<p>Are these usually required for most grad schools? I've looked on some websites, and most say that it is recommended, especially for students with "nontraditional" backgrounds (i.e. someone applying for a bio grad program but majored in physics). So if it's "recommended", does that pretty much mean you're expected to take the subject test? Or is it okay to leave it off?</p>
<p>What field are we talking?</p>
<p>If we’re talking biomedical sciences, the consensus I got from admissions officers was to only take it/submit it if you’re going to get a nearly perfect score. Otherwise, don’t bother. If you majored in biology, they can see in your GPA how well you can learn the material and the subject test is superfluous. But I suppose I can see how it would be valuable if you hadn’t taken many biology classes in undergrad and want to demonstrate that you’re capable.</p>
<p>As others said for biomedical science, you dont really need it even if schools say recommended. My school says recommend, but most of my class did not take it. If you know you will do well (95+%), it would improve your app greatly.</p>
<p>Not even schools that say they require a subject test necessarily “require” it. A friend was accepted to UCSF without having taken a subject test, even though the program she applied to technically required the Biochemistry subject test for admission.</p>
<p>
Yes, that’s what I’ve heard, too. The additional point is that, even if you do get a perfect or near-perfect score, it is unlikely to improve your application by a significant margin. On the other hand, a poor score will hurt you.</p>
<p>How about the chemistry subject test? Very few schools I’ve come across actually “require” it, but I was always under the impression even if they “recommend” you take it it’s a good idea to do so.</p>
<p>The field I’m talking about is biology (specifically, ecology/evolutionary bio). </p>
<p>I was also under the impression that “recommended” pretty much meant that they expect a subject test score. Personally, I’d rather not take it since it would be another thing to do in the slew of things to do for the grad school application. So even if the subject test is “highly recommended”, one shouldn’t necessarily take it unless one is sure of scoring very well on it?</p>