Overview

College Board has provided concordance tables between the SAT I, Redesigned SAT, and ACT.  You can find the concordance information here.

Since many institutions like to compare scores of these different tests and use a single, calculated high score, we have made high score calculation rules available in the Slate Template Library.  Since our partner institutions use different techniques for calculating the high score, we have created 16 different rules with different permutations of the calculation.  You likely will only require one of these.

Methods of Calculation

All of these calculations are being performed with verified scores only. Please see below in the Modifying High Score Calculation Rules section of this article how to modify the calculation to include self-reported scores as well.

1. If you have not already done so, you need to add the Translation Code keys that concord the scores from the Translation Codes category of the Slate Template Library.  For example, if you are using the rule that calculates the highest score when converted to ACT, you will need to add the SAT-ACT (or SAT2400-ACT if you are using CR+M+W) and the SATR-ACT translation keys. 
   The Translation Code keys all have the syntax: {Source Score}-{Destination Score}. See below:

   Translation Code Keys

   Key	Description
   ACT-SAT *	Convert the ACT score to the SAT I (1600 scale) score
   ACT-SAT2400 *	Convert the ACT score to the SAT I (2400 scale) score
   ACT-SATR	Convert the ACT score to the SAT R (1600 scale) score
   ACTW-SATW *	Convert the ACT Writing score to the SAT I Writing score
   ACT:W-SATR:WL	Convert the ACT Writing score to the SAT R Writing and Language Score (40)
   SAT-ACT *	Convert the SAT I (1600 scale) score to ACT score
   SAT-SATR	Convert the SAT I (1600 scale) score to SAT R (1600 scale) score
   SAT2400-ACT *	Convert the SAT I (2400 scale) score to ACT score
   SAT:CR-SATR:R	Convert the SAT I CR (800 scale) score to SAT R Reading score (40 scale)
   SAT:CRW-SATR:ERW	Convert the SAT I CR+W (1600) score to SAT R Evidence-based Reading and Writing (800)
   SAT:M-SATR:M	Convert the SAT I M (800) score to SAT R Math Section (800)
   SAT:M-SATR:MT	Convert the SAT I M (800) score to SAT R Math Test (40)
   SAT:W-SATR:WL	Convert the SAT I W (800) score to SAT R Writing and Language Score (40)
   SATR-ACT	Convert the SAT R (1600) score to ACT score
   SATR-SAT	Convert the SAT R (1600) score to SAT I (1600) score
   SATR-SAT2400	Convert the SAT R (1600) score to SAT I (2400) score
   SATR:ERW-SAT:CRW	Convert the SAT R Evidence-based Reading and Writing (800) score to SAT I CR + W (1600) score
   SATR:M-SATM	Convert the SAT R Math Section (800) score to SAT I Math (800) score
   SATR:R-SAT:CR	Convert the SAT R Reading (40) score to SAT I Critical Reading (800) score
   SATR:WL-ACT:W	Convert the SAT R Writing and Language Score (40) to ACT Writing score
   SATR:WL-SAT:W	Convert the SAT R Writing and Language Score (40) to SAT I Writing (800) score
   SATW-ACTW *	Convert the SAT I Writing (800) score to ACT Writing Score

   * denotes that the concordance table existed previously within the dbo.convertScore function. When the key is added from the STL, this function will begin to use the Translation Table to perform the conversion instead.

2. Add the High Score Calculation rule from the Rules category of the Slate Template Library that will meet your institution's needs.

3. If you do not yet have a custom field to store this data, add a new custom field using the Fields tool on the Database Page. Since test scores are person-scoped, we recommend using a person-scoped field.  If you would like to be able to filter on the value, be sure to set the Data Type to Int.

4. In the Rules Editor, edit the rule that you just added to select the destination field.  Note: The name of the rule will be the value listed as the Description on the Slate Template Library page, e.g., Convert to ACT (Highest CR+M+W/SATR/ACT).  

5. Use Preview Actions to view the results of your rules.  Most institutions will not need to make any tweaks, but see the section below for instructions on how to do this.

6. When you are ready, set the rule's status to Active.

7. If you would like, you may perform a Retroactive Refresh to force-run your rules. Retroactive Refresh is a Batch Management option from a query, so to run all rules for a specific subset of your population (e.g., records that have the SAT R test type), you can query for these records, then use the Retroactive Refresh Batch Management option.

