Can subject tests hurt? Physics/Math 2

<p>I'm taking both tests this Saturday. Have been feeling sick to my stomach for the past week because I am severely unprepared. </p>

<p>I have been studying physics since June, but I've had to teach myself the material from scratch - I took the class in the 9th grade and the material was so basic, we learned virtually nothing. I am getting every review question wrong and I don't understand the explanations at all. I'm using PR. Will the fact that I took physics in 9th grade help justify my low score?</p>

<p>I reviewed Math 2 over the weekend (also PR) and it looks relatively okay. Got a 650 on the first practice test.</p>

<p>Really depressed. At this point, I will be ecstatic with >500 in physics and >600 in math. </p>

<p>I am applying to very selective schools - Stanford REA. Mechanical engineering. Current scores:
SAT I (single sitting): 730 CR/680 M/710 W (2120 composite)
ACT (single sitting): 35 E/34 M/36 S/35 R/33 E+W (35 composite)</p>

<p>Will low SAT II scores hurt me? Should I submit them to Stanford at all? My counselor said "if they're high, they help, and if they're low, they're neutral." Is she right? </p>

<p>Generally it is the more selective colleges and programs that use SAT II tests and that certainly applies to Stanford which currently has the lowest admission rates in the country. Given their very select admission pool, I would think that not having SAT subject tests would put you at some disadvantage – particularly in engineering where many of their peer schools require them. However submitting a 600/500 in math and science would be a big red flag and I believe it would actively hurt your admission chances. Faced with those choices I would probably take the tests, and then decide whether to report them and if they are as low as you predict I would not report. Just my $.02,</p>

<p>Thanks.</p>

<p>650 in math and 580 in physics. PR practice tests. I most likely will not send these in. Maybe just my math, just to have one.</p>

<p>650 is a weak math II score for Stanford, I’d retake if you can. If you can’t retake, tuff luck.</p>

<p>@dissealguem‌: Hi! I already took my subject tests. Subject tests are not the make-for-break for college admissions. They are for colleges to see what you’re good at. Obviously, if you have great Subject test scores, you would have an advantage over other students who don’t have as good scores. Just do the best you can on your two strongest subject tests, get them out of the way, and focus on other more important things like grades and SAT/ACT. The following guide in the below link is really helpful:</p>

<p><a href=“http://www.testprepauthority.com/guides/sat-subjects-tests/”>http://www.testprepauthority.com/guides/sat-subjects-tests/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>Hope this helps!</p>