<p>I have some concerns about taking the SAT science subject tests as a Canadian student, and hopefully someone else has have the same issue or experience and could help me out a little bit here. </p>
<p>So I'm in Alberta. (not sure if this is the case in other provinces) But we take science in grade 10, and start seperating it into biology, chemistry, and physics in grade 11. I am taking my grade 11 biology right now this semester, and I will have to wait to take the grade 12 in grade 12..(unless I drop other courses I have next semester to make the space). And my grade 11 physics is scheduled next semester(same situation as biology).</p>
<p>So the grade 11 curriculum doesn't cover everything I need for the SAT, and I am just afraid if it's gonna be late if I wait to take the subject tests after I get to grade 12. That leaves me the option to do some self-studying I guess. </p>
<p>Anyways, just wondering if anyone here had the same concern or experience, and how did you deal with it?</p>
<p>Self-studying is the way to go. In Ontario, we have the same system, with very little of the SAT material being covered in the curriculum. I self-studied for a month, and ended up with a 780. I’d recommend using both princeton review + barrons to be thorough. </p>
<p>You’ll find that there is a lot of material covered on the SAT subject tests(not just bio) which we, unfortunately, do not cover in the curriculum.</p>
<p>Agreed with above. I had to self study all my subject tests and ended up with 760+ on all of them. It’s just a bit of motivation, hard work and free time. Try to do it over the summer. Set aside a few hours a week to study for em.</p>
<p>yea, i want to know which books you guys used to prep for the subject tests.</p>
<p>also, do you just look up on the university sites you are applying to when it comes to figuring out which subject tests to write? or are there some that are basically universal to all the universities?</p>
<p>also, when should I take the subject tests? I am in grade 11, and will write the SAT in May, and re-write if unsatisfied in June or October of my senior year. So, should I write the subject tests in the beginning of Grade 12 and study for them over the summer? I’m just worried about when I should be submitting applications since we are international students, so I assume we submit much earlier. Any one know?</p>
<p>Borrowed random books out of the library to know which topics will be tested. Used my physics textbook, Chem textbook, and math textbook to actually study.</p>
<p>@Radddd are you canadian? Like, just like the OP, in my ontario high school, science is only divided in grade 11, so I won’t know a lot of the material on the SAT subject tests for science, and probably even math. So, i’m wondering if your canadian and had the same problem</p>
<p>I am indeed Canadian. They may be divided in grade 11, but I had no problem in studying for the SAT IIs due to a multitude of good resources IB gives me (aka awesome textbooks that are college level) and the fact that I had awesome teachers who actually put the foundations down on everything I needed to know. Kinetics, gravity, and Thermo were the topics I covered extensively during grade 11 because of an excellent physics teacher and I covered the rest on my own spare time. For math, I had not reached trigonometry yet, nor did I have any knowledge in polar coordinates, stats and probability, and complex numbers. I had to learn it on my own, with some help from my math teacher. For chemistry, I was naturally strong in that field anyways, so I was able to study by myself for the most part. </p>
<p>If you are taking physics 11 in grade 11, they do cover all the topics on the SAT II physics (although you will need to study more because physics 11 is so superficial). If you’re taking IB physics 11, then you only cover up til waves.</p>
<p>ok, I am taking physics this year, next semester, but I am not in an IB school. So, do you think I should get gr.11 physics, bio, math, and chem under my belt, then review all additional, unlearned thing over the summer…then write when I feel ready the next year?</p>
<p>Oh, and btw, which do you feel is better Bio M or E? I know one is more ecological and based on topics like that, while the other is just plain in-depth facts/things you learn in class…which do you advise to be easier to prep for?</p>
<p>Ecology! Trust me people say “oh no pick which one you are strong on”, molecular is more difficult as it requires a LOT more knowledge, and can test completely obscure facts
