<p>I know some colleges, such as MIT, don't have any preference for either Math Level 1 or Math Level 2 subject tests. I would assume most colleges would rather an applicant submit level 2. Does Penn have a preference?</p>
<p>obviously math IIc. And good luck getting into MIT without that (unless of course you’re a URM or loaded)</p>
<p>Of course it matters. Level II. I read it somewhere on the Penn site, but forgot where.</p>
<p>Penn is fond of Math and without a lvl2 you stand no chance of getting in.</p>
<p>i’ve heard that an 800 on math lvl 1 is more impressive because it’s rare</p>
<p>wg90210, LOL. That is the funniest thing I’ve heard on this forum. Thank you!</p>
<p>As for the OP’s concern: Many people here have an 800 on Math IIc.</p>
<p>Okay. I guess that’s an assumed thing to have when you apply to Wharton? <em>gulp</em></p>
<p>Almost, it seems.</p>
<p>shouldn’t be too bad if you diligently work through a Barron’s book…twice. Yes, you’ll get low 600’s on their practice exams, be confused beyond redemption and cry a little; but, if you make it through, you’re guaranteed an 800.</p>
<p>I’ve been told before that the problems in Barron’s are not like the real test. You’re saying that the book is so hard, that the problems on the real test are nothing compared to them?</p>
<p>Would buying the official study guide be helpful, too?</p>
<p>Barron is like 10x harder. That’s why it guarantees your 800. The official guide is nice as a confidence boost before the exam but after Barron’s.</p>
<p>I have a math level 1 800, lol didn’t know it was so rare</p>
<p>but i find it hard to believe that it’s basically mandatory for every applicant to have math 2</p>
<p>The best study material for Math IIC, IMO, is the Sparknotes guide and the booklet they have for extra tests. The questions are very much like the real thing. I advise against Barrons because it’s a lot harder than the real thing and, while it may “overprepare you,” I think you’re better off sticking to something a bit more realistic so you can spend your studytime on other things.</p>
<p>And IIC is better than IC because the material is harder. The curve is more lenient, but you’ll definitely want to do IIC.</p>
<p>The Math 1 subject test gets no respect. Anybody decent at math is going to take the Math 2 test. That’s why an 800 is so rare on Math 1. This is what my son told me a few months ago and it makes sense to me.</p>
<p>Yeah, I would agree with AVHS Dad. 800’s are rare because the curve on the IC is pretty crappy (miss any and you risk losing the 800), but only because the math is easy and fewer people take the test to begin with compared to the IIC, so you’ve got a sort of selection bias here. Most people who take an extra SAT math test are going to take the IIC.</p>
<p>I doubt the claim that you “have” to have an 800 on math II is valid. I have a 790, oh no! am I not getting into wharton?</p>
<p>I know someone who got a 700 on Math II and was admitted to wharton RD</p>
<p>You do not “need” an 800 anywhere, obviously. It’s more the notion that a large portion of the Wharton class have high Math IIC scores in general. And, obviously, the more you deviate from a given norm, the more it works against you (or at least not for you). Math is very important in Wharton, and so it’s usually a bit cringeworthy if someone applies with low math scores or low math grades.</p>
<p>Usually any claim that “I know someone who got score XXX on this test” is a bit useless, because anyone can cite a single anecdote that may or may not be representative of what’s more common. For every 700-level acceptance someone cites, I could cite MANY more 800-level acceptances. Obviously an 800 isn’t needed, but consider that an 800 Math IIC is only like the 80th percentile or something like that in the nation out of those who take it. Almost everyone at Wharton was in the top 10% of their class, and are mostly clustered near the top end of that threshold.</p>
<p>Just saying that 800’s are a dime a dozen at Wharton – you don’t need one to get in, but it’ll be quite hard for you if you’re showing up with 600-threshold scores. They know what the curve is like on the IIC, and so they’ll have an idea for how many questions you’re missing.</p>
<p>I had a 750 in Math IC. I got in.</p>
<p>^Hhaa i got that too</p>
<p>I get the impression that high test scores help a lot, but they are not the be all and end all.</p>