Note: There are no filters on this rule that prevent it from running on records that do not have a test score purposely. The custom SQL already will limit the values to just those with at least one verified ACT, SAT I, or SAT R test score.  If a record were updated after a high score was assigned to change the verified status or remove the score entirely, then having a filter that limits the population to just those with scores or with verified scores will prevent the rule from clearing the previously calculated score.

Modifying High Score Calculation Rules

This section will cover making minor changes to the high score calculation rules. If you are modifying a rule, we recommend keeping an intact version of the original rule by copying it before you begin to make changes. 

Each rule is configured to select the maximum value of three "unioned" statements.  In all rules, the first select within the parentheses is generating the ACT score, the second select (after the first union) is generating the SAT I score, and the third (final) select is generating the SAT R score.  For example:

Include Self-Reported Scores

Your institution may calculate high scores using self-reported and verified scores.  In this case, you will want to make the following changes to the rule:

If your institution is using the calculation that considers the highest total ACT score (rather than the superscored total), modify the section:

select [record], [total] as [score]
from [test]
where ([record] in (select [id] from @inserted)) and ([type] = 'ACT') and ([rank_confirmed] = 1)

to

select [record], [total] as [score]
from [test]
where ([record] in (select [id] from @inserted)) and ([type] = 'ACT') and ([rank_overall] = 1)

The reason for this is [rank_confirmed] will exclude self-reported test scores. The [rank_overall] column is calculated by finding the highest total among the self-reported and verified scores.  By updating the SQL to use this column, it is considering the highest ACT total among any self-reported or verified scores associated with the record.

For superscored ACT, all SAT R, and all SAT I scores, modify where you see and ([confirmed] = 1) to and (isnull([confirmed], 1) = 1).  For calculations that use the highest ACT Score (see above), you will only see this twice in the SQL code: once for SAT I and once for SAT R.  For calculations that use the superscored ACT score, you will see this three times in the SQL code (ACT, SAT I, and SAT R).

The reason for this modification is that [confirmed] is set to 1 for verified scores, and it is null (blank) for self-reported scores. (0 is for discrepancy scores, which should never be used in the calculation). The SQL code isnull([confirmed], 1) is saying if the value of [confirmed] is null, then use the value 1 instead. When this is used to compare to the value 1, it will mean that both self-reported scores and verified scores will be considered when determining the highest value (because 1 = 1).

Making these changes for the code pictured in the example above will result in this SQL code:

select x.[record], null as [prompt], max(x.[score]) as [value]
from
(
select [record], [total] as [score]
from [test]
where ([record] in (select [id] from @inserted)) and ([type] = 'ACT') and ([rank_overall] = 1)
union all
select [record], (select [export] from dbo.getTranslationExportTable('SAT2400-ACT', max([score1] + [score2] + [score3]))) as [score]
from [test]
where ([record] in (select [id] from @inserted)) and ([type] = 'SATI') and (isnull([confirmed], 1) = 1)
group by [record]
union all
select [record], (select [export] from dbo.getTranslationExportTable('SATR-ACT', (max([score1] + [score2])))) as [score]
from [test]
where ([record] in (select [id] from @inserted)) and ([type] = 'SATR') and (isnull([confirmed], 1) = 1)
group by [record]
) x
group by x.[record]

Using Different Concordance Values

Your institution may choose to calculate a high score using your own institutional values instead of using the concordance table from College Board. 

You are able to customize the export values for the Translation Codes that you added from the Slate Template Library.  We recommend keeping the first Export Value intact, but you are able to configure up to four additional export values for each code.

For example, if you are converting scores to ACT, and your institutional concordance from SAT I (2400) to ACT differs from the College Board concordance table, add an Export Value 2 to each of the SAT2400-ACT Translation Codes with your own institutional values:

Note: Even if just some of the values differ, it is imperative that you enter a value for each Translation Code, otherwise the result will be blank for codes that do not have an assigned institutional value.

To update the rule to use the new export value for concordance, you simply need to update the function call for dbo.getTranslationExportTable.  

Instead of:

(select [export] from dbo.getTranslationExportTable('SAT2400-ACT', max([score1] + [score2] + [score3]))) as [score]

Change this to:

(select [export2] from dbo.getTranslationExportTable('SAT2400-ACT', max([score1] + [score2] + [score3]))) as [score]

Note: You may also select [export3], [export4], or [export5] using this function.

