Is a 770 good for someone who hasn't taken AP Chem?

[xoclaireberry]

<p>Mentioned this in another thread, but I was wondering if a 770 is good enough for top colleges, especially if I want to major in bio or chem. I'm in IB Chem, so I've only taken one year of the two-year course, and self-studied the rest (apparently not enough).</p>

<p>Would colleges at all take into account the fact that I've only taken half my IB chem course (which I have very good grades in), or does it not matter to them? I'm trying to decide whether it's worth it to retake in October.</p>

[xoclaireberry]

<p>Help? I’m going to be pretty busy this summer with IB essays in addition to college apps, so I need to decide soon if I’m going to devote time to studying for chem… arrghhh</p>

[ivoryis]

<p>Hmm I think it would be worth it to mention that part in your common app (the part on supplementary info) but don’t worry too much about it- I’m sure admissions officers know all about the IB syllabus and alternatives to AP. (I’m on the A level one myself, that’s what my high school counselor told me:)</p>

[xoclaireberry]

<p>Oh, I hadn’t thought of doing that! Good idea; I think I might mention it. Thanks for your reassuring words and help - I really appreciate it :)</p>

[limabeans01]

<p>Don’t mention it in your app, they’ll think you’re neurotic. Anything over a 700 and definitely over a 750 is good enough at all the top schools.</p>

[letsgoeat]

<p>^ That’s a good point</p>

[Pancaked]

<p>A 770 is the top 83%, which isn’t fantastic but is still very good.</p>

<p>As for your second question, it depends. I asked the EXACT same question (I was taking/submitting a subject test in January even though I hadn’t finished AP Chem). Some colleges just wanted to see a good score, others promised to check when courses were taken relative to the exam. Either way, you don’t need to mention it on your app; they’ll either realize you were halfway through the course, or they won’t. In the end, with a 770, it doesn’t really matter either way.</p>

<p>Here is the response I received from Cornell:

One note is that you don’t have to submit a chemistry exam score just because you selected chemical engineering as your major. You should plan to do well on the test and if chemistry is not a subject that you feel prepared to test in, perhaps you should elect another science. Have you taken any other science tests or would this be your first science Subject Test?

</p>

<p>Tulane’s response:

We really try to take everything into consideration when looking at any scores you send us, however, if you think you will do poorly on the SAT II subject test because you have not completed the course, a bad score would look worse than no score at all.

</p>

<p>From Princeton:

If you are interested in Engineering, we want to see a SAT subject test in Math, and Chemistry or Physics. So you should take the Chemistry SAT that you are signed up for this month. We will look at your transcript to see your level of Chemistry and when you took the exam and take that into consideration.

</p>

[guesswho12]

<p>I dont think you should retake if your not going to improve too much becuse atleast now you can leave them in mystery but if you get like a 780 then, which might happen since the last points are the hardest, it bcoems clear that you have basically reached your full potential.</p>

[tennis5678]

<p>wow a 770! That’s awesome. In another thread, someone else wrote that MIT’s average chem subject test was between 760-770. You may be around the 83rd percentile; however, this isn’t bad at all considering only the best chem students took the test. If I were you, I’d be ecstatic – I only got a 700 :(.</p>

[glido]

<p>A 770 is a 770.</p>

[bigdream18]

<p>Anything above 700 is fine. Anything above 750 is excellent. </p>

<p>Be happy with your score.</p>

[VeryPractical]

<p>are you succumbing to their comments? where’s is your drive???! retake it!</p>

[xrCalico23]

<p>?!?!? You’ve got to be joking? Er, excuse me, 770 is a completely respectable score. Now you make me feel like a slacker for totally celebrating when I got the exact same score on my chem subject test :p.</p>

<p>

Don’t mention it in your app, they’ll think you’re neurotic.

</p>

<p>Quoted for truth.</p>

[goldring2012]

<p>770 is a very good score w/o AP/IB/advanced chem. If you have the time and are taking other subject tests anyways later on, you might as well retake. But if not, 770 is very good and won’t be looked on poorly.</p>

[Shaggy007]

<p>Don’t retake a 770; rather study for other subject tests or focus on some EC’s.</p>