The Math Level II Subject Test covers honors precalculus
It covers a wide range of material, but not the most advanced material in each topic
Partly because the test does not cover exactly the same material as your precalculus class in school, it is a good idea to self study for the exam of study with a tutor.
It is a one hour test with 50 multiple choice questions.
You can take three subject tests at a time
That used to be standard, but now people often concentrate on one or two tests at a time.
Now as students take precalculus earlier, it is often best to take the Math Level II after completing precalculus in sophomore or freshmen year.
There is also a Math Level I Subject Test
Very few students take it
It covers a wider range of material, but only through honors Algebra II
People usually take the subject test when applying to top 50 schools or engineering programs
Those generally want the Math Level 2 exam
Students taking a math subject test have generally had honors precalculus
Why take the subject test?
Subject tests are generally more important the higher ranked the college.
Below top 100, not many people submit subject tests and they are not considered much.
For top 5 or top 30 schools they are very important.
Most top 50 colleges “recommend” two subject tests. Recommend means close to require.
For top schools, subject tests may be as important as SATs.
However, for those schools, AP exams and ECs are also more important than for other schools.
Almost all of their applicants will have pretty much all As in AP classes or equivalent, so the decisions are more made on other factors.
Subject tests are not as important as when I was in school, because students typically take AP exams
Colleges imply that they do not consider AP exams much for admissions.
Some schools follow International Bachelorette instead of AP and many top private schools have their own more difficult curriculum.
In general colleges are looking at AP exams and those exams plus As in AP courses are really important.
However, subject tests are often more important than AP exams to top schools.
It is easier to study of than the regular Math SAT, which is more of an aptitude test.
Recommend the Official guide with 4 real tests.
There may be additional real tests available, but I cannot provide information on them or link to them.
The Barrons Guide is the standard study book
I particularly recommend the material at the beginning by topic
Another book used is Dr. Chung’s
I like Dr. Jiang’s
You can get about 6 wrong and still get 800.
17% of the people taking it get 800
A 700 is not a bad score even if it is low in percentile from a elite group of test takers
MIT and Caltech generally want to see 800.
MIT and CalTech not only dropped the subject test requirements, they won’t accept them starting with class of 2021…they are subject test blind.
Harvey Mudd does not require the tests anymore either.
From what I can see, MIT will no longer consider subject tests, but Caltech just made them recommended rather than required, as most schools have done. MIT may be concerned that some students can prepare better for the multiple choice subject tests. MIT probably looks seriously at AP exams, whatever they say officially
Per Cal Tech’s website they are subject test blind: https://www.admissions.caltech.edu/apply/first-yearfreshman-applicants/standardized-tests
Caltech and MIT may be concerned that some people have access to more old tests and so on. Plus they have enough information with AP exams, and maybe IBs and national exams for foreign students. Free answer tests are probably fairer.
They both stated they were making this change because of test access issues.
They probably also noticed that anyone interested in applying and has a realistic chance of admission (based on other factors) has an 800 on that subject test anyway, so it is not a useful differentiator in their applicant pools.
Given the preponderance of 800 scores, it is likely that many takers of this subject test did no additional preparation beyond completing the precalculus course at their high schools. Obviously, this does depend on the quality of the precalculus (and lower math courses) at the high school, but it is not like the content of this subject test is so far beyond high school precalculus that students need to assume that they need additional preparation beyond completing the course.