<p>What the heck is wrong??
Why is a 730 a measly 74%!
Does this mean that 26% of all test takers got better scores than me in Math Level 2?? It seems unrealistic!</p>
<p>well 800 is the 90th percentile.......
which means that 10% of the test takers got an 800, since the percentile of a score shows the percentage of students who received a score below that score...
the lower percentiles are probably due to the relatively generous curve for math II...i think you can miss around 7 and still get an 800</p>
<p>You must also realize that the only students taking the Math IIc test are the ones who are very confident in their math skills to begin with. Most subject test percentiles are like this for this very reason. With so many tests to choose from, people only have to take the tests in subjects that they feel very confident in. A 730 is a very solid score; don't sweat it.</p>
<p>Percentiles are not as important for SATIIs as they are for the regular SATs. Why? The people who take these tests are applying to more selective schools and are therefore stronger than the overall group taking SATs. In addition, please choose subjects where they are pretty strong. As a result, admissions committees look at scores more than percentiles.</p>
<p>I'm in the 86th percentile for Math IIC and my parents are ticked b/c of that.</p>
<p>I'm in the 81st for Bio and I got a 730. haha</p>
<p>Percentiles vary by year, but a lot of people pointed this out already - the people who take the math 2 are a self selecting group of kids who are already really good at math. I took the math 2 and got an 800 - and so did all of the other kids on my math team. That's why the percentile gaps are so huge. Kids who aren't good at math don't take the math 2, so the curve isn't as balanced.</p>
<p>on the bright side, you should be proud of yourself. that was one tough test, and you did well. congrats. ^_^</p>
<p>Whoa, whoa, whoa. 730 is perfectly fine. Colleges don't look at percentiles. Don't let that scare you. I made a 750, like an 80 percentile or something.</p>
<p>Do not mix up percentages with numbers.</p>
<p>About 1,465,000 students took the SAT Reasoning test last year. See report at <a href="http://www.collegeboard.com/prod_downloads/about/news_info/cbsenior/yr2006/national-report.pdf%5B/url%5D">http://www.collegeboard.com/prod_downloads/about/news_info/cbsenior/yr2006/national-report.pdf</a></p>
<p>About 264,000 took subject tests last year.</p>
<p>This is a drastic difference. And, the numbers are not as easily "thorough" under statistical concepts.</p>
<p>Now for my two cents of what is happening. Because there are less SAT Subject test takers, I assume only the "better" students are those taking the SAT Subject tests. For instance -- if you are good in math and not in English, you take the Math Sat Subject test and choose not to take the English equivalent. And, as Math 2 is harder than Math 1, I assume the Math 2 test takers are better than even the Math 1 test takers.</p>
<p>Last year 132,000 took Math 2, while 109,000 took Math 1. It is fair to assume that most of the Math 2 test takers would do very well on the Math 1 test -- so they should get an advantage. For instance, the top 10-15% of Math 2 should be seen as 800 scores on Math 1. So, guess what -- the top 35% of Math 2 students are rewarded by receiving a 700 or better score! A 700 on Math 2 is 65th percentile. For Math 1, a 700 is only 83rd percentile. </p>
<p>Even more stringent are tests that the vast majority care not to take -- Physics had only 35,000 takers. Makes sense? Of course. Physics is a bear for most and those who take this test are probably the best -- aka nerds. And, 32,000 of a pool of 1,465,000 makes you know that you are probably only testing the TOP 20% of the high school Physics students in America. So, theoretically, the 200 score should still be in the 80th percentile.</p>
<p>But, SAT cannot be sure that ALL the students are that qualified. So, it just bends the curve so that 36% of the takers get a 700 or better, the next 30% get a 600 or better, and the rest -- well -- they are spread about like the Reasoning test.
<a href="http://www.collegeboard.com/prod_downloads/highered/ra/sat/SubjTestPercentileRanks.pdf%5B/url%5D">http://www.collegeboard.com/prod_downloads/highered/ra/sat/SubjTestPercentileRanks.pdf</a></p>
<p>So, if you got a 760 in Physics and were only in the top 14% -- do not fret. You were one of the best 4,480 test takers among 1,465,000 who COULD have taken the test -- or among such a pool in the .3% !!! </p>
<p>Be proud of your 700's or even 600's in such rarely taken tests. You chose, and others did not, to take the challenge. </p>
<p>Remember, for Physics -- only 21% of the test taking pool took the challenge -- it is not about percentages after the test that count as much as it is about those opting to take this challenging test.</p>