Hello, I am applying to a few Ivies, Yale and Harvard, along with top schools like Rice. I was wondering if it is necessary to take the SAT II subject tests? If I do not, will that significantly hurt my application? I have a great ACT score and a rather normal SAT score, and I just want opinions on what I should do?
I see they are not required, but are they “required”
While they are not technically required, I would advise you to take them-- if you score well it will just make your application stronger. I think the only excuse for not taking them is if it’s a financial hardship.
If the tests are recommended then you should consider them to be required. The schools are offering an escape clause for families that can’t afford the cost of the tests. If you’re not in that group then take them or you will be at a disadvantage to those who did.
Don’t bother to apply to those schools if you don’t want to take SAT IIs because you can’t get decent scores. Unless you have a good hook, you don’t have much of a chance.
What does it say for Rice
At top schools, recommended=required.
Not totally required. They may take some people with incredible rest of applications, or connections, or recruited athlete or whatever.
We took part in a Yale admissions brief in the Chicago area last year. The admissions officer told us that if D had taken the ACT With Writing and wanted to submit that instead of also submitting SAT Subject Tests that would be fine. D had a 36 ACT and only a 2010 SAT with Subject test scores from 720 - 790. She decided to also submit Subject test scores but, in Yale’s case anyway, I think it would have been fine not to. You need to read each college’s standardized test policy very carefully and submit whatever tests make you the strongest applicant.Interpret the test policy in your favor if things aren’t perfectly clear
Rice requires SAT subject tests if you submit SAT but accepts the ACT in lieu of both SAT and subject tests. You are fine submitting only ACT to it.
Until about a month ago, Yale required either SAT plus two subject tests, or alternatively to both of those, the ACT. It has now dropped its subject test requirement to one of a recommendation for two subject tests and the recommendation now applies whether you submit SAT or ACT. Yale also requires you to provide all SAT and subject test scores you have if you submit any SAT or any subject test but, if instead you submit ACT, you need submit only all ACT tests. What is indicated by that is that Yale is still carrying forward its concept that ACT is fine without subject tests.
Until two years ago, Harvard required two subject tests regardless of whether you submitted SAT or ACT. Its current guidline began two years ago and provides that Harvard “normally requires” subject tests unless you have financial reasons for not taking them OR you choose not to submit them and want your application considered without them. What does “normally required” mean if anyone can choose not to submit them? That is classic academic gobbledygook and my personal sense is that it is possible to be admitted without them but your chances of admission are likely reduced unless you are one of those financially unable to take them.