<p>Does anybody have an idea of how important the SAT Subject Test scores are to Harvard? Not to sound naive and act like they are unimportant, I know they are, but I was just wondering if anybody had any opinions. I know that it is not uncommon at all for a student there to have all 800's, and I would actually expect most of them to, but unfortunately that isn't me. Right now I have a 750 math II and a 740 physics, and know that these are too low. I probably got 750-780 on both of them on my last sitting yesterday. Do you all think these scores would be to low for Harvard? I know an 800 would just solidify things that much greater but I don't feel as though I did that well. Any thoughts? thanks.</p>
<p>I’m not an insider, but I feel confident that those scores would never get you tossed into the automatic reject pile. Then you have your SAT, GPA, class rank, essays, references, EC, etc. If you have completed AP scores throw them in too.</p>
<p>I’d have to agree with notakid. Again- still an applicant, and definitely not qualified to give you a definitive answer. But those scores seem perfectly sufficient. It would be far more worth your while to spend the time you would have directed toward studying on something that you actually care about. Test scores won’t get you in; exemplified passion will.</p>
<p>Well don’t get me wrong I’ve been trying my best to try and have ample stats in each area that they look at. I’m salutatorian, taking 6 AP’s, AP scholar with distinction, NHS pres., Mu Alpha Theta Pres., along with many other leadership positions and ECs. I actually co-founded the Mu Alpha Theta Chapter of our school this year, and ACT is a 34. It’s just that the more I read I feel like everyone on here is practically a super student and has perfect credentials in everything, which automatically leaves me only hanging on by a thread. And I think the passion part I have down…</p>
<p>Those subject test scores are competitive and will not get you rejected. Focus on other parts of your application to maximize your chances for Harvard.</p>
<p>It’s more about the person you are than the scores that you have. Lots of people with lower scores than this are admitted because they show promise based on the impact they’ve had in their communities. Lots of people with higher scores than this are not admitted, again because of who they are and how they have not distinguished themselves in areas other than scores. You are judged in the context of where you come from and what you achieved with the resources available to you.</p>
<p>Michael1293: First off, not all accepted students have 800’s on their subject tests. A few do, but the majority of students have scores just like yours. As others have said, Harvard Admissions is more than just test scores. Essays, teacher recommendations and your GC’s Secondary School Report are equally important.</p>
<p>Although this article is two years old, it should answer your question about how Harvard prioritizes test scores: [Guidance</a> Office: Answers From Harvard’s Dean, Part 2 - NYTimes.com](<a href=“http://thechoice.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/09/11/harvarddean-part2/]Guidance”>Guidance Office: Answers From Harvard's Dean, Part 2 - The New York Times)</p>
<p>“We have found that the best predictors at Harvard are Advanced Placement tests and International Baccalaureate Exams, closely followed by the College Board subject tests. High school grades are next in predictive power, followed by the SAT and ACT. The writing tests of the SAT and ACT have predictive power similar to the subject tests.” --William Fitzsimmons, Harvard Dean of Admissions</p>