<p>Does the number of sat ii's I have taken affect my chance at getting into an ivy?</p>
<p>Example:
1) A girl takes the sat ii in english, math, history, language, and science and hits 750+.</p>
<p>2) Does another girl who takes all of these and an extra history and science one with similar scores have a better chance?</p>
<p>I know about score choice, but if both girls decide to submit them all to their college, would girl #1 have less of a chance of getting into an ivy league?</p>
<p>I highly doubt it. What most admissions officers do is look at all the subject test scores you sent them and, let’s say they required 2, pick the two highest scores to use. Besides, think quality over quantity. Also, I believe it is favorable for an applicant to have high scores in different subject areas (i.e. biology, literature, and world history) versus another applicant who only took subject tests in physics, biology, and chemistry.</p>
<p>That said, DO NOT waste your time trying to obtain high scores on as many subject tests as possible. I would think taking 3 subject tests in 3 different subject areas is plenty (after all, the only colleges that require 3 subject tests for admission purposes are Harvard and Georgetown). After that, just focus on your academics and extra-curriculars.</p>
<p>I agree in that you shouldn’t take that many (“many” being subjective of course), mostly because I don’t think you should give adcoms the impression that test-taking is one of your major ECs.</p>
<p>No. It does not have any effect, as long as you take the required amount. After you go past four, it has no effect AT ALL. I’m pretty sure even for universities that require two, taking 3 and getting 3 800’s won’t look much better than taking 2 and getting 2 800’s, however I might be wrong. Four is the maximum you should take (there is a college that requires four - not a big name though; Georgetown requires three), it’s not like AP tests where you can really take as many as you want.</p>
<p>My S is taking one in each subject area: Math II, World History, Spanish. Then thats it.</p>
<p>I for one am applying with only 2 SAT Subjects.</p>
<p>Most people are, at my school. The typical courseload is around the lines of Geography, Economics, ICT, Art and Design (THE most frustrating and intellectual course), Business Studies, etc. Throw in a science.</p>
<p>With this kind of emphasis at my school it’s really hard to fit what you learn at school into an SAT Subject.</p>
<p>I asked this question at the Exploring College Options program hosted by the Duke, Georgetown, Harvard, Penn and Stanford Admission Offices. </p>
<p>Like somebody here mentioned, they all agreed that your application should not look like standardized testing is your EC.</p>
<p>However, a few of them commented that the admissions process at the select schools is so very selective that demonstrating a wide breadth of knowledge through things like SAT II scores can be one way that you can distinguish yourself from the pack. Though they want to know a lot more about you than numbers and scores, they said, the SAT II’s and other stats are one of the more “objective” ways to compare applicants.</p>
<p>I had always heard that 3 scores is enough, period. No need to take more.</p>
<p>But then, after hearing the admissions officers talk about SAT II’s at this meeting, particularly the Stanford guy, I followed up by asking the Stanford guy this question specifically, after we all broke up into individual groups.</p>
<p>He said that, IF a student can do very, very well on standardized testing – like 780s or 800s across the board, then it CAN be worthwhile to demonstrate that on a large variety of tests, “more than 3.” BUT, if a student does brings in less than absolutely stellar scores, then it is not helpful or desirable that they take more than the required SAT II’s.</p>
<p>My son had 2 800s and a 780 and thought he was done with SAT II’s prior to this meeting. But after hearing the Stanford guy tell us that if you’re a 780/800 scorer, it really can separate you from the pack IF (and only if) you can demonstrate 780s and 800s across the board on ALL tests, my son is back in the game for two more tests today!</p>
<p>^Your post is really helpful.
So you mean that if I get a 3 780s, for example, all in science, I should take another SAT II tests in History or so to stand apart? That sounds great :)</p>
<p>I think taking the required number of SAT2’s is enough for college admissions</p>
<p>I mean, if you want to show your breadth of knowledge, there are AP’s</p>
<p>Isn’t that the point of AP’s?</p>
<p>I think ppl confuse between the roles of SAT 2’s and AP’s</p>
<p>If you get high scores on enough SAT II’s, you might be able to impress people on the internet. That’s always cool.</p>
<p>I think the answer to this is probably the same as the answer to all similar questions: anything that is good will probably help you, at least a little, while things that are bad will probably hurt you, at least a little. I think having 780s on five SAT IIs, as opposed to just on three, will probably help you, at least a little. But if you have three 780s now, and take two more, and get 580s on those, it will hurt you, at least a little. Adcoms look at the whole picture.</p>
<p>^ Some good advice. Obviously some poster’s are misinformed/uninformed in thinking that having more than 3 great scores would be detrimental. How would showing a mastery of many different subjects equate to having test taking as an EC? Unless said student had very little or no ECs but terrific scores, no rational thinking admissions officer would consider many good scores a bad thing.</p>
<p>In regards to the conversation I had with the Stanford Admissions guy at that Exploring College Options meeting, I am definitely NOT confusing SAT II’s and AP’s – and neither was he. We were discussing SAT II’s. He was unequivocal. In his opinion, as a Stanford Admissions guy, he thought that more than 3 SAT II’s could set you apart from the pack, IF and ONLY IF you were a stellar performer on standardized tests. If you can get all 800’s or 780’s, he told my son, then it would be beneficial to take more than 3.</p>
<p>And so my son just took #4 and #5. </p>
<p>If you can’t perform at that level, then it is not helpful or even desirable to take more. </p>
<p>The point was, I think, that schools like Stanford have more stellar applicants than can fill an incoming class. Five SAT II’s with approximately 800s across the board, in various academic disciplines, along with the 2380 or 2400 SAT and the 35 or 36 ACT, can set you apart from others who have 3 780s or 800s, particularly if they’re all in one discipline.</p>
<p>thanks for the tip simplelife :)</p>
<p>More good scores is better than fewer good scores.</p>
<p>But a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. If you’ve already got three great scores, be pretty sure you’re going to do well on the additional ones. Don’t roll the dice.</p>
<p>hmmmmmm… I am planning on taking 5 but I was worried because i know a few people who plan on taking 7, and they are amazing test takers. 
</p>
<p>I still want to enter a good college, but is that really necessary?</p>
<p>Bloog psoted "I would think taking 3 subject tests in 3 different subject areas is plenty (after all, the only colleges that require 3 subject tests for admission purposes are Harvard and Georgetown). "</p>
<p>Only Georgetown needs 3 SAT II subject tests.</p>
<p>The purpose of the SAT subject tests for colleges is to validate the scores you got from your high school ( A grade of school X really mean something…) </p>
<p>So spend your time on meeting the requirements with high scores and the rest on enriching your app with other activities. If you are that kind of student who would get 800s w/o much prep and compromising other activities, then more tests make sense</p>
<p>^^^ Exactly. Well said, parent62!</p>
<p>Haha yeah, 5 750s still isn’t as good as 2 800s.</p>