DD is a rising senior interested in STEM fields and interested in applying to top tech schools as well as non-tech schools. We live in a flyover state with low representation at bi-coastal schools. She attends the local public HS which is adequate for most purposes but very ordinary. No science APs offered. She has 3.9+ GPA unweighted, probably has had the most rigorous course load of all the students at her HS (includes college math courses), will be a NMSF with the highest PSAT score her counselor has ever seen. That probably tells you more about her HS than about her.
That said, she bombed the chemistry SAT2 (<600) in June and knew she had when she took it. She took Honors Chem (no AP avail), and got an easy A. The teacher loved her and she loved the teacher. Don’t think she did much test prep.
Talking things over, I don’t think she learned all that much chemistry in her class and I think has a significant knowledge deficit. She plans to do Independent study in Chem as a class in her senior year to better prep for college, but meanwhile she needs a science SAT2 for tech school apps. So…
Options:
Study over summer and retake Chem in October. She's overseas all summer and not sure how much she can study.
She wants to try Physics (also did Honors Physics and did fine) but I don't think she learned much Physics either.
Try both Chem and Physics in October. I think this will require a lot of study and would be better off focusing on one.
Forget about tech schools and go non-tech. She has 2 other SAT2s that are 700+ that she could use.
Argh… was not expecting this. Her older brother had taken Physics and gotten an 800 so we thought the HS classes were adequate. In retrospect, he had a much better Physics teacher (who has since left) and also significant aptitude for Physics.
What about Math 2? Has she taken it yet? My D found that her high school math classes prepared her well for that subject test. I think taking both Chem and Physics in October might be too much. Maybe worth taking diagnostics in each (i.e. doing a practice test from Princeton Review book) and seeing which one she does better on and starting from there.
Most tech schools require one science subject test plus Math II. Did she take math II? Is one of the other SAT2’s Bio?
I’m a former chemistry teacher. The chemistry subject test asks questions that are very different from how a high school teacher would ask questions on a test or exams. She may just need practice in taking the test, not in chemistry.
Did Math2. Got something in the mid700s. Don’t remember exactly. I know that’s so-so for some of the tech schools. Prob retake in the fall also. The other was World History.
Bio class was not good. Did fine in the class but that’s my field and I could tell she wasn’t learning much.
@bouders, thanks for that info. That’s the kind of insight that we need.
I’m thinking that prepping for Chem is the way to go. I heard somewhere that the Chemistry was one of the more difficult ones. Is that true?
Or she can choose one or the other, her choice, and focus on it. Big Brother is not home anymore so not much help.
I would recommended choosing the subject she is more confident in and prepare for the exam. Don’t divide her time between two subjects, if she doesn’t need both tests. Even if she’s overseas, she can take a prep book and will surely have some time to study if she dedicates herself to it and makes time. If she has internet access, there are also a lot of online resources she can use to help.
Whether or not a test is difficult really depends on the student. For some students, history might be the hardest subject test if that is not their strength or if they had poor preparation in the subject. If she likes chemistry the best, then it may be easier for her to study and prep that subject, and having already taken the test, she knows what to expect now for next time. It doesn’t really matter if other students consider that one of the more difficult ones.
Except for some of the extremely test sensitive schools a mid 700 in Math 2 is more than fine. IMO the seemingly low chem score is due to lack of prep. Even coming out of an AP class it would be wise to prep. I think retaking the Chem makes the most sense.
A mid-700 score should be fine, and I hate to say it, but especially for a girl.
I’d guess that retaking Chem makes the most sense, though I think physics is more straightforward. There are plenty of test prep materials she should practice until she feels she has it down cold.
That said, why doesn’t she take the physics test in the book the SAT puts out of real tests and see how she does? If her score is >600 that may be the way to go.
Mathmom, that’s the kind bias girls get all the time.
My kid didn’t get 800 because of small minor annoyance at the test site. No light and the test proctor didn’t tell her the 5 minute before time is done, threw her off. But she didn’t retake. I think my advice is to prep and retake chemistry.
I think we will have her try the Physics in the book. Unless she shines in that, will probably go with Chemistry with prep. Looks like the only two schools that she specifically needs a science would be MIT and CMU. She may retake the Math2 with whichever science she goes with in October. Thanks for the advices.
