<p>I would apprrciate any advice on approaching SATIIs. Should a student geting an A in Chem at a very competitive school have no trouble doing well? Or is English lit a better choice when the kid scored 99%cr on the PSAT I assume saving math IIC for junior year is a good idea and Spanish following AP Spanish then too? Any thoughts on preparing much appreciated.</p>
<p>zagat- I can't answer your specific questions but would like to say that my DD never prepared for either the ACT or the SATs and she did very well on the tests. She did no prep for her SAT 2 test either and her scores were a bit lower than she expected and she could have done better with some studying (she thinks). She has a strange and altruistic attitude about all of those tests and she does not want to do better on them than her realtime knowledge allows. "Why should I strive to prove that my math ability is any better than it really is?" - is her attitude. Though it likely seems self-defeating to some, I kind know where she is coming from. That being said, she should have aced the SAT2 tests that she took and does regret not putting some effort into those areas that she excels at in school. Don't know if that helps, but she thought the 2s were more difficult than the 1s.</p>
<p>I think the SAT IIs are a real crap-shoot. Neither of my kids did any prep. D did well (several years ago) but you could still take writing back then. S took Math I (did well), Math II (much less well) and Lit (OK). My niece is an extremely strong math and science student and did absolutely poorly on Math II and Chemistry. I don't think she prepped a lot, but I mean, she did REALLY badly. Kids on here claim it is easy to get an 800 on Math II. That is not the experience of kids at my son's strong prep school.</p>
<p>Zagat - </p>
<p>There's a lot of information, if you sift carefully, on the SAT/ACT forum.</p>
<p>Don't assume that getting an A in Chem will ensure a good score on the 2s. Our GC advises against taking that exam until you've had a more advanced chemistry class or have really prepped for it. That's because the material in honors chem does not completely coincide with the test. S waited until fall of senior year to take it and prepped during the summer before.</p>
<p>English Lit was also one of the ones my son took. It is probably the least subject dependent of any of the SAT IIs. He also did Math IIc, as you suggest, after junior year. I agree with MomofWildChild as to its difficulty. S studied long and hard in order to do well on that one! There is more advanced math on it than on the math for SAT 1.</p>
<p>zagat:</p>
<p>the best advice is to ask the teacher: how well have kids done on the test after taking his/her class. Even at top HS, not all teachers cover everything needed for the Subject Test, so self-study could be necessary. Don't forget, a lot of kids taking the science tests take them along with AP. The Math 2 test is best taken after pre-cal/trig since it covers that material.</p>
<p>First, the definition of what constitutes SAT preparation is wide ranging. There are some schools that incorporate quasi or real questions from the SAT in their regular programs. So, having no preparation is typically a misnomer. </p>
<p>In general terms, it is not very smart to attempt to take any of these tests without al least knowing ALL the specific instructions and format. It is also very wise to check the contents and scope of the tests. </p>
<p>FWIW, not all SAT are created equal. For instance, there is a HUGE difference between foreign language tests: the Asian ones are just a step above kindergarten level, while the western languages ones require a much deeper understanding of the language. Further, the two Math tests are quite different and the Level II yields better results because of its very generous curve. The fact that there are -relatively- speaking many 800 on that test stems from both the curve and the fact that the TRUE mastery of an advanced graphic calculator such as the Ti-89 provides HUGE advantages. In so many words, it is MUCH easier the ace the more advanced test. Level I is one of the hardest Subject test. If a student happens to be in a class with a teacher who recognizes the use of a calculator properly, the student will benefit. On the other hand, if the -utterly misguided- teacher considers such calculator to be an unfair help, students will have to catch up on their own. ETS and TCB are no fools and they KNOW why they allow the calculator. Why teachers suggest to know it better is baffling, but, when it comes to SAT, so is most of what originates on a HS campus </p>
<p>In overall terms, ALL the tests require a specific preparation. It just happens that some schools have been more open to adapt their curriculum to the test. Your best bet is to seek guidance OUTSIDE the high schools and find the real information on the College Board site or in their books. If you happen to have a HS teacher who knows the tests of ... 2006 well, consider you lucky, if not extremely lucky. If some of the exercises your child takes home seem to be copied from books from PR, Kaplan, or Barron's, consider yourself warned of a potential disaster.</p>