<p>So, after speaking with Stanford Admissions, wrestling with son's school (who don't want him taking advanced course and have now reneged on an agreement to let him continue taking college courses for high school credit for his math, since they don't offer anything at his level), and getting a 3.8 for 9 hours coursework this summer @ Stanford, my son is planning to apply to SU a year early. </p>
<p>This may seem crazed to yall, but he is, in all honesty, running out of things to take in high school. This fall, he'll be taking more courses outside of his HS than in it. The school, while good, isn't really prepared to handle very gifted students; most of the students who were very advanced have transferred out of the school. We tried to have son transfer too, but the other schools we considered said they felt he was also too advanced. </p>
<p>Anyway, here's the problem. Son is retaking the SAT in October, because he could bump up his scores a fair amount. (750V/690W/650M), particularly in Math, where he got absorbed in trying to figure out a problem he wasn't familar with and used up half his time with it before realizing he was overthinking it. Bad strategy, but it was his first time. Anyway, because of this, he can't take SAT II tests before the EA deadline. </p>
<p>Here's the question: How important are the subject tests? He'd probably take Latin, Physics, and Literature. The Latin one is sort of important, because he's self-taught Latin for two years, so it will help demonstrate his Latin ability. (He has been taking the NLE, with silver and gold medals.) Would he be better off not going EA in order to have taken the SATII? </p>
<p>The reason he'd go EA is that he really <em>is</em> sure that SU is his only choice -- he's only going to leave HS a year early if SU admits him, and will otherwise stick it out another year and reapply next fall. </p>
<p>I think he should retake SAT I, take SAT IIs including Math IIC, as Stanford "recommends", and apply RD. A strong application is far more important then an early one.</p>
<p>most schools get the november test scores on time for the early deadline. i would suggest that if your son is set on ea, then he should take sat2s in october, and then rush november sat scores to stanford. it should work, or at least thats what other top ranking schools have said.</p>
<p>Actually, there's another good reason to go RD. Because of the high turnover among teachers at his school, all of his teachers from previous years aren't there any more, and the two teachers he will have this year have just met him. When he needs recommendations, they will have known him for just six weeks. He'll probably have a third rec from a teacher who had him the first two years because of that, but I think the extra month to submit will really help with increasing the strength of his recommendations. </p>
<p>For Summer College, his two teachers from past years wrote really glowing recommendations, because evidently both of them felt he was one of the best students they had ever had. (Well, <em>I</em> think he's pretty swell, but then I'm his mother. <em>grin</em>) Alas, both of those teachers are gone this year.</p>
<p>A question: On the Stanford admissions FAQ, it simply says that they would recommend 2 SAT IIs, and that they recommend Math IIC, but does it really matter what the other SAT II is? For example, is it okay if I take Math IIC and Math IC as my 2 SAT IIs instead of say, Math IIC and Physics? I'm asking because I want to apply to Stanford SCEA, but I don't think I'll be ready to take the Physics by October.</p>
<p>XRedcomet,
Two SAT IIs should be one MATH IIC, and one in any other subject.</p>
<p>TrinSF,
Strong teacher recommendations will be crucial for your son. He is already at some disadvantage, since he only had 3 years of HS, and had less time to "accomplish" stuff. He needs all the resources he can get on his side.</p>
<p>"We strongly recommend that students taking the new SAT also take two SAT Subject Tests. We recommend Math Level 2 as one of these tests; the other test can be in any subject of your choosing. For those students submitting scores only from the old SAT, we strongly recommend three SAT Subject Tests, one of which should be Math Level 2, or the former Math IIC."</p>
<p>That's what it says in their FAQ. So, would Math Level 1 count as the "other test in any subject of your choosing?"</p>
<p><i>Strong teacher recommendations will be crucial for your son. He is already at some disadvantage, since he only had 3 years of HS, and had less time to "accomplish" stuff. He needs all the resources he can get on his side.</i></p>
<p>Yup, in fact, the Admissions person I talked to said the biggest problem with a junior app is that Stanford doesn't count the Freshman year, even for early applications, so he has only Sophomore and Junior year, and with SCEA, only a year and a half, really. </p>
<p>One of the things sort of on his side is that his school has had no EC's, pretty much -- no sports, no clubs, minimal student gov -- so while he has only had two years, it's not like even three would have allowed him to have more EC's to show. He helped found and captains the only EC intermural competitive teams, which are both for academic competition.</p>
<p>I'm in the same boat...but my main reason for wanting to apply early (except that stanford is my #1) is that I don't want to be compared with all the amazing people from my high school who are applying RD. i dont know if i want to risk applying early with my sat II math II in nov.</p>
<p>How much weight does the other subject test hold? I'm extpecting about 750 for math IIC, but probably something in the low 600s in french and lit.</p>
<p>I am applying to NYU as a transfer, and it says that transfers should NOT re-take the SAT. later it says "all applicants are recomended to take the SAT II" so..does that apply to me?</p>