So, I’m a senior in Australia and I’ve already taken the Math II test. I got a score which I was happy with. I’m going to be taking the Chemistry test in June and I expect to get 750+ (though I haven’t actually done any practice tests or anything - I’ll be starting my revision for Chemistry after my SAT I in May).
I was also thinking about doing a Biology test in June as well, but I need to cover a lot of material. If I do both tests, I think a realistic prediction for both tests would be 700+, whereas just doing the Chemistry test would probably get me 750+.
I’ll most likely be applying to a few Ivies and similarly reputed private universities, in addition to the top ranked public universities (such as the UCLA, UCB, UT & UMich).
What would you guys recommend for someone in my position - Do both Chemistry and Biology or just Chemistry in June? I might be able to do Biology in October/November, but I wouldn’t count on it.
A few thoughts. One, as you probably know, most schools that require subject tests only require two. I think Georgetown is the only school that still requires three. Here is a link to a pretty accurate list. http://www.■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■/subject-test-requirements-and-recommendations/ Math 2 is a good one to have taken already. As you may or may not know, on a given testing day, if you cancel one you have cancel all so if you take Bio and Chem in June and feel good about Chem but not about Bio, you are in a bind. I think in your position, I would go for Chem and forget about Bio unless you think you can learn the Bio without impacting your prep for SAT 1, Chem and coursework at school. Having the two solid scores on subject tests checks off that box in the application process. I have heard anecdotally that having 3 or 4 subject tests with very high scores can give a slight boost but it is not nearly as important as your GPA and strong extracurriculars. Does that make sense? For what it is worth, my daughter took Bio at the end of 9th grade, Chem at the end of 10th grade (when she was already preparing for finals in each class in school) and is planning to take Math 2 this year. The only reason that she is taking Math 2 is because she is thinking of applying to engineering programs, some of which want that specific test.
@uesmomof2 That’s exactly the sort of answer I was looking for. If the advantage of taking additional SAT Subject tests is only a very slight advantage in terms of the holistic application, then I’d probably choose to save time and money by taking only Chemistry in June. Thank you for bringing up the point about cancelling scores - that has been the factor that made up mind up.
Any other opinions to corroborate/contradict @uesmomof2’s post are also welcome.
If you have high scores in Math 2 and Chemistry, you will meet the requirements for subject tests for any major at all colleges that require or recommend them except Geirgetown which stroingly recommends three (but does not actually require subject tests). At most colleges that require them, taking more than two would mean nothing unless you got higher scores in subsequent tests because they use the highest two for admission purposes. At colleges that recommend subject tests, having more than two high scores does not add much.
If you were considering a third, there is s possible reason to take one but it does not have to do with admission. Some colleges use subject tests, such as language, for course placement after you are admitted (e.g., Vanderbilt) and there are some colleges that even give college credits for high scores in some subject tests,(e.g., Georgia Tech gives 3 hours English credit for a 750 in the English literature test).