I was at the university today, and I just found out that the subject tests are no longer required but recommended!!!
Unless the admissions page changes, I believe they are still a requirement. And as a heads up, even if they say they’re “recommended” you should just send those scores if you take the subject tests.
This comes as no surprise since H,P & Y have already gone this route.
The website says they are required with the SAT. They are not required with the ACT.
However, in most cases, I think you are going to be well served to take them, if at all possible. I think top schools are doing this so they do not have to reject exceptional applicants who have not taken subject tests. Probably in particular, candidates with a hard hook.
If you do not have a hard hook, I would urge you to make every effort to take them, or you may be at a disadvantage in an already exceptional pool of applicants.
@verizonwireless i am pretty sure the subject tests are required, at least this is what the official admissions page says. http://www.admissions.upenn.edu/apply/freshman-admission/required-testing
but even if they were not required on paper, they would be essentially required in reality since given how competitive admissions is i doubt any students would be accepted without subject tests…
also subject tests are required for harvard, princeton, yale, columbia
Subject tests are optional for Harvard. However, I suspect most applicants still submit them.
https://college.harvard.edu/admissions/apply/application-process/sat-subject-tests
@skieurope oh ok my bad. i just looked quickly at the application requirements on the website and not on the subject test section….again tho i doubt there are more than a handful, if that, applicants who get accepted that don’t have subject tests…
@Penn95 The link only says that SAT subject tests are required with the SAT. Probably because ACT students are less likely to know about the subject tests.
@skieurope
Subject tests are now optional for Princeton and Yale as well. I suspect Penn hasn’t gotten around to updating their website if what OP heard was correct.
@falcon1 yeah… That was the whole shabang!!! I wanted cc to get the first scoop
Yes, I was there yesterday too and the admissions counselor said the website had not been updated yet. But I can confirm that @verizonwireless is correct!
@verizonwireless Thanks for the real-time update.
They may not be required, but I have no doubt that having two good subject test scores can strengthen a candidate significantly. If a candidate is serious about enrolling at Penn, I would strongly recommend that you make the effort to have two solid subject test scores, with one being Math 2, unless you are a humanities major.
Could have something to do with recruited athletes or other sought after applicants. In the past, they would have to take subject tests as a formality to complete their applications. Now they don’t have to do that anymore.