No Confidence SAT Subject Tests

Applying to College
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<p>Hello~ I'm taking SAT subject tests for World History, Chemistry, and Math I this Saturday, and I have absolutely no confidence in them. Will colleges (such as Universities) look at the subject tests in great detail when deciding upon whether to admit you or not? Thanks!</p>

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<p>Subject tests are one factor considered along with other parts of your application. </p>

<p>If you don’t feel confident, you could cancel and take them later when you are better prepared. Are you currently taking AP WH and AP Chem? If so, did you study sufficiently for the AP exams?</p>

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<p>I wish I did take either AP tests. I took the practice test for World History from The Princeton Review, and well, put it this way, I didn’t do that well. Most of my knowledge is about the World Wars, Revolutions, etc, for that was what I really was focused on in that class which I completed in December. And I found out from the practice test in the Princeton Review that much information on the subject test was from a much earlier time period which I didn’t spend much time studying/learning.
As for Chemistry, I did spend a lot of time studying for when I had the class (finished this class about a week ago), and I did decent on the district tests administered.</p>

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<p>What year are you, are you finishing your jr year?</p>

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<p>Sophomore year. Will be a junior in the fall.</p>

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<p>Then you are trying to move too fast, you haven’t had the coursework to prep you for those Subject tests yet. What is your tentative class schedule for next year, will you be taking any APs or precalc?</p>

<p>My D1 got bad advice from her teachers and GC fr year and took the Math 1 and Chem Subject tests, she did OK but not great. And there was absolutely no reason for her to take Subject tests that soon. She and D2 both took 1 soph year, but that was because they had taken AP Bio and were prepared for it. And there was still plenty of time to take 1 or 2 more after jr year.</p>

<p>My advice to you: Don’t take those tests on Sat. It’s worth losing a little money to not have low scores on your record. Like I said, it would be different if you had had the coursework to prepare you, but you haven’t yet. If you were a rising sr it might be different, but there is no reason for you to attempt 3 Subject tests (in itself a difficult thing, as you get tired) after soph year.</p>

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<p>Sorry to jump on, but do some colleges not allow you to “hide” scores?
I’m taking the chem test, but it’s very difficult because my teacher hasn’t prepared us well.</p>

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<p>Yes, some schools allow Score Choice, but not all, you need to go on the college websites to find out about their score reporting policies. The CB also has a list that will give you a pretty good idea:</p>

<p><a href=“http://professionals.collegeboard.com/profdownload/sat-score-use-practices-list.pdf[/url]”>http://professionals.collegeboard.com/profdownload/sat-score-use-practices-list.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>However, those compiled lists can be out-of-date, so ALWAYS check for the latest on the college website.</p>

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<p>:( I thought that applied to SAT I, not the subject tests.
I guess I should pass on it this saturday, and take it in the fall.</p>

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<p>@entomom: PreCal, AP Physics, AP US History, and English are all on my list for the next year.
If say I do take them though, will it affect my chances? Assuming I do well on the SAT/ACT? And since colleges aren’t really requiring it?</p>

<p>@FromNorCal: I read around the forums about about Score Choice, which does enable you to hide scores, but I’m not sure if it’s a good idea. This one in particular caught my attention:
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/university-southern-california/1208683-does-usc-use-score-choice.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/university-southern-california/1208683-does-usc-use-score-choice.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

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<p>Examples: For Y, if you send ANY SAT scores you have to send all sittings of the SAT and Subject tests. There are a couple of schools that require you to send ANY test you’ve ever taken, SAT, Subject test, ACT, all of them.</p>

<p>NorCal, you’re a rising jr too, you have plenty of time to take 2 Subject tests at the end of jr year. Once you’ve prepped for the AP USH test, the Subject test is easier, so you don’t have to do anything but take the test. Have you taken the Math 2 yet? It’s fine after precalc as the math is not difficult.</p>

<p>Studious,
USH and Math 2 would be great. And you could add Physics or English if you felt good about one of them. Math 2 has an easier curve and IMO is generally better to take if you’re reasonably good in math.</p>

