Understand what kind of score you're looking at. For most standardized tests - the SAT in particular - you'll receive a base score for each section, detailing which questions you answered correctly and which you answered incorrectly. Each section of the SAT is scored from 200 to a maximum of 800. Your score will place you somewhere along the bell curve of other students who took the test.
Acknowledge the focus of the test. While some standardized testing focuses on general learning ability and aptitude, there are tests that measure how much you know about a particular subject. The general SAT measures learning ability and aptitude, so it is used by colleges as an important predictor of success in post-secondary education.
Interpret your percentile, which will accompany your base, numerical score. Your percentile measures how you performed against other students who took the test. For example, if you are in 50th percentile on a section, it indicates that half of test takers scored better than you and half scored worse. Percentiles are regarded as indicators for some college programs to compare the quality of applicants.
Determine how scores will be used. In some cases, such as with the SAT, scores will be used as a determining factor in college admissions. Other tests will determine factors such as high school graduation or placement in special classes. And with some district-wide or statewide tests, scores can be used to gauge the allocation of funds in a particular school district, based on the scores of the school population. Test scores of elementary and intermediate school students may be used to determine placement of students in remedial or rigorous classes to build on their strengths.