Hello,
I am trying to understand the differences between AP BIO vs Subject Test? Who is required to take it?
Why do kids need to take both of them?
Our school’s teacher has asked the kids to take both. So trying to understand the rationale!
Thanks!
Do you mean the AP test versus the subject test?
If a student is taking AP biology then he/she will usually take the AP bio test in May. Depending on the score earned and the specific college, credit may be given for the class. The student may also choose to take the bio subject test if he/she is applying to selective schools that require subject tests for admission.
If your child has completed the course in AP Biology, he/she would be well equipped to also take the SAT subject test in Biology. My 9th grader completed a regular Biology course (i.e., not Advanced Placement), and did quite well on the Biology subject test (SAT). Your child’s teacher/GC should be able to provide more information.
AP tests can be used for college credit depending upon the score and college of interest.
A SAT subject test showcases a students knowledge in a specific subject area and may be required or recommended as part of the application process for many colleges.
I guess I am trying to understand the rationale of taking both tests. If the kid takes AP BIo, is that not supposed to show mastery. Why overkill with a subject test too?
Some students do not have access to AP courses, so taking an AP class cannot be a requirement for colleges.
However, most colleges require applicants to take the SAT/ACT to apply and many require SAT subject tests along with the SAT/ACT testing. Majority of applicants have access to SAT/ACT/SAT subject testing.
Students do not have to take the SAT subject tests unless they are required or recommended. Some schools do have specific recommendations on which Subject tests to take and some do not (many times major dependent).
Testing is expensive but unfortunately to be a competitive applicant for many schools, you need to follow the requirements and many times the recommendations.
If your kids have an idea of which schools and intended majors they want to pursue, you can look up the SAT subject test requirements. If there are none, they can bypass taking the subject test.
If they do want college credit (school dependent again), then they can pass on the AP exams.
Many students do not have an idea early on in HS which schools they may end up applying to at the end of Junior year, so it is a good idea to cover all the bases while the material is fresh in their minds.
Subject tests are only necessary for some schools - not most.
Note born of being badly burned. DD is an excellent test taker, and has top notch grades. She was under the impression that AP Bio and SAT II bio cover the same material. They do NOT. WE are California, and our schools are focused on AP testing. THey pay minimal attention to the Subject tests. DD got a 4 on the AP test, and the 26th percentile on the subject test. There were huge areas (like the lungs) that she had never studied. MY advice is to have your student review the subject test study materials carefully, and compare them to what she has learned in class. DD had a wide variety of colleges on her list as a his junior. Every college has different rules, but in the schools she visited, there was a pattern of requiring either the ACT with/without writing OR the SAT and subject tests. She scored equivalently on the comparison screening, so she decided to put her eggs in the ACT basket rather than trying to study for the subject test on her own while taking Chemistry. I’m still mad about it, but life moves on. ONe other hint. THe subject test is given in both May and June, whereas AP tests are only given in May. IF I were doing it again, I would sign up for the May subject test in biology and take it the same time as the AP test, and then take it a second time in June. IN our area, anyway, the difficulty level drops markedly in AP classes after the AP test, so she could have focused on the material not covered in class that month.
Few colleges request/require Subject Tests. Those that do are generally the top tier colleges. For almost all of the colleges that want Subject Tests, AP tests cannot be used in lieu of the Subject Tests. File that under “It is what it is.”
AP exams test bio at the intro college level; Subject Tests test at the HS level. For the Subject Test, an AP class is not needed, although some students feel more comfortable waiting before they complete AP. However, aside from being a college-level class, the AP class and exam in the sciences covers less breadth and more depth. So walking into a Subject Test without self studying the gaps in material will almost guarantee a low score, as @shoot4moon 's daughter found out.
@skiurope, I wish that I had known that before!! I feel kind of dumb in retrospect, as when she looked at the subject tests online, there were two that addressed biology. She clarified which one that she was supposed to take, but neither sounded “quite right”. We are in CA, and the counselors and teachers focus on what the UCs and Cal States require. They crunch the curriculum for AP Bio into September - April, and then spend a good portion of April reviewing for the test. Our school always does really well on the AP tests because the teachers are EXCELLENT and they teach to this test. I would disagree with skieurope on how frequently it is requested. DD has nine schools in CA, CO, and New England on her list as of now. Some admit less than 20% and are well known. Others admit 70%, and are not “top tier”. 8/9 request Subject Tests, although a few do have a “tests optional” choice if you want to submit none. We have heard twice now that subject tests are losing favor with the new SAT, but only one school dropped the requirement this year. I wouldn’t be surprised if it faded over time, but I wouldn’t count on it happening soon. DD1 graduated in 2011, and didn’t realize that her top choice required a subject test until August before her senior year. The reprecussion of this was that she had to make a choice between retaking her SAT, or taking the subject test, as they were offered the same day. She received a deferral at her dream college for ED, likely because they didn’t receive her last SAT until the application had been submitted. Again, if they take the ACT, no school that I have looked at required subject testing, and we have looked at some super high tier schools.
My younger son took the biology SAT when he was taking AP Bio. He’d also had a high school bio course in 8th grade and knew a fair amount of Ecology as it was one of his events as Science Olympiad. He did look over the sample tests, but did not do extensive studying. He took the Bio-E first (which his teacher thought students tended to do better on) and got a 720. A month later he decided to take subject tests again because he didn’t like his math score, so he amused himself by trying the Bio-M. He got a 720 again. He got a 5 on the AP. He applied to several schools that required SAT subject tests at the time. (I’m not sure they still do though.)
@shoot4moon I should have said “relatively few,” certainly compared to SAT 1. I will also say that in the area of required/recommended testing/sending all scores vs. some that the situation is very fluid and changes from one cycle to the next, unlike the rest of academia, where glaciers move more quickly. 
I graduated HS in 2015 and I’ve seen many changes in requirements since, so I’m sure there have been that much more since 2011. As always, I recommend that an applicant confirm requirements with the college well in advance of the application deadline.
My son took AP bio a few years ago when the content matter changed. His AP bio teacher explained that there were areas on the Bio SAT (both types) that were not covered in the AP Bio class and he would have to self study. He was not willing to do that so did not take the Bio SAT. He also ended up not using the AP bio credit as he wanted to take the college version, especially because he did not AP bio senior year. My oldest took both, only studying for the AP bio test and did well on both. But he is a naturally great test taker.
Depending on which schools he is aiming for, what he wants to study in college, and how well he is doing in Bio, he may want to consider taking the bio SAT2. But definitely ask the teacher what is not covered in the AP class.
The SAT Subject Test Biology covers a lot more organismal biology than the AP Test; IMO, it really differs from the AP Exam.
“I guess I am trying to understand the rationale of taking both tests. If the kid takes AP BIo, is that not supposed to show mastery. Why overkill with a subject test too?”
The odd thing is that colleges look more at subjects tests than APs for figuring out subject matter knowledge.