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<p>Not sure what you mean here. If you’re looking at selective colleges, many require 2 Subject tests along with the SAT. If you know it isn’t required for your schools, why are you taking them at all? I’m confused.</p>

<p>Afraid it’s my bedtime now, so we’ll have to continue tomorrow in the PM, though I’m sure you’ll get input from others in the meantime.</p>

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<p>University of California(s) don’t require the subject tests, and well, I thought I was prepped enough for them, but I guess my plans aren’t as well planned out as I thought they were. I thought it might help my chances, but… And I figured I could always not send the scores if I didn’t do that well, but guess I should have done more research.
Thanks Entomom!</p>

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<p>I believe all schools allow score choice for subject tests. I know at least when I applied I was able to use score choice to send subject tests even if the school didn’t allow score choice.</p>

<p>However, it may be because I was not sending my SAT score and subject tests in the same report.</p>

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<p>Yes, Subject tests can help, but only if you do well in them. If you’re sure that you’re only going to apply to the UCs, that is one thing, but if you might apply to others, you should check their policies.</p>

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<p>Most/many, but not all, please see my examples in a previous post:</p>

<p>[Standardized</a> Testing for Freshman Applicants | Yale College Admissions](<a href=“http://admissions.yale.edu/standardized-testing]Standardized”>http://admissions.yale.edu/standardized-testing)</p>

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<p>[Required</a> Standardized Testing | Columbia University Office of Undergraduate Admissions](<a href=“http://www.studentaffairs.columbia.edu/admissions/applications/firstyear/testing]Required”>http://www.studentaffairs.columbia.edu/admissions/applications/firstyear/testing)</p>

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<p><a href=“http://admissions.cornell.edu/apply/first-year-applicants/admission-requirements[/url]”>http://admissions.cornell.edu/apply/first-year-applicants/admission-requirements&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

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<p><a href=“http://admissions.cornell.edu/sites/default/files/2012%20freshman%20admission%20requirements_0.pdf[/url]”>http://admissions.cornell.edu/sites/default/files/2012%20freshman%20admission%20requirements_0.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>[The</a> FAQs of SATs and ACTs | Undergraduate Admissions Office](<a href=“http://blogs.cornell.edu/admissions/2011/10/19/the-faqs-of-sats-and-acts/]The”>http://blogs.cornell.edu/admissions/2011/10/19/the-faqs-of-sats-and-acts/)</p>

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<p>I see… I heard that colleges will only look at the top two highest scores for the subject tests. Is that true or just a rumor? And, say I don’t plan on majoring in anything history-based (I just wanted to give it a try, before I found out about this…), and I do better on my US History subject test the following year. Would it allow me to bring my chances back up or not? I still want to give Math I and Chemistry subject tests a try, but I don’t want to not take the World History one, and have the other two subject tests voided. I also have mostly A’s in all my classes that I’ve taken including World History, but the things I was taught was mostly the revolutions/World Wars which turned out to be a disadvantage on this test. I plan to keep that up. Would that still enable me to get into say UC Davis (assuming I do horrible on subject tests, but decently on the SAT/ACT) ? </p>

<p>By the way… Thank you so much for answering my questions and the advice. I really appreciate you taking the time to help me! :)</p>

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<p>Sorry, I don’t do Chances.</p>

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<p>^I applied to Cornell and used score choice to send my subject test scores even though they “don’t participate.” Oh well.</p>

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<p>I would definitely advise you not to take the tests. You still have a whole year, and next spring or even the following fall you can put aside time to really prep for the tests. Bad scores can certainly hurt you, and Math 2 has a more lenient curve and is more well respected than Math 1 anyway so that will improve your application more than a shoddy Math 1 score now. There’s no rush, you’ve got a while until you need to worry about subject tests. Just don’t mess up your testing history and go relax! :)</p>

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<p>Okayy. Thank you guys so much for the advice! </p>

<p>Since I’m canceling it, or rather, simply not taking it, would I need to contact them? If so, how and would they charge me for not taking it? Or do I just don’t show up on Saturday? And… this is probably a stupid question, but would my account on Collegeboard be messed up for not taking the test? Or would it just be normal? Or would my account be somehow disable in any way?</p>