My family is extremely poor and I never got the chance to take any SAT Subject Tests.
On the Dartmouth website, it is stated that Dartmouth requires SAT Subject Test scores but that they “recognize that taking subject tests may represent a financial hardship for some students. If this is the case for you, we will consider your application without subject test scores.” How will not having SAT Subject Test scores affect me?
I e-mailed them explaining my situation. Plus, I am a Questbridge Finalist so that will probably further prove my poverty situation. Will my not having SAT II scores be looked down on?
Dartmouth, like most Ivies, is very holistic in their admissions’ process. If they determine that you’re accurate in what you’ve said, it shouldn’t adversely affect you at all.
Best of luck!
That’s so reassuring to know! Thank you so much! 
Were you eligible for fee waivers.? I recommend that you get one from your counselor and take the 3 subject test in December.a fee waiver covers 3 tests and each exam is about one hour long
@sybbie719 I already talked to Dartmouth’s admissions office about my situation and they “waived” my SAT II test score requirements.
While Dartmouth may have “waived” your SAT subject test requirements and you are a Questbridge finalist, you are not matched and neither Dartmouth or any other school on your list has admitted you to their school yet. Should the worse case scenario happen and you are waitlisted or denied (which will happen even to students who have submitted subject test scores) at Dartmouth, will you wonder if your package was as complete as it could have been?
I still stand by my original advice, see your GC today, get a fee waiver and take the december subject test so that all of your applications can be complete.
What was your ACT or SAT score if you don’t mind my asking?
@Falcon1 I have a 34 composite in ACT w/ writing for one sitting.
OP- LISTEN to sybbie719’s advise!
She knows what she is talking about and has helped MANY students avoid making preventable mistakes. Are you going to listen to another HS student with 64 posts , instead of one of the moderators who has been on CC for years??
It CAN hurt you to not send in subject tests.
Since fee waivers are available, take full advantage of them and take the tests.
@menloparkmom @sybbie719 ooookay, I’ll definitely go talk to my guidance counselor about it next week then. Thanks, guys! I really appreciate it (:
Also, can you guys elaborate on why not having SAT Subject test scores may hurt me? Aren’t they supposed to have a holistic review process and aren’t students from low-income family already at a lesser-advantage since research proves that the higher income a family has, the higher average standardized test scores a student has?
I’m really afraid that I’m going to end up getting like a 500 or something and that will ruin my chances of getting in even more 
Blourring
Although our kids have graduated, Menloparkmom and I both have kids who were accepted to/attended Dartmouth. I do totally agree that Dartmouth uses a holistic process when reviewing applications and admitting students. However, the other side of the coin is if you are a low income student, there really was not a barrier to you taking the Test because if you were eligible for fee waivers for the SAT and the ACT, you were eligible for fee waivers for the subject test (so in a way, this really may not have been a financial hardship for you the way it could be for families who make just above the fee waiver cut off and had to pay for everything).
While CC is not representative of all of the students who apply to Dartmouth, I really don’t remember a student here on CC who was accepted without SAT II scores (I go through the college process every year in my non-CC life, and I have never had a student accepted without SAT II scores). Submitting scores gives the school another piece of information. In addition, you may be able to use your SAT II scores for placement.
While you wrote
Dartmouth also said
if you are applying RD then you can do the January placement test without having to pay the late fee, which the fee waiver does not cover.
@sybbie719 okay, that was very helpful! Thank you so much! I will definitely start studying for SAT IIs now, haha! Also, do you know what the case is for schools that “recommend” SAT IIs but don’t require them?
And also, what would be considered a “good” SAT II score?
You will have to look at each school’s policy. Recommended almost never means recommended ( subtly means required) What test are you looking to take
I’m probably going to take Literature, Biology or Physics… I do wish there was a wider variety of tests tho… like government, psychology, etc. 
@blourring if I may jump in for a moment. I can understand your fear of submitting what you consider a poor score and that you will scuttle any chance you have. I can share from our family’s experience that poor SAT Subject Tests are not what will keep you out. As excellent as my daughter’s ACT was, her SAT subject exams were that dismal. She has given her blessing for me to share that information if it will help alleviate another student’s misery and fear.
This wonderful school looks beyond numbers. They clearly felt my daughter had something to add to the community that superseded test scores that we were convinced were nails in her admissions coffin.
You are being given excellent advice to follow through on this application. It shouldn’t be dismissed.