Is it bad if my son take more than 4 SAT II's?

<p>Thanks for your discussion, my son SAT Biology 750 in 9th grade, Chemistry 750, Chinese 790 and World History 790 in 10th grade. Now he wants take more SAT II and hopes to get 1-2 800. </p>

<p>Following is come from Columbia’s policy, do you think it will be good or bad for my son taking more SAT II of English Literature and Math II?</p>

<hr>

<p>Standardized tests are required for admission according to the following guidelines; all test scores must be submitted directly to Columbia by the testing agency. Please note that Columbia requires that students submit scores from all test dates. </p>

<p>SAT</p>

<p>The SAT consists of three sections, each graded on an 800-point scale; if you take the test more than once, you will be evaluated on the highest score you receive in any individual section. </p>

<p>SAT Subject Tests</p>

<p>In addition to either the SAT or ACT, you must also take two SAT Subject Tests. For Columbia College, you may take any two; for Columbia Engineering, you must take any mathematics test and either Physics or Chemistry. Students must submit all SAT Subject Test scores from all test dates. </p>

<p>Columbia’s Testing Policy for Score Choice</p>

<p>Columbia has always expected applicants to report all required standardized testing for which they have sat and will continue to do so for 2009-2010.The application review process for Columbia College and The Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science is rooted in the belief that students are dynamic, multi-faceted individuals who cannot be defined by any single factor to determine their suitability for admission. When evaluating applicants, we consider only the highest testing results reported from individual sections of the SAT (or the highest Composite on the ACT), and the two highest required SAT Subject Tests, always seeking to give students the greatest opportunity to showcase their academic talents and hoping to make the testing experience as stress-free as possible. We encourage applicants to take those examinations no more than twice, but we do not penalize applicants for exceeding that recommendation. </p>

<p>Students should officially submit all scores from all sittings of the SAT and SAT Subject Tests. Students may submit only their highest ACT composite score officially and self-report other ACT scores by adding them to the Additional Information section of the application. While the College Board sends a cumulative record of all testing for one fee, the ACT requires separate fees for each test date; we do not want ACT takers to incur greater costs, so applicants may officially report only their highest ACT Composite (with subscores) and self-report all other ACT scores.</p>

<p>What if your scores look like this:</p>

<p>800, 500, 500 or 800, 600, 600</p>

<p>500, 800, 500 or 600, 800, 600</p>

<p>500, 500, 800 or 600, 600, 800</p>

<p>Does it look bad to do score choice or will colleges consider it a 2400?</p>

<p>I’m in the same position as the OP’s son. I took the SAT Biology as a freshman, and will be taking the SAT Chemistry as a sophomore. I also want to take SAT Math II, and because my Bio grade wasn’t excellent, maybe SAT Physics or World History. Depends on what I’m good at. Taking additional tests isn’t that big a deal, since it’s in the subjects I’m taking in school, and helps on Regents exams. </p>

<p>Would this be a problem for college? Should I limit the number of exams I take?</p>

<p>I got a 740 on the SAT II Bio, and if I take IB Bio, I would retake it.</p>

<p>Haha, I think they’ll superscore it to a 2400 if they do superscore, though they’ll probably be befuddled by the inconsistencies in your score:)</p>

<p>hp236, I really would encourage your son not to take any more SAT II exams. His proficiency in taking this type of exam has been fully established, and at an early age. I believe the admissions officers would truly prefer to see him spending his time intensively engaged in activities other than preparing and sitting for more standardized exams. His SAT II scores are fine, and they will see all of them.</p>

<p>Thanks “pbr”! We didn’t realize that the more SAT II are not good, otherwise at least he won’t take Chinese even though he grows up in USA. Also it is for sure he will get higher score(>750) in English Literature and Math II, and he is planning to study Creative Writing. So I think the English Literature is more important to evaluation for him? Math II is easy to get full score. That’s why I want to know that will the more SAT II not good?</p>

<p>hp236: Columbia makes it very clear. I can’t argue with that.</p>

<p>AVHS Dad: My English is not good, Columbia didn’t say more SAT II’s will be bad, am I right?</p>

<p>hp236: You are correct. They did not say more SATII’s is bad. They did say that they want to see them all. Your son seems to enjoy taking the tests and does well on them. The 2 additional tests he’s planning to take seem just fine to me.</p>

<p>the more subject test the better will the universities be able to understand your strength</p>

<p>Take Math II for sure because most top colleges require it. If he considers pre-Med, then he should take English Writing.</p>