Both Rice and Harvard recommend sending two subject tests, however my scores are abysmal.
Literature: 660
World History: 650
Would sending these scores hurt my application more than not sending the scores?
i don’t think you should send them. you’ll be competing against kids who scored 800s on both of those exams at both of those schools, so your scores will look academically weak.
Sending no Subject Tests scores will be a disadvantage, IMO, unless you are low socioeconomic status. Sending low Subject Tests scores will be a disadvantage. Which is worse? That’s the big question. Personally, I would opt not to send those scores, as they will not enhance your application.
@skieurope thank you for your help! I did send these scores as well as a 650 math II score to Georgetown, and I was accepted early action. Would this be an indicator that they aren’t that important and it’s just a box to check, or are the standards of schools like Harvard and Rice a great deal higher than Georgetown?
IMO, both.
Subject Tests are less important than GPA or SAT/ACT, and Harvard and Rice’s accepted students, per the respective Common Data Sets, have higher standardized test scores than Georgetown.
But at the end of the day, all 3 practice holistic admissions, so there is no magic formula.
@skieurope thanks! I’m leaning towards not sending scores.