@janiemiranda the general rule of thumb is to take the subject tests in May while you are prepping for the AP exams in those subjects. The subject tests are offered the weekend in the middle of AP exams. If it seems like that is too much pressure, they are also offered the first week in June. The subject tests are an hour long and I believe you can take a maximum of three/day.
Math 2 should be taken near the end of pre-calc if possible.
Bio and chem are very doable after first year honors or at the end of AP.
US History aligns well with AP but is more date and fact oriented than analysis oriented. For that reason I would do in June and study more for it after the AP.
Mine will do chem and US History in June.
Physics is tricky as it covers full year of high school physics so you need one of the following to do well
a) full year of honors physics
b) both AP Physics 1 and 2
c) both Physics C courses
or a lot of self study to make up gaps.
How do you help your kid find a major? Seems like our input weighs substantially less than anyone elseâs. D20 is very good in math, currently in AP Calc BC, and is doing very well in AP Physics. But she doesnât think she wants to go into a math or science field, definitely not CS (not her thing). H thinks sheâd enjoy being a college professor (his dad was a Psychology professor). I think she should major in math (H & I both majored in math), which can take her in a number of career directions. She took the career cluster on Naviance and it was high on education & training, then business, finance, arts and communications.
Just wondering how other people do it? Are there better tools available? Do they get counseling thru their school? Hire a consultant? Love to hear your thoughts?
Lots of good SAT Subject Test info above. I would only add that donât JUST look at tests over 700. For instance, a 700 in Math 2 is not outstandingâŠat least not for engineeringâŠbut maybe for someone who is undecided itâs just fine
@momzilla2D My D20 is not sure about her major, although strongly leaning Nursing (this time last year she was stronly leaning towards Engineering). She needs to go to a large university with lots of options. Part of that is also that she wants big sports (football, basketball, hockey) as well, but we would have looked for a state school for her, regardless. We will come up with an exit strategy if she sours on nursing in the first year or so (since itâs still somewhat general). Other interests are all in healthcare (PA, OT, Psych), so want to make sure there are good programs to move to. They will figure it out, but you can help them when they come up with something new.
@bigmacbeth
Sounds like my D19 (yes, I have a jr and a sr this year). Last spring she was thinking business, but by end of summer she decided on criminal justice. Sheâs applied to mostly big, state flagship schools. For the very reasons you saidâŠbig sports, lots of options.
D20 just seems even more unsure about a major. And sheâs trying to choose classes for next year. Some of it depends on what she wants to do in college. For example, AP PhysicsâŠsheâs interested in the Calc-based Physics C, but that may not be the ârightâ choice if sheâs not going toward engineering.
@lkim10
Very sorry about your DD and I hope some good rest/sleep/less stress will rejuvenate her soon. Also to throw out another possibility, two of DSâ swim friends had recently found their âmono-likeâ symptoms were caused/linked to earlier tick-bites! I donât know the details of their conditions but persistent tiredness as if âhitting by a trainâ was the description by one mom.
Also want to emphasize the importance of sleep, good quality of sleep with sufficient quantity too. I grew up in a culture where afternoon naps were the norm, I miss that aspect of life so much!
@janiemiranda
DS20 is my only kid going to college too, as earlier posters said, we did USH subject test right after the AP exam, but the history subject test is very different from the AP exam, lots of memorizations of detailed historical facts, using a prep book might be advised. DS got 5 on the exam but only 750 on the subject test. But it is good enough I guess. Colleges like Harvey Mudd and MIT definitely would want you to take Math II subject test (and another science for MIT). We did Math II and will be taking physics in June. AFAIK, Georgetown is the only school still requires three subject tests.
@momzilla2D
I think it is too early for our kids to pick a major at this stage, luckily most schools donât really require you to declare a major till a year or two later. Our DS picked Math currently b/c his dad is a math major turned finance guy, and he realizes having a solid math foundation leads to many doors open in the future, but truth be told, his heart is in music. So we shall see. 
@VickiSoCal So if my DS is taking AP Physics 1 this year and AP Physics 2 senior year, he wouldnât take the subject test until the end of his senior year? Wouldnât that be too late for college applications? Heâs taken Math II already but needs 1 more.
We are doing IB physics SL this year and will be taking physics subject in June, DSâ physics teacher told him to self-study certain portions of the test as they wonât be covered till senior year. @Redslp
@makemesmart- Thank you. Iâll have him do that as well.
@janiemiranda You may want to check the Common Data Set or schoolâs website as to whether SAT subject tests are required if a student is submitting an ACT score. Iâve seen that since ACT is more subject based that SAT IIâs were not needed at some schools.
@lkim10 I hope your D feels better soon.
@SoccaMomma that is interesting. Where did you read that?
@SoccaMomma I will do that! Thank you.
For both chem and physics subject tests it is essential they take a practice test and check for gaps. Most h.s. classes are not.going to hit all areas. And chemistry has a funky question format they will not have seem before that must be practiced.
(I tutor math, chem and physics)
fwiw our school doesnât offer âhonorsâ anything (we are in California public schools. We have regular and AP but not much in between.) Anyway, my kid had regular chemistry in 10th grade and took one practice test right after that class finished last May (trying to decide whether to take the exam in June along with Math 2 or to wait). Decided there was enough new material to wait, but was able to self-study in about 2 weeks over the summer and did really well on the August exam.
@lkg4answers I do not recall where I read or heard about the ACT vs SAT Subject tests. It mightâve been at a college visitâs information session. (Maybe Duke?). Or mayâve been on a college CDS. Iâve read so many at this point that itâs starting to blur. It will definitely depend on the collegeâs (and major departmentâs) testing policy so Iâd check with them to confirm. Thereâs a column in the prep scholar blog article that specifically addresses this. Itâs âcomplete list of colleges that require sat subject testsâ. Also a college vine blog on âact vs sat subject testsâ.
@lkg4answers I have also heard about ACT alone could be in places of SAT subject tests for some schools, like @SoccaMomma said before, they were from other parents. But AO at Harvey Mudd told us Math II is needed for their school.
@makemesmart and @SoccaMomma thank you! I checked the prep scholar blog and it looks like this applies to Duke, Rice, Mc Gill, Union College, Tufts and RPI.
So if applying to those schools, one should probably take the ACT in Feb or April to know if the score is high enough to substitute for the subject tests in May or June, right? There are enough other schools that still recommend the subject tests that one probably needs to take both just to have available to send.
- Undecided
- Architecture/Interior Design
- Narrowing down programs in the South (her requirement) at a large university