 SAT score as well
    as as a perfect LSAT score. Chuck Schumer has been on record as saying
    he got a perfect 1600 SAT score

 

posted 365 days ago

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