Overestimation Bias in Self-Reported SAT Scores

Richard E. Mayer, Andrew T. Stull, Julie Campbell, Kevin Almeroth, 
Bruce Bimber, Dorothy Chun, and Allan Knight
University of California, Santa Barbara

The authors analyzed self-reported SAT scores and actual SAT 
scores for five different samples of college students (N = 650).  
Students overestimated their actual SAT scores by an average of 
25 points (SD = 81, d = .31), with 10% under-reporting, 51% 
reporting accurately, and 39% over-reporting, indicating a 
systematic bias towards over-reporting.  The amount of over-
reporting was greater for lower-scoring than higher-scoring 
students, was greater for upper division than lower division 
students, and was equivalent for men and women. There was a 
strong correlation between self-reported and actual SAT scores 
(r = .82), indicating high validity of students' memories of 
their scores.  Results replicate previous findings (Kuncel, 
Credé& Thomas, 2005) and are consistent with a motivated 
distortion hypothesis.  Caution is suggested in using self-
reported SAT scores in psychological research.