<p>Hello everyone. I will be applying ed to penn (wharton) in the fall, and I feel as if I have just ruined everything. I got my subject test scores today, and I received a 610 in both math and us history. I was under-prepared for both, and I was very sick with no sleep the day of the test. I was wondering some remedies (sending act in lieu of sat/subjects) or if anyone knows if it really is ok to retake subject tests in November and rush them to penn. PLEASE reply, i am extremely upset and worried, please help me get over this.</p>
<p>Ok, first of all sweetie, you need to calm down. Making decisions and taking tests is not a good idea when you are stressed out. Scores are just one of many factors and you can make up for this in other parts of your app.
I wouldn’t recommend taking the ACT, especially if you haven’t been preparing for it. The ACT and the SAT have completely different styles, so you may struggle with it. However, do take one practice ACT test, and see how you do. If you end up doing very well, go for it.
Also, what is your SAT I score?
I would recommend taking the math test and another different subject test in the fall, BUT ONLY IF YOU FEEL PREPARED and you are certain you can do significantly better (700+).</p>
<p>I have a 2060 sat and a 31 act. I took both tests without practice. I have recently completed the online sat class on collegeboard and my score is a consistent 2250 or greater. I am retaking the sat in October and subjects in November. But, I am still extremely upset by these scores, and I really feel like I messed up my chances with a 610 in math 2 when everyone else gets upwards of 750-800.</p>
<p>You are telling me,
I have an 1860 on my SAT (first time with like 3 practice tests)
My first ACT (without writing) was a 32
My Math II was a 700 and my Bio E was 700</p>
<p>my only good test score was an 800 in World History (and colleges love World History of course…)</p>
<p>Ivy League hopeful here with a 2000 flat SAT score, 690 Literature, 730 US History, 740 World History, ACT TBD.</p>
<p>There are other people in your boat! Take a deep breath and join the retake team. 
I’m studying over the summer, retaking the SAT I in October, taking Biology M and possibly retaking Literature in November, and most likely retaking the ACT in September or October!</p>
<p>If the rest of your application is strong, DO NOT WORRY ABOUT THESE TESTS.</p>
<p>Study, prepare, DON’T STRESS (this is the important part), and take them again.</p>
<p>I have so many friends who are really, really, really smart but scored poorly on these standardized tests. It makes me so angry because I know they’re so much better than the numbers they received.</p>
<p>DO NOT WORRY ABOUT THESE TESTS. They don’t define who you are.</p>
<p>Thank you guys so much that makes me feel a lot better. I know that my next ACT and SAT will be very strong because my practice tests are showing great promise…it actually is a great feeling to improve your scores a bunch. It just honestly sucks when you don’t get the scores you hope for. </p>
<p>I think I am going to take ACT in september, Subject tests in October, and retake SAT I in November. What do you guys think about that?</p>
<p>Just retake the tests. Penn explicitly states that they only look at the highest scores (unless you take a test a ridiculous number of times). And to reiterate what the other posters have said, just calm down. Worrying will only make you do worse.</p>
<p>My son messed up his subject tests too. Then he got his ACT results, which he never had taken before, nor had he prepared for. he got a 34. So…he is not going to send in his SATs at all, and will use the ACT and not worry about the subject tests. It is our understanding you can just use ACT…correct?</p>
<p>bsmom</p>
<p>It depends on the school. The more selective schools require that you send subject tests regardless of whether you took the act or sat.</p>
<p>At penn you can send the act w. writing in lieu of the sat and subjects, but each college strongly recommends a subject test. Wharton strongly recommends a math level 2, SEAS recommends math 2 and physics etc…I will call the admissions office in the coming days to see what they want. I feel that sending only ACT puts you at a disadvantage, my opinion though.</p>
<p>Sending the ACT plus writing may put you at a disadvantage, but probably less of a disadvantage than sending Subject tests that you bombed.</p>
<p>bsmom…it is only June. Why not just take 2 SAT subject tests in Oct? Ample time is left, so why throw in the towel so early rather than working to be more competitive? Just curious…and also is it you or your kid making the choice to not go with the good ACT score + at least trying for the SAT subject test scores?
HSG</p>
<p>I applied ED to mechanical engineering and took the physics subject test in November of my senior year… got a 570! It was wretched. But I got in. You’re lucky that you have the time to retake, so I would highly recommend it, but subject tests aren’t necessarily going to make or break your application.</p>
<p>That was honestly the best post I could have ever imagined…thank you leelenini</p>