Ecology, on the other hand, is simply knowing some concepts and applying them to questions. Honestly knowing food chains/webs, trophic levels, etc is MUCH easier than knowing specifics about molecular bio (at least for me) And I’m pretty sure if you took grade 10 science in Ontario, one of the required units was ecology, so I guess I had that extra boost as well. </p>
<p>And try to get your SATs out of the way asap. My only regret is that I started taking SAT/SAT 2 too late so its more difficult in crunch time to submit apps(which are the same deadlines for intl btw) and study for SAT 2s at the same time. So yes, your plan to take SAT IIs in October seems fine, since even if you screw up, you still have plenty of time to retake.</p>
<p>Most universities prefer Math level 2, instead of Math level 1. The general consensus is one should not take subject tests in their mother language. And thats about it. I think its good having some depth and not just taking 2 sciences + math, humanities course might look good, but thats just me. Most top universities only require 2 subject tests, but Harvard and I think some others require 3 subject tests.</p>
<p>The books that I used for studying SAT were just a mix of kaplan/barrons/princeton. Barrons is usually almost always harder, but just going through book after book will help the material settle in your mind. </p>
<p>ps. it feels so funny being the one dispensing advice now! haha, anyways wish me luck, getting my other 2 subject tests(math 2, literature) results back tomorrow! i REALLY dont want to take them again in January lol</p>
<p>hey pakalypse, good luck! and thanks for the great info.
Yes, in ontario, in gr.10 we did do an ecology unit. I’m prepping really hard for my first SAT that I will try to write in May if I can get my score up to where I expect by then, If not, then I’ll write in June, no later than that though. If I get my score and am happy, then I’ll just focus on subject tests until October or so, when I write them. if my SAT score is low, i’ll re-write in October </p>
<p>So, it doesn’t matter which subject tests you take? Like, I will take Math level 1 for sure and Bio. I heard Math 1 is easier than Math 2. I tried doing a practice Math 2 subject test and it was much harder than Math level 1. Is that just because I haven’t been exposed to any gr.12 math yet? And our school doesn’t teach complex numbers, and other stuff that other schools teach.</p>
<p>Another question, the humanities subject tests, are those just the language ones and the history ones? Because I took compulsory gr.10 history and french in gr.9 lol, so i’d fail those ones lol</p>
<p>The general science and math courses in the first two years of high school are a major pain. >< I’d also recommend self-studying. I’m currently in my freshman year of high school and I’ve already begun reading through the Princeton Review SAT 2010 book. I highly recommend it.</p>
<p>so, r u prepping for the actual SAT or the subject tests? And yea, I should’ve started earlier, im in grade 11 and just started prepping 3 days ago lmao. not very smart on my part</p>
<p>^^ dude dont worry ur not far behind
and yeah humanities are history/literature/language… if ur not good at that stuff then i dont think its really a big deal… but try self studying world/american history if u can, if u can memorize bio, history wont be a problem either</p>
<p>math 1… im not so sure about…the questions “seem” easier but they are trickier… math 2 is just harder concepts but easier questions… try taking advanced functions at the end of this semester so u can take math 2 in october next semester? because i think some colleges prefer math 2 over math lvl</p>
<p>and i got my scores back! did decent: 720 in lit, 740 in math lvl 2… buuuut CC has gotten to me and i shall not rest until they are both 750+, so retaking in january :P</p>
<p>yea, I will have adv. functions first semester next yr. for sure, so do you think that it would be fine if I wrote the Math 2 around november? just so I have time to retake in december if i do bad. I could get my math teacher to give me an advanced function book for the summer…</p>
<p>is there calculus on Math 2? I could get a CALC. book too I guess…</p>
<p>nope no calc
and yeah what u can do is learn and perfect all the concepts on math 2 that u already have learned… then just learn the rest in november… and u should be pretty good
check out [Khan</a> Academy](<a href=“http://www.khanacademy.org%5DKhan”>http://www.khanacademy.org) for vids on certain math concepts</p>