What famous figure got a perfect SAT score - and which celebrity received a score less than 500?

Celebrities had to go through the testing process just like you, and their famous SAT scores might surprise you. Time Magazine lists some of these famous people who all went on to great success – even if you can’t tell by their SAT scores.

Remember that these scores are only from the Math and Verbal sections of the old SAT, for a possible total of 1600.

The Highest Scores

The top famous scorers? No surprise here. Microsoft co-founders Bill Gates and Paul Allen earned scores of 1590 and 1600, respectively. The average SAT score has increased in the last few years, making these scores even more impressive.

Also in the top are famous political commentator Bill O’Reilly, with an SAT score of 1585, and political speechwriter Ben Stein, who scored a 1573. You might remember Stein from his game show Win Ben Stein’s Money and his famous comedic acting in the 1980s classic Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, in which he played a boring but brainy professor. His famous high SAT score shows he has the smarts for the part!

The Middle Ground

Famous horror author Stephen King and television host Meredith Vieira, of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire and The Today Show, both scored in the 1300s on their SATs. In the same range is vice-president Al Gore, who got a score of 1355.

Gore’s opponent in the 2000 election, President George W. Bush, famously scored a 1206 on his SATs. His challenger in 2004, Senator John Kerry, scored a bit lower, earning a 1190. Bush and Kerry submitted these scores to the school they both attended: Yale University.

The Lower Scores

Kobe Bryant, famous for his starring role on the Los Angeles Lakers basketball team, scored a 1080 on his SATs. Comedian Janeane Garofalo, who has also starred in films like The Cable Guy and Mystery Men, got a 950. Her score hasn’t affected her success: You can hear her voice in the recent animated movie Ratatouille.

The famous celebrities with the lowest SAT scores? Radio shock jock Howard Stern got a 870 on his SAT, placing him in the bottom. But the celebrity with the famously low score is Bill Cosby, who received less than a 500 on the test. Cosby received acceptance to Temple University on a track scholarship, and later rose to become one of the school’s most famous alumni.

Success Beyond a Score

When interpreting your SAT scores, keep in mind that you are much more than the results of a test.

Earning a high SAT score is a great accomplishment, but the famous names on this list prove that you’re remembered more for what happens after you leave the testing room and get into the real world!

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