I am an IB-diploma candidate from Washington state, and I am not the best at standardized tests. Do I really need to take SAT subject tests for Stanford? Will it lower my chances if I don’t?
I’ve posted the following numerous times on this site, but it bears repeating:
While Subject Tests are “recommended,” my belief is the reason many schools have switched to “recommended” is that some applicants from a lower socioeconomic status (SES) can’t afford more tests and/or the applicants attend a HS where no students apply to colleges where Subject Tests are requested, and therefore, may not have received the best advice from a GC.
If that does not apply to you, I am of the opinion that colleges at the top tier who request Subject Tests are expecting them from all other applicants. Although everyone will have a story about someone who was admitted without Subject Tests, my view in these cases is that there was probably more to the story (e.g. seriously hooked or lower SES).
Personally, I cannot imagine why an applicant to a school that rejects 95% of its applicants would choose to omit any part of an application. Of course, if you take them, and your scores are low, then yes, I would omit them. But I would not opt to forgo taking them in anticipation that they may be bad.
This question has also been asked before, so here are some other responses:
http://talk.qa.collegeconfidential.com/stanford-university/1932226-theory-does-stanford-have-sat-subject-tests-as-optional-just-to-decrease-admissions-rate.html
Good luck