RCPS Class of 2023 SAT scores take slight dip

ROCKDALE COUNTY, GA– Rockdale County Public Schools (RCPS) Class of 2023 graduates, like the state and nation, saw a decrease in composite SAT scores over the previous year. The 2023 mean composite score for RCPS is 969, down from 980.

The mean composite score for Georgia public schools is 1045, and the mean composite score for U.S. public schools is 1003, both decreasing from 2022.

“Despite the fact that an increasing number of colleges and universities are waiving the SAT requirement for admission, RCPS remains committed to ensuring that our students who opt to sit for this test are prepared to do well. While RCPS saw a comparable decrease to that of the state and nation, we are confident that our graduating seniors are well-equipped for postsecondary success,” RCPS Superintendent Terry Oatts said.

Students should be sure to complete the necessary core academic and Advanced Placement courses prior to taking college entrance exams. Often students take these tests before they have exposed themselves to the rigor of Advanced Placement courses, which are critical to posting a high score on this type of assessment. RCPS supports its students’ aspirations to go to college and will continue to provide free SAT preparation and improved advisement to parents and students so that they may achieve this goal, the RCSD stated.

District officials continued: “Students must be exposed to higher level concepts, complex reading material, and sophisticated problem-solving activities at an early age. As a school district, RCPS will continue to provide increased opportunities for advanced and enriched learning that exceeds that of the basic curriculum.”

RCPS recommends the following guidelines for students to be successful with college entrance exams:

• Know which entrance exam is required by the college for which you are applying (ACT, SAT).
• Ideally, students should take entrance exams at the beginning of their senior year after successful completion of core content courses.
• Students should complete at least one Advanced Placement course prior to testing.
• Students in 11th and 12th grades should attend SAT prep workshops and utilize free online SAT prep tools such as www.khanacademy.com