<p>Okay, I guess this is a dumb question, but why do the subject tests have really low percentiles for perfect scores? I mean, what's the point of an 800 in, say math level 2, if the test's ceiling is the 90th percentile?</p>
<p>Shouldn't all the subject tests be written so that 800 is 99+ percentile and so on? </p>
<p>Ugh, I just don't get it...I must be missing something</p>
<p>Because not all 800s are equal. Some people miss 4 and get 800 while others don't miss any and get 800. To get 99+ you can't miss any problems. For example in SAT Chinese, you can get 800 and still be in 60th percentile... because most people who take SAT II Chinese score 800s without missing any.</p>
<p>nah, i don't think they base percentiles on how many mistakes you make, i think it's related to your numerical (scaled) score.</p>
<p>Percentile refers to a percentage of the population of test takers that received that score. So if approx. 12% of those that took the Math II test received an 800 along with yourself, you are only in the top 88th percentile.</p>
<p>Only people who are good at math take the Math Level 2. So 800 is the 90th percentile in a group of people who are good at math, not the general population.</p>
<p>Hmm...but why not raise the ceilings of the tests to give an accurate picture of the elite at each subject?</p>
<p>hey its better the way it is right. i you are 91st percentile and still 800, its bette than being faced with a curve so brutal as math IC</p>
<p>my opinion is that in tests like math 2 and chinese, many people who take them have already gone past "third year math" into calc and in chinese many of those asians who've been speaking it all their life take it, when the expected level is 2-4 years.</p>
<p>if they raised the ceiling of the tests, only people who have gone way past the expected levels would be able to get good scores. that wouldn't be very fair right, if you could only get an 800 on chinese by being a native speaker.</p>
<p>How is the SAT II in US History ? Mostly memorization ?</p>