Hello all!
I read somewhere that SAT Subject Tests are most effective in the application process when they are used to show the mastering of a subject when grades show otherwise. I have a 3.77 UW GPA, and my few B's came from math courses (except Honors Chem which literally nobody has ever gotten an A in at my school) so I was wondering if it would be worthwhile to take the Math 2 Subject Test in October since I have 3 B's in Honors-level math classes? It was mostly teacher and math department issues with the honors curriculum at our school (I have received an A in every AP class I have taken and I did very well on the ACT math section; for some reason Honors classes are the only problem and they are supposed to be less difficult than AP). I have a 770 on the Bio subject test but I did really well in AP Bio so I don't think it will mean as much as receiving a high score on Math 2 to show that I am good at math despite my B's... would taking Math 2 be worth it (at least in Princeton admissions)? Thanks.
Absolutely would. If you could get a 760+ on Math 2, I personally think that would allay the concerns of your mathematical preparedness in the eyes of the committee. I assume you go to a challenging high school as well - they likely know this and will evaluate you in the context. If there are swathes of other applicants from your school who have A’s in those same math courses, however, then it might just suggest you didn’t do so hot in that class. But it will never hurt you to do well in a subject test.
The strange flip side that I’ve seen was on an “Inside the Admissions Committee Room” video from Grinnell College, which I actually stumbled upon after I’d been admitted. They were evaluating a student who got a final grade of C in a US History course, but a ~760 or something on the SAT Subject Test. Their feeling was that the two pieces of data didn’t match, and that this C was a reflection of his lack of effort in his schoolwork. However, I think that assumption was made with the knowledge that his school wasn’t especially challenging, and that getting an A, or at least an A- or B+ in US History wasn’t particularly hard.
In your case, it really depends on where you rank in relation to your peers. The two subjects colleges seem to care about for ALL applicants are math and english, as they are the single most important subjects you study in school, and are the best indicators of success and preparedness in their eyes (I think English is absolutely essential, so hopefully your grades there are stellar). If having a B in math courses doesn’t stop you from being a high achiever in other areas, then it won’t discount you immediately.
This is Princeton. Apply - work your butt off to make your application as cohesive and narrative as possible - and then forget. Odds are you won’t get in. I’d say the same to a 2400 SAT 4.0 GPA legacy who served as the president’s PA. Admissions are as unpredictable these days as they are [ostensibly] subjective and unfair in many cases. Do your best and forget the rest.
Good luck to you!
@Senior2016M Thanks a bunch!
Regarding what you said about math and English being the two most important subjects, will it help that while I have 3 B’s in two honors algebra classes and honors precalc, I have high A’s in honors and AP stats as well as geometry? Will that help (in addition to a solid subject test score) allay concerns over my preparedness in math? Or will just the subject test make a difference in their opinion? (sorry for all the questions…)
If you were to get a 750+ on Math 2 (which shouldn’t be too hard since the curve is so generous) then I think they would see you have the wherewithal to succeed in the math required at Princeton.
It’s great that you have high A’s in those honors and AP courses! However-- the courses in which you have those 3 B’s, are they unusually hard, or did you just have a rough time? Do most students at the top tier of your class get A’s in them or are B’s the norm? It’s best to be honest. If you aren’t that great at math (I’m certainly not which is why I avoided AP Calc and did Stat instead!) it doesn’t discount you at all. However, you had better show some top notch accomplishments in your intended area of study. Don’t be well rounded - be pointy and brilliant at what it is you do best. I think you’ve reached a threshold past which worrying is pointless. Send an application that shows your best self and leave the rest to the gods. That is all one can do.
@Senior2016M Awesome and thanks so much for your help!