High Math, Low Reading SAT: Why It Matters — and How Students Can Improve
Many Silicon Valley students score near-perfect on SAT Math but remain held back by weaker Reading & Writing scores.
Why Elite Colleges Care About SAT Reading and Writing
I’ve spoken about the SAT to well over a thousand parents across Silicon Valley, particularly in the Bay Area cities of Cupertino, Sunnyvale, Saratoga, and Palo Alto. It’s no surprise when parents tell me “My child is scoring 800 on SAT Math already; where we need help is with SAT Reading and Writing.”
These parents have the right instinct: Having high Math but low Reading and Writing Scores is a problem.
Here’s why: on college applications, low Reading and Writing scores will make these children look good at math but poor with verbal skills and communication. This reinforces the stereotype that many admissions officers at elite colleges have about kids from Silicon Valley—and it is a profile that may end up less compelling in high-level admissions.
Why Elite Colleges Care About Communication Skills
On applications for Ivy League schools, scoring low on communication skills is a problem for several reasons.
First, Ivy League schools are looking for students who will make meaningful contributions in the classroom. This is one of the features that makes these schools so attractive: Your child will be surrounded by bright kids who have many ideas to share.
But if that’s what you want from your child’s classmates, your child needs to bring the same qualities to the college. At top private colleges, when the admissions officers see a low SAT Reading and Writing score, they conclude, “This kid is unlikely to enjoy reading books and discussing them, so he is unlikely to contribute to the classroom. He’d be better off at a large state school that doesn’t offer small, discussion-based classes.”
Why Good Communication Skills Lead to Career Success
Second, Ivy League schools are also looking for students who will build successful careers and become an asset for the school’s alumni network. Excellent verbal skills are a must for a successful career.
For example, if your child lacks communication skills, he may become a successful software engineer living in Cupertino or Palo Alto, but he’s much less likely to become a top executive. A top executive can donate more money to his college than a software engineer.
This is why Ivy League schools are choosy when it comes to admitting kids who want to major in engineering—they want the engineers who will grow up to become leaders, not just coders. And top SAT Reading and Writing scores help them to select future leaders.
Why Silicon Valley Children Score High on SAT Math, Low on SAT Verbal
Why might a child score high on SAT Math, low on SAT Reading and Writing? The problem is caused not by a lack of intellectual ability but by a lack of training—the simple number of hours that students devote to reading and writing.
Consider the hours that such students typically devote to studying math, on the one hand, and English, on the other. Let’s look at a common academic pattern for students in Cupertino, Sunnyvale, Saratoga, and Palo Alto.
1-1 Tutoring (from Tutor or Parent)
| Math | English | Comments | |
| Starting Grade for 1-1 Tutoring | 6th | 8th | A typical Silicon Valley family starts English tutoring later than Math tutoring. |
| Number of tutoring years by 11th grade | 5 | 3 | |
| Hours per year | 50 | 50 | 1 hour weekly for 50 weeks |
| Total hours by 11th grade | 300 | 150 | The grade when most students take the PSAT and SAT |
Math Instruction: ██████ 300 hours
English Instruction: ███ 150 hours
Camps and Group Classes
| Math | English | Comments | |
| Starting Grade for Camps | 6th | 10th | Many Silicon Valley families postpone camps in English. |
| Years of classes by 11th grade | 5 | 1 | |
| Hours Per Year | 120 | 120 | 4 weeks at 30 hours / week |
| Total hours by 11th grade | 600 | 120 |
Math Instruction: ████████████ 300 hours
English Instruction: ███ 120 hours
Total Instructional Hours
| Math | English | Comments | |
| 1-1 Tutoring | 300 | 150 | |
| Camps and Group Classes | 600 | 120 | |
| Total | 900 | 270 |
Math Instruction: █████████████████████████████ 900 hours
English Instruction: ██████ 270 hours
Outcomes
| SAT Math | SAT Reading / Writing | |
| Hours of Subject Practice | 900 | 270 |
| Common Score Range | 780-800 | 680 – 720 |
Why “Smart” Students Get Stuck at SAT 720 for Reading and Writing
When we say “smart” students, we mean students who typically earn A’s in most of their classes without much difficulty and who do well on standardized tests—typically in the 92nd percentile or better. (Ironically, thinking of oneself as a “smart student” is a dangerous habit that can hold students back from achieving their best, a problem I discuss elsewhere. But since the term “smart student” is common in our culture, I need to use it here.)
