I know that Harvard doesn’t necessarily require subject tests if it’s a financial problem to you, but if you took two subject tests , say World History and U.S History and got high points on both, would it increase the odds of acceptance from Harvard than those who has no subject test scores but has a very strong profile on GPA, EC, SAT 1, community works and other accomplishments ? Can these two subject tests distinct me well from other candidates ?
I have - 2320 on SAT 1
790 - U.S History
800 - World History
My GPA is not very well
I have few accomplishments but not that many. The best accomplishment that i ever had in school was the 3rd place on National Conference Comp, others are just some medals from district or city Olympiads
Currently I have not included myself in community work. What are my chances ? I will start the applying journey this winter . Please answer #-o
No. You should assume that most applicants will be submitting subject tests and will have very strong scores.
No. Test scores are just one part of your file, and when comparing one high-performing student to another, test scores are probably the least important factor that determines if a student will be accepted or rejected.
Admissions Offices uses standardized tests – ACT, SAT, AP, IB or SAT Subject Tests – as a sort of double-check against a student’s transcript grade and the rigor of the curriculum at your high school. Therefore, taking more SAT Subject Tests, or doing well in those SAT Subject Tests you take, DOES NOT increase your chances of admissions. For example, a student with an ‘A’ average in US History or World History should be scoring in the 740 to 800 SAT Subject Test range. Just looking at your tests scores, I’m guessing you have an ‘A’ in each subject – is that correct? If you do, that’s a confirmation of the accuracy of your high school grade.
If your high school grade is LOWER than an A, that means your transcript is out-of-sync with your test scores. Which begs other types of questions: (1) does your high school have grade deflation, meaning do the teachers grade on a very tough curve?, (2) did you not try as hard as you could in high school with each class? or (3) did you do lots of last minute test-prep to get your 780 and 800 in each Subject Test?
Have passion! Your scores are excellent. But, if you really want to amp it up, write two more tests e.g. Literature and math level 1. Your SAT score’s great. Don’t fret. Write a great essay.
e.g. I know a bloke who had 6 subject tests before he even started applying. He wrote 3 other tests in dec and had a 2390 on the sat and a 35 on the act!
As is being discussed in another thread, this is a terrible idea, and runs the risk of making the applicant look bad. Do not “amp it up” like that.
There might be some value in taking a Math SAT II, though. I think Harvard used to require that one of your SAT II tests be one of the Math tests. If it wasn’t Harvard, some other equivalent colleges had that rule. It would be especially valuable if there might be questions about the strength of your math preparation. If you are doing well in what is clearly a strong math program, I wouldn’t worry about the test.
@gibby do high subject test scores and (comparatively low) grades run the risk of making you look like you don’t try? I got an 800 on Math 2 and Chem but an A- in both classes. In actuality it is because the school classes are really hard. Or would the admissions officer look at that and say this kid doesn’t apply himself in school and doesn’t do his homework?
@IvyWin Calling an A- in a challenging class is both off-putting and disingenuous. Hopefully that will not come across in either the essays or the interview, or that will present more of an admissions challenge than the A-.
Oh, and don’t hijack threads; it’s rude to the original poster.
@skieurope I didn’t mean to hijack, i was just commenting on what gibby was explaining. I really don’t think its a bad grade at all (i’m proud of it actually), I was just worrying that it might not seem to correlate 100% with my test scores (as in if this kid can do well on subject tests why can’t he do a little bit better on his grades when the truth was i just couldn’t do any better). To the OP @heisinwonderland , i think ( imo) that subject tests r just standardizers. If you did fine enough on your grades and have good teacher recs the adcom will know u care about school and will just think that u have harder than usual classes.
@IvyWin: In my book an A- is an A. My daughter had some A-'s and was accepted to Harvard. Several years ago, I posted her transcript with courses and grades. Please compare your transcript to hers – I imagine both of you are very similar, so no worries for you: http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/harvard-university/1619966-ivy-standards-for-rigor-of-highschool-curriculum-p1.html.
That’s not to say you will be accepted to Harvard, just that when you apply, you will be a competitive applicant. As Harvard receives more competitive applications than they have room for in their freshman class, Admissions uses an applicant’s teacher recommendations, essays