<p>Congrats on your son’s great scores…they are both good enough as is. And he could go either way, really–just quit and send them both in is a legit option. But I would go for one more sitting of the ACT.</p>
<p>I would probably look at the categories on the ACT, and if one category was not a problem for him…I would go with retaking the ACT with writing. After doing the Red Book practice exams and looking at the answers as you go so he can get as test literate as possible. There is a chance the ACT is all he would need to send in. The ACT rewards hard work in test sittings and time management and comprehension of coursework more than the SAT. </p>
<p>Our experience for what it is worth for your consideration is as follows: Duke grad son had interchangable SATs and ACTs until he began to think he wanted to ace his SATIIs spring of Junior year. Perhaps his brain reached some new level of organization but I would say motivation suddenly peaked a little late…for no more reason than he wanted to impress a beloved teacher in one situation and in the other SATII tests he and a buddy got motivated and were comparing outcomes. All of a sudden performance went way up. Once he saw high scores on one hour tests his optimism grew that he could change the overall three hour test outcome.</p>
<p>October of his senior year he gained 200 points on the SAT itself. No tutors. Just self study on Sundays in his room. Not fun but he did it. So he left his ACT off his applications. He had 3 SATIIs over 750 earned in March, May and June of his junior year. No one in his HS at that time was bothering to take the SATIIs.</p>
<p>Engineering and quantitative majors should consider taking the SATII in Math level 2. The curve on the Level 2 is much kinder than the curve on the Level 1. There is a page at the college board where you can see the %s of how many students take each exam and what their mean is etc. Some subject tests are very self selected groups. People who take the Math Level 2 are aiming high and have completed a lot of HS math.</p>
<p>Among your SATIIs you need a clear-headed strategy on your son’s outlook on foreign language studies in college. A 3 might excuse you in some colleges from some foreign language classes if you don’t want to use up college hours that way but usually it takes an AP of 4. Some colleges do not compromise at all, some majors require extensive language mastery and certainly some jobs do. Some colleges surprisingly let you test out with SATIIs of 650. </p>
<p>There is no consistency so you will know by April 30 where he enrolls. Just pointing out that an SATII taken the first week of June after HS graduation is smart for some students after they study their newly selected college requirements. My second son does not have a great facility for languages. He squeezed out a 650 in June after graduation from HS and took alternative things for his college hours at Vandy. He had time for a double major and lots of extra curriculars.</p>
<p>Duke son started a new language and enjoyed the DAILY classes and homework because most language depts are cozy and homey and he went on a foreign study in this new language. Those classes were easier than his major and lightened up his life. As I said, he didn’t turn in an AP or an SATII in a language. But most students should! He booked an SATII on the June date after his HS graduation but we let him not show up and skip it. He has worked himself to death spring term senior year and was burned out. </p>
<p>Practice exams for SATIIs only take an hour and the exams are not like the AP exams they are already working hard on in early May. It is prob smart to do US History SATII the same month as the UPUSH AP exam. That is really tough spring of junior year. Everyone has obligations and is busy! Do not underestimate the help 2-3 SATIIs can offer. For one thing, they sharpen test taking smarts which is a skill you will have to have to survive in a top 30 college. There is no bottom quartile in your class, only the less prepared vs the well prepared. There are no points for doing homework and raising one’s hand. There are no do-overs or extra credit options. It is all papers tests and quizzes and the occasional oral presentation.</p>
<p>For many junior students, one SATII should be taken next month in the March setting if you aren’t doing the SAT. My opinion is that Subject tests should be taken one at a time. There is no point in taking it and not making a great score. If you want to cancel your scores that day, you have to cancel ALL the tests. I know a great student who felt she aced one of them and flubbed the other and had to cancel both. Depending on your city, you can take one in October or November next fall. Even in December. The key is to be prepared, and to rack up 2 or 3 of these.</p>
<p>Second son got bad guidance counseling in that he didn’t sign up for writing on the ACT and what a mistake that was. He aced the exam and didn’t miss a math question. Would have been nice to be done with it. He had taken the SAT twice with the identical scores with writing so he did send them all in even though the ACT was better. Personally, I think your son is already “there” and could do the same. His SATIIs and APs are nice things to aim for re doing well as well as his grades.</p>
<p>Adcoms are good at sorting this all out.</p>
<p>I think the challenge for parents of juniors is some oversight of time management and handling demands adults in school and in activities that have inflated expectations re taking up your child’s weekends. My sons liked down time and they got it. They worked from 7am till midnight most school days and sometimes they were overcommitted with activities. HS’s expect upperclassmen to be leaders and to always be there. </p>
<p>Nothing like my high school years where there was time to take on stupid menial jobs after school and time to drive to the beach and do nothing for hours. </p>
<p>good luck…hopefully your son will look at one year calendar and figure this out in a way that makes sense for his life.</p>
miserable.</p>