Georgia SAT scores hold steady, but falls to 50th place

ATLANTA - SAT scores for Georgia high school seniors held steady this year, but Georgia tumbled into 50th place among states, surpassed by South Carolina. <br> <br> Georgia students averaged a 980 score or 489 in the verbal section and 491 in math. <br> <br> The score ended a streak that had seen the state&#39;s scores rise for the past seven years. Georgia seniors improved two points in math from 2001, but dropped two points in verbal. <br> <br> ``Where we started is abysmal; where we ended is abysmal,&#39;&#39; said state School Superintendent Linda Schrenko, who announced the scores Tuesday. ``I am fearful we are now on the wrong track.&#39;&#39; <br> <br> Seniors nationwide averaged 1020 this year, or 504 in verbal and 516 in math. South Carolina increased its average score seven points to 981, leaving Georgia ahead of only Washington, D.C. <br> <br> But The College Board, which administers the test, warns against comparing states because different numbers of students take it in different states. States in which the ACT is the dominant exam have relatively few taking the SAT, but those few tend to be top students. <br> <br> In Georgia, 65 percent of 2002 graduates took the test, 15th highest in the nation. Only 46 percent of seniors nationwide took the test.