<p>Hey guys,</p>
<p>I was wondering if I really needed to include a humanities SAT subject test in my college portfolio. Looking online, I've found that many colleges say they prefer 1 math, 1 science, and one humanities, but how true do you think this is? I don't know history and I've heard literature is unbelievably difficult. I attend a magnet boarding school for math and science (Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy), if that makes a difference.</p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>Don’t know where you are getting info about colleges generally wanting one math, one science, and one humanties. To begin with no college that requires SAT subject tests requires more than two; two colleges, Georgetown and Johns Hopkins, which do not require subject tests, recommend three. For those that require or recommend subject tests, you can usually submit any tests except that if you are applying for engineering and sometimes science you need to submit a math and science; also MIT requires a math and science from all applicants and Caltech requires math 2 and a science from all applicants. In other words, as far as I know you don’t have to have a humanties test to meet any college’s requirement for subject tests. Some would recommend that if you are applying for English or history that you submit the corresponding subject test but even that is not required.</p>
<p>There’s no formal humanities requirement, but it does help to show your strength in all academic subjects</p>
<p>I wouldn’t do it. Colleges just want to see two subjects, whether it be Math and Physics, or Literature and Biology - it doesn’t matter.</p>
<p>I’m guessing that you are in ILL, and have been reading UChicago’s website. They do require one hume/lit and one math/science, for a total of two. Not three. Most other colleges will take any two. But, tech-engineering schools are looking for strong Math 2 scores. </p>
<p>I disagree with Greed, however. There a thousands upon thousands of math-science geeks with strong Math and Science scores. If you want to stand out from that pack of applicants, submit a 700+ Lit/History score, particularly if applying to a college that has distribution/other requirements. :)</p>
<p>btw: the UC system will not accept Math 1, so if you take a Math, it must be Math 2. But math is not required for UC admissions.</p>
<p>
Georgetown changed the wording from “requiring” to “strongly recommending” three, but I’ve been told by admissions people that it’s pretty much required, and the only exceptions they make are a few of EA admits and those who can’t take them due to extreme circumstances. It’s safe to say Georgetown requires three.</p>
<p>My child took three - math 2, physics, and lit. He’s VERY strong in math/cs and we figured that showing he was good elsewhere would be important. We’ll never know, of course, if it mattered, but it wasn’t much effort to take the lit. He did math 2/physics in one sitting and lit later. And, with those three under his belt early, we knew he’s be covered for any school he might apply to.</p>
<p>Just a note on some info given above: UChicago does not require any subject tests. It does not even recommend them. It may consider them if submitted and does not care what you submit. Northwestern recommends two and it is the only Illinois college that recommends any. If your desire is to get into UIUC engineering then be aware that it is absolutely pointless to take subject tests for it because it will not even consider them if submitted.</p>
<p>As to the UCs, beginning with those applying for entry into 2012 freshman class, subject tests will no longer be required but two will be recommended and for engineering the only two they want to see if you submit any is math 2 and a science (math 1 will still not be considered at all).</p>
<p>If you meet the two test requirement of a college that requires them by submitting a high math and science, then, for most of those colleges, submitting a third literature test is generally a pointless act; why: because in determining admission most use only the highest two subject test scores and ignore the rest. Two exceptions are Harvard and Princeton, which require two but will consider all that are submitted (including that if you submit a third low score they will consider it against you; fortunately both accept score choice).</p>
<p>drusba:</p>
<p>thanks for your correction on Chicago. I had a brain clog when I wrote that.</p>
<p>But I question the idea of submitting additional Subject Tests (as long as they are strong). For non-tech/engineering programs, breadth across disciplines looks better to me (and I’m guessing adcoms as well). More importantly, some colleges (Yale, Stanford, Penn and the UCs, for example) are ignoring CB’s Score Choice and are requiring all tests be sent. Thus, I have to believe that they want to see them, and they will use them. Otherwise, why not just allow an applicant to send the best two?</p>
<p>I think it depends a lot on what you intend to major in. If you intend to major in a humanities-type subject, it would be advantageous to take a humanities subject test. However, if you intent to major in math/science/engineering, you would be better off with Math Level 2 plus a Science. I don’t think any schools require more than 2 subject tests now. </p>
<p>Many engineering schools require or recommend Math Level 2 plus either Physics or Chemistry.</p>
<p>Unless you are confident that you will do well, don’t do it.</p>
<p>If you had strong scores in the Critical Reading and Essay section of the SAT, that might compensate for the lack of an SAT subject test in the humanities. </p>
<p>I am a believer in playing to your strengths. Not much point in doing a subject test in something that is not your area unless you are really confident in a good outcome, in my opionion.</p>