<p>The problem is that BOTH of her scores are out of line, which makes me think it wasn't a "bubble" error or something else done wrong in filling out the sheet. She is a level-headed kid, and does well on tests. Strange.....</p>
<p>" She got 570 on Math II and 530 on Chem. These scores are 13th percentile and 22nd percentile. Means she only got about 18 right! She did prepare, thought the tests were "hard", but not THAT hard! Ihave never seen scores this low, much less from this kid! It's almost like these are not even her scores. "</p>
<p>Those tests are very hard to do extremely well on. That's because:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Proportionately few students take SAT IIs. Because only top colleges require the SAT IIs, the students taking those tests are some of the top students in the country.</p></li>
<li><p>A disproportionately high number of students taking those paricular SATs are students who got 800 on the math part of the SAT I. These are students who are top math students in the country, and are trying to get into places like CalTech and Harvard.</p></li>
<li><p>A lot of students taking the math and chemistry test are in upper levels of math and chemistry. These are students who are taking, for instance, their second year of chemistry or who are finishing calculus or are actually beyond calculus.</p></li>
<li><p>A lot of the students also have done special summer programs for high achieving students in science/math or participate in math oriented clubs like Mu Alpha Theta, which gives them a lot of expertise in this area.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>A student can do very well on an SAT II subject like history with only one course in that area. That's because few high schools offer 2 years of American government, for example. That's not the case when it comes to things like the sciences and math.</p>
<p>One last thing, Momofwild child: That your niece is having to take calculus at a college, not at her h.s., and is taking honors chem, not AP chem tells me that her high school's math and science program is not that strong.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, on those math/science SATs, she's competing with students who are in exceptionally strong high schools (like NY's Bronx H.S. of science), where the instruction in math and science is on par with top college's, not average local colleges or community colleges. She's also competing with students who are taking AP chemistry or IB chemistry II, not honors chemistry, which may be the most advanced science course your niece's school offers, but likely is not at all as rigorous as is AP or IB chemistry.</p>
<p>S will take the chemistry SAT next fall, and will be in his third year of IB chemistry.</p>
<p>Well- she took college calculus this year as a junior, so it would seem that she would be better than 12%tile. I could understand a 690 or something (still a low percentile), but these scores just seem odd for this kid. S, on the other hand, got 740 Math I with his usual no prep, which is 95%tile. He was going to take Math II in June. Now I am wondering.....</p>
<p>What kind of college was it? If it was a community college or a third tier college, it may not have been as rigorous a course as those many high schools offer.</p>
<p>Typically, students don't need to take calculus at a local college unless their high schools have very weak math programs. High schools with high academic ratings offer calculus, and may even offer a course beyond calculus.</p>
<p>I agree w/ MSM. It is a very high achieving crowd that takes the SAT IIs-especially Chem & Math ii and the strength of the HS programs plays a major role. S is a 1400+ SAT scorer whose SATIIs did not match. He indicated that the Chem was not what they have been doing in class. Teacher wanted more flexibility with curriculum so the school opted for an Advanced Chem rather than AP Chem class. While the class has been good, I think this probably had an impact on SAT II Chem scores. S is in AP Calc AB and his Math ii score was quite a bit higher, but by no means considered a high score.</p>
<p>Congrats to everyone whose happy with their scores, and hugs and good wishes to those who will try again - first BIG hurdle of a long year.</p>
<p>The college was Ursinus (the calc course) and it was beyond what her large, highly rated suburban high school offered. She should have been fine, but she wasn't. Her mom is asking for a check on the scores.</p>
<p>Question re: SAT II scores for 1st tier colleges. My K got an 800 on Math IIC (ecstatic) and 730 on French (a bit surprised...scored 5 on AP French last year and placed top 10 on National French Exam). NOT planning to do French as a major. Does the 5 on the AP and NFE outweigh the relatively less stellar performance on the SAT II in the eyes of these schools? Plans to take another SAT II in June in a science. Does she need to take more?</p>
<p>Just took at peak at the kid's SAT score thread and many were surpised by much lower scores on the new SAT than they had predicted for themselves. Should this have been a surprise? Were there problems with the test or is this the "sampling error" of the thread?</p>