The SATs are the bane of nearly every high school student’s existence – it’s one of the leading factors determining a student’s fate for the next four years. It’s also a grueling process involving hours of studying and more studying, the outcome of which is based on 1600-point system. Even when achieving the elusive, but possible 1600 perfect score, it doesn’t guarantee admission into the nation’s most elite universities.

The College Board, a nonprofit organization, owns and publishes the test, while the Educational Testing Service administers it. The SATs were first established in 1901 as a test to determine a student’s readiness for college. There are three parts to the test: math, critical reading, and writing. Three hours and forty-five minutes are allotted to take the test and students must pay $45.

Test Take, What Happens Next with the SAT

While students wait for their scores, the College Board is behind the scenes processing each test. Once the test is delivered to a supervisor, the College Board guarantees that each test is securely monitored until it is delivered to the Board’s processing center.

Next, each test is scanned and analyzed to come up with a raw score – or “the sum of points you earned based on the number of questions you answered correctly, minus a fraction of the number of questions that you answered incorrectly.” For essays, two qualified readers will read and score them. If the readers’ scores have more than a one point difference, a scoring director will read and give the final score.