These students often fill their lives with a lot of activity—from sports and music, to leadership, to independent reading for fun. All of their work and exposure to screens cuts into the time that they spend on their schoolwork.
So they develop shortcuts. They skim—or skip—readings. They put off studying for the math test until the night before the final. They procrastinate and then rush to finish essays.
Unfortunately, by doing their work in a rush, they inhibit their brain development. By missing the chance to build a strong network of neurons and synapses, they weaken the habits that they need to score higher on the SAT.
The consequences for SAT Reading and Writing scores
These habits particularly hurt reading ability. Reading a text requires sustained focus and critical thinking. It requires the recall of challenging and rarely used vocabulary words. It requires honestly assessing your understanding and then re-reading the passage to improve it.
“Smart students” think they are doing fine because they are getting A’s in classes. In reality, many of them have A’s only because they are doing better than other students. In most English and History classes, even AP classes, the standards for an A in reading comprehension do not match the SAT standards for an 800 on the Reading and Writing section.
Moving above the 720 plateau on SAT Reading and Writing requires taking the time to focus specifically on reading skills. In doing this work, students relearn the habits of focus, attention, and inquiry that contemporary teen-and-screen culture weakens.
The good news is that these skills are not a mystery; they can be learned, in the right setting.
Closing the SAT Reading and Writing Gap
A low score on SAT Reading / Writing is the natural consequence of devoting too little time to English skills.
When students spend more time mastering English, they have a better chance of scoring 750 or higher on this part of the test.
If your child has a strong SAT Math score but a weaker SAT Reading and Writing score, it may be time to address the imbalance before college applications. We help students across Silicon Valley, including families in Cupertino, Sunnyvale, Saratoga, Palo Alto, and nearby communities. Contact us for a consultation.
Frequently Asked Questions About the SAT Reading and Writing Score Gap
My child already gets A’s in English. Isn’t that enough?
At one point, an A in English, even in public school, indicated that the student had a very strong reading and writing ability. Today, however, grades are often influenced by participation, completion, group work, revisions, and varying classroom standards. As a result, an A in English does not necessarily indicate the level of reading comprehension required for a top SAT Reading and Writing score. This is why top colleges continue to ask for SAT scores, even after COVID: the colleges want to know what your child’s A in English really means.
Can SAT Reading & Writing scores improve significantly?
Yes, they can. Students who commit to learning vocabulary, improving their reading habits, and practicing on actual College Board tests can improve their scores significantly. I have personally helped students move from 620 to 740 Reading and Writing and from the 400’s to the 600’s. Bear in mind that it’s easier to improve a lower score than a higher one. But improvement is possible at all but the highest levels.
Why do many students improve faster in SAT Math than in SAT Reading & Writing?
When this happens, it’s because the student has a strong fundamental ability in math, usually created by additional math training. This training makes it easier for students to improve their math score simply by taking practice tests. SAT Reading and Writing is also statistically more difficult to score highly on. According to College Board statistics, 4% of test-takers score 750+ on Math, but only 2% score 750+ on Reading and Writing. This fact suggests that advanced verbal performance is harder to develop consistently.
Are practice tests alone enough to improve SAT Reading & Writing?
For students who have done extensive vocabulary study and regularly read challenging material with a high degree of focus, yes. But when students need to improve their reading foundation, taking practice tests will eventually land them on the 720 Reading and Writing plateau. On this plateau, tips and tricks no longer lead to a higher score.
Students who want to score above 750 on the SAT Reading and Writing typically need to study significantly more vocabulary words than those who are satisfied with a 720.
Do strong readers usually score higher on SAT Reading & Writing?
Usually, yes, unless they struggle with testing. Strong readers typically read outside of class for 10 or more hours a week, and they have typically done so for over 10 years. This extra reading naturally builds their stamina, focus, decoding ability, and critical thinking—all skills that contribute to a high SAT Reading and Writing score.
Students looking for a structured in-person program can also learn more about our SAT Reading & Writing Summer Intensive.
Stuck on the 720 Reading and Writing plateau?
Wondering how to break through to 750+?
With Nat Crawford, National Merit Scholar and Stanford graduate