<p>How bad will this hurt me when applying to colleges? I did well on the SAT I (A 2120), but on the SAT II I scored a 480 (11th percentile) on the chemistry and 670 (56th percentile) on the math II. I'm definetely retaking the math and hoping for at least a 750, but I had a not so good chemistry teacher, so I don't think my chemistry score will raise at all. Will this hurt me as much as I think it will?</p>
<p>I know I am not helping but I am in a very similar situation (2150 SAT I and a 650, 640, and 620 on SAT II's). I took the ACT and did pretty well (32) and many colleges take the ACT in place of both the SAT I and SAT II's, so I would reccomend trying the ACT.</p>
<p>My first question is why didn't you cancel your score? You should have had an inkiling you didn't do well on chem (I'm pretty sure a 480 is not a surprise) You are in luck though, most schools only look at your top 2 or 3 SAT II's. I would advise you retake math II (which isn't that bad and 750 is within reach) and forget about chem. Frankly, if you scored in the 11th percentile I do not see any <em>reasonable</em> way you can improve to acceptable standards (700+). Just take another science or subject.</p>
<p>SAT II's are not <em>as important</em> as the SAT I when it comes to admissions. I believe PR says that they just use them to determine class placement.</p>
<p>It depends where you are applying. At some schools SAT IIs are as important, or nearly as important, as SAT Is.</p>
<p>If you are applying to competitive schools, I think it's very important that you <em>not</em> use that 480 as one of your minimum SAT IIs. Take a different subject or the ACT.</p>
<p>Personally, I don't buy this, but I've heard here that colleges think it shows the "smart kid lazy student type".
You can improve your Chem score by getting a Baron's Chem SAT II review and following their course outline. It will take a few months, but you'll effectively teach all relevant material to yourself.
Someone as smart as you (based on your SATs) should be able to prep intensively and get to the 700s. Just be confident and work hard.</p>
<p>Essentially same scenario for my daughter; I am still wondering what it means that she would have to study so much for the subject tests. Is it just to get into a competitive school or does it better prepare you to do well there? If it is supposed to prepare you, why is it implied that so much is forgotten in the time after you take a class? She's gonna try the ACT, but still needs the subject tests for UC.</p>
<p>wow, how'd that happen? i got a 1670 SAT I but 800 Math IIC and 800 Physics</p>
<p>At colleges that require (or recommend) SAT II's -- a minority but most of your high ranked schools -- SAT IIs are important and the low scores will hurt. Most of those that require IIs use your two (or if three required, three) highest II scores and thus you might consider that retake of math and finding another II to take. For the majority of colleges (e.g., all public universities except the UCs and Virginia), the scores will make no difference because they do not even use SAT IIs for admission. So it depends on the colleges to which you intend to apply. Go here for a list of colleges that require, recommend, or consider IIs (an asterisk next to the number under required means the college takes the ACT in lieu of both the SAT and SAT IIs): <a href="http://www.compassprep.com/admissions_req_subjects.aspxhttp://www.compassprep.com/admissions_req_subjects.aspx%5B/url%5D">http://www.compassprep.com/admissions_req_subjects.aspxhttp://www.compassprep.com/admissions_req_subjects.aspx</a></p>
<p>My daughter took the SAT II in June 2007.
She was advised to take the Math II. [She has taken Geometry, AlgebraIII/Trig, and PreCalc] She scored 570.
for her second subject She chose History; because has has always been a strong US student. She scored 530!</p>
<p>?? I do not get it! She prepared more for this exam than SATs or ACTs.
how bad are her scores??</p>
<p>eyeamher, her percentiles are pretty low. The best way to prepare for these exams is to take practice exams and get used to the format.</p>
<p>even if your teacher sucks, you should study throughout the year. I basically self-studied chemistry (my teacher was giving out wrong answers, telling us to change our textbooks to her convoluted theories of science) and got a 720. It's definitely possible to increase your score through 2 or 3 months of solid work.</p>
<p>If you don't want to study, I'd definitely recommend taking the Literature subject test. For all the other subject test you have to know stuff, but for lit you just have to read the passages and answer questions. If you did well on the critical reading portion of the SAT then I think you should definitely try Lit. I got a 730 on CR and did not study at all for Lit and got a 720. Just don't get intimidated by the passages, and you'll do fine. The curves a lot easier than the CR curve on the SAT I.</p>
<p>For those science students in China, it's way too easy to get a 2400 (MathII/Phy/Chem) in SATII.
But I'm an art student and I speak only Chinese and English.
Which of the following is the easiest to prepare for?
1) US History
2) World History
3) Literature</p>
<p>Check the schools' requirements. Many that require SAT IIs will accept the ACT instead of both SAT I and II. You may not need to send your SAT scores at all if your ACT is high enough.</p>
<p>someone (i think FredBurger) said that they only look at your top two or three SAT II scores...is that rite? and im speaking of top colleges here</p>