<p>So I'm a sophomore right now and I'm looking at engineering colleges. Some require math and a science SAT II. I got the math one covered, but the thing is, I won't be taking AP chem till senior year, and by then I'm worried that it'll be too late. </p>
<p>So would it be a good idea to go from honors chem to taking the SAT II? And what book should I use to prep for it? Barrons?</p>
<p>i took the SATII chemistry after taking honors chem and didnt do very well (i got a 670).</p>
<p>im not sure if its the same at your school, but honors chem. is less conceptual and more math-based with alot of stoicheometry. so i never learned much conceptual stuff.</p>
<p>so if youre gonna do it, i def. reccommend getting a prep book and studying alot.</p>
<p>I took the SATII after honors and I got an 800. I think it depends on your school and how well you feel prepared after the test. I took it as a sophomore too BTW</p>
<p>The chem SAT II is incredibly difficult from what I've heard... I had a friend take it last year after taking the AP Exam (I think she got a 4), and she still thought it was really hard. I actually had a similar problem...my physics class didn't teach me enough for the SAT II and I hadn't taken chem since sophomore year. If you plan to take physics at all, I would recommend taking the Physics SAT II and self-studying it a bit - it's pretty easy to study for, actually.</p>
<p>Although, if you're not, I would recommend studying up on the chem test a bit and taking it this year. Then, if you don't get a great score, you can always take it senior year and see if you do better!</p>
<p>Dally: Yes, I am taking physics next year, but its honors physics. (Unless I get accepted to the school that I'm applying for but its not a 100% chance... more like... 20% actually.) So if I'm taking honors physics, is it easier to study for the physics SAT II? Because right now, I'm thinking that it'll be the same as taking the SAT II chem right after honors chem. </p>
<p>And go with Barron's book?</p>
<p>OK, I took Chem and am taking Advanced Chem, which doesn't help, cause it's Organic and that isn't on the test. You really have to know a lot about how molecules interact. I got a 650 with no prep, did a little prep (read 4 chapters of Barrons I think and took about 4 practice tests) and got a 730 on the retake 2 months later. So, if you have honors chem, you should be fine, take some free practices off of sparknotes (make a new user each time and get a free test) and you should be fine. I think that I got 650s on the sparknotes practices actually, then a 730, so dunno. Go for it.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Dally: Yes, I am taking physics next year, but its honors physics. (Unless I get accepted to the school that I'm applying for but its not a 100% chance... more like... 20% actually.) So if I'm taking honors physics, is it easier to study for the physics SAT II? Because right now, I'm thinking that it'll be the same as taking the SAT II chem right after honors chem.</p>
<p>And go with Barron's book?
[/quote]
I took honors physics, too, self-studied using Sparknotes, and I was fine. I was basically taught just kinematics, and I ended up getting a 730, if that tells you anything. I guess the ease of self-study would actually depend on which subject you're better at... physics is my Tru Luv, so maybe it was easier for me because of that? </p>
<p>Whatever you do, it looks like you're going to have to do some self-study...so I'd pick whichever subject you like best (physics vs. chem), and study up for the test after you take the honors class.</p>
<p>chem is easier to understand without a teacher -> physics you have to have natural ability to be good at it (that's what I think)</p>
<p>I took it after Honors Chemistry and got a 640 on it. Pretty dismal.
I am retaking it after 1 semester of AP Chem and lets see what I get.
Like someone said before: Honors is not as much conceptual. It's more math/stoichiometry.
They didn't teach us Organic Chemistry, Electrochemistry at all in Honors in our school.
But you should take the test regardless. You can always retake it.</p>
<p>back in the day (2000) I got a 680 on the chem SAT II.
Took it my sophmore year while taking regular chemistry, not honors or AP. (I took it in beginning of may & the class didn't end till mid June) Some subjects hadn't been covered yet in my class (like radioactivity & decay). Of course my minimal preparation (aka none) didn't help matters. I'm sure that if I had actually put in any effort I would have done much better.
Chemistry isn't a hard subject if you study</p>
<p>i say jus go ahead and take it, it doesnt hurt. and plus, u can take sat II chem twice. barrons looks like a good book</p>