In each of the high score calculation rules, two of the three test types use Translation Codes to convert the score (because the third score is the desired score type). You can choose to alter one or both of these to use different export values. If your institution is using the College Board concordance table for one test type, but not the other, you only need to update the select statement for the score that does not use the standard concordance table.

For example, using the same SQL code displayed above:

select x.[record], null as [prompt], max(x.[score]) as [value]
from
(
select [record], [total] as [score]
from [test]
where ([record] in (select [id] from @inserted)) and ([type] = 'ACT') and ([rank_confirmed] = 1)
union all
select [record], (select [export2] from dbo.getTranslationExportTable('SAT2400-ACT', max([score1] + [score2] + [score3]))) as [score]
from [test]
where ([record] in (select [id] from @inserted)) and ([type] = 'SATI') and ([confirmed] = 1)
group by [record]
union all
select [record], (select [export] from dbo.getTranslationExportTable('SATR-ACT', (max([score1] + [score2])))) as [score]
from [test]
where ([record] in (select [id] from @inserted)) and ([type] = 'SATR') and ([confirmed] = 1)
group by [record]
) x
group by x.[record]

The above SQL code is using the custom concordance table that is entered as Export Value 2 for the SAT2400-ACT Translation Codes. It is using the standard concordance table values (in Export Value 1) for the SATR-ACT Translation Codes.

Storing Different Values Based on the Result

If you are calculating the high score, but you wish to store different values based on the score result (for example, storing values 1-10), you can do an additional translation on the resulting value.

First, you will need to add a new Translation Code Key.  Use the instructions in this article to create your translations.  For example, if you are converting to ACT, and scores 33-36 should result in a score of 10:

Then, you just need to modify the first line of the SQL code to convert the calculated high score to this translated value:

select x.[record], null as [prompt], max(x.[score]) as [value]

should be updated to:

select x.[record], null as [prompt], (select [export] from dbo.getTranslationExportTable('high_score', max(x.[score]))) as [value]

This change tells the SQL to take the highest calculated score and then use the high_score Translation Code to translate that score to the desired result.  Note: Be sure to replace high_score in the SQL with the Key of the Translation Code that you created.

Using the example above, the resulting SQL becomes:

select x.[record], null as [prompt], (select [export] from dbo.getTranslationExportTable('high_score', max(x.[score]))) as [value]
from
(
select [record], [total] as [score]
from [test]
where ([record] in (select [id] from @inserted)) and ([type] = 'ACT') and ([rank_confirmed] = 1)
union all
select [record], (select [export] from dbo.getTranslationExportTable('SAT2400-ACT', max([score1] + [score2] + [score3]))) as [score]
from [test]
where ([record] in (select [id] from @inserted)) and ([type] = 'SATI') and ([confirmed] = 1)
group by [record]
union all
select [record], (select [export] from dbo.getTranslationExportTable('SATR-ACT', (max([score1] + [score2])))) as [score]
from [test]
where ([record] in (select [id] from @inserted)) and ([type] = 'SATR') and ([confirmed] = 1)
group by [record]
) x
group by x.[record]

Testing Your Modifications

In addition to using Preview Actions, you may wish to test your rules on a larger scale. After modifying your rule, you may provision a Test Environment and then activate your rule and run a Retroactive Refresh there.  Once you are happy with the results, activate the rule in your production instance.

2018 Updates

The College Board and ACT have recently released concordance tables to facilitate comparisons between ACT and SAT scores. These concordance tables should be used when comparing ACT and SAT scores for students applying for terms after fall 2018. For information on how the concordance tables were developed and other information from the testing agencies, review the Guide to the 2018 ACT/SAT Concordance.   

In Slate, these concordance tables are managed via translation codes. In an effort to make the transition to the new concordance tables as seamless as possible, we will be making updates to all production databases that have added ACT/SAT translation codes from the Slate Template Library. While we will be preserving the existing translation codes, their keys will be updated so that existing resources (forms, queries, rules, etc.) referencing the old translation codes will no longer use those values. At the exact same moment, we will add the new translation codes using the original keys. As a result, all resources that have been configured to use the current concordance tables will immediately begin using the new concordance tables without any manual intervention necessary.