How did the Class of 2023 do on the SAT in Columbus area schools? Compare scores here

For the fifth straight year, the Muscogee County School District outperformed the Georgia and United States average scores on the SAT college entrance exam.

According to the Georgia Department of Education’s compilation of SAT scores for 2023 graduates from the state’s public high schools, MCSD’s average composite score of 1082 is a 23-point increase compared to last year.

That improvement is especially notable while the state average decreased by 7 points to 1045 and the national average decreased by 25 points to 1003.

“I am pleased that our district’s scores surpassed the state and national averages in all three categories (reading/writing, math and composite) while testing roughly the same number of students as last year,” MCSD superintendent David Lewis said in a news release. “These results represent our district’s second-highest performance to date, other than those in 2021, when fewer students participated due to the pandemic.”

The number of MCSD students in the senior class who took the SAT dipped from 696 in 2022 to 685 in 2023 after rising from 438 in 2021.

“I am grateful for the hard-working educators, students and engaged parents who help our students reach their full potential,” Lewis said. “We will continue to guide our students to complete the recommended coursework and provide opportunities for students to prepare for the exam through SAT Prep classes provided at each high school and during the Summer Learning Experience.

Among MCSD’s nine high schools, only two have composite SAT scores better than the state and national averages: Columbus (1236) and Rainey-McCullers (1061), which are magnet schools that enroll students from throughout the district. Northside (1042) surpassed the national average.

Five of MCSD’s nine high schools (Carver, Columbus, Hardaway, Kendrick and Spencer) improved their composite SAT scores compared to last year, led by Kendrick’s 74-point increase. Shaw’s 23-point drop was the largest decrease in the district.

Harris County

Harris County High School’s composite SAT score remained at 1079 — still the second-highest in the Columbus area — but the number of students in the senior class who took the test continued to increase, rising from 98 in 2021 to 145 in 2022 and 175 in 2023.

Roger Couch, the Harris County School District superintendent, told the Ledger-Enquirer in an email that he is pleased HCHS maintained its composite score above the state average.

“There is always room for improvement,” he said. “We did not see the increase in scores that we would like to have seen. We continue to support our students with rigorous academic standards and by providing test prep opportunities.”

Couch added, “Georgia’s public-school students achieved a mean score that was 42 points higher than the national average, but Harris County High School’s students’ mean score was actually 76 points higher than the national average and 34 points higher than the state average. We continue to be proud of our students, teachers, and their achievements.”

Chattahoochee County

Chattahoochee County’s composite SAT score increased by 39 points to 943 in 2023.

ChattCo’s number of students in the class of 2023 who took the SAT also increased, from 29 to 43.

The Ledger-Enquirer didn’t reach Chattahoochee County School District superintendent Kristie Brooks for comment before publication.

Comparing SAT scores for Columbus area public high schools

The years in this chart represent the average scores of the students in the graduating class of that school or group, not necessarily when they took the test. They are ranked here in order of their Class of 2023 scores.