Hello, I am a Junior in High School (hardest year thus far) and, I am really ramping things up this year. I am doing the most rigorous courses I can take at my school and, I’m taking two college classes. I am taking the PSAT this upcoming October as well as the ACT. I am planning on taking the new SAT in the new year, and I am really wondering if I have to take SAT subject tests (i really do not want to). I want to apply to go to the following schools: FSU, UF, UNC, Wake Forest, Duke, Stanford, Boston College, Vassar, Vanderbilt, UCLA, UofM, UVA, and Penn State. To be more competitive do I need to take the SAT subject tests? I really would like to pass on taking them if I could (since I am having to take SAT, PSAT, and ACT - and probably more than once.)
Its optional for most colleges. However, if you want to go to competitive colleges like Stanford, Duke, UCLA, etc. then you should because every little thing matters.
take 2 for competitive colleges. Georgetown is the only college that strongly recommends 3.
@virsha24 what If i don’t do to great on them though?
@SternBusiness 2 For any classes or should i do one in for example math and one in history?
then you can decide not to send them. The stuff you’re doing is stuff everyone trying for competitive colleges does junior year. You have to find time to study for them
You need to read the admissions pages at each place carefully, and find out what they require. If the lists are really different, you might need to take several SAT II exams.
If you don’t want to take any SAT II exams, then only apply to places that don’t ask for them, or that will accept the ACT exam instead of the SAT plus SAT II.
Many schools want you to take either the ACT with writing or the SAT reasoning test with 2 subject tests. Some schools insist on seeing all of the tests, others let you pick which scores to send. You need to check the requirements and recommendations for each individual school.
SAT subject tests should not be difficult if you take them at the end of the school year for courses you are just completing.
You may take up to three SAT subject tests on one test date, but you may not also take the SAT reasoning on the same test date. Some SAT subject tests are not offered on all test dates.
The common saying around these forums is that “recommended” should be treated as required, unless you are in some sort of disadvantaged situation (e.g. a first-generation-to-college student who attends a high school where few aspire to go to college beyond the local community college, so there is little awareness of college application preparation and less common requirements like SAT subject tests).
You need to get a little more organized. You should draw up a spreadsheet with each college and note EXACTLY from THEIR WEBSITES what’s required, deadlines, documents, etc… ACT alone, SAT alone, SAT & SAT2s, ACT & SAT2s, etc. It’s up to YOU – asking random strangers for their best guess is foolhardy for something so essential.
“And what if I don’t do well…” unless you re-take and score better, then it limits your choices, right? What other answer is there?
Best of luck to you but invest in the time to write everything down for yourself. It’ll pay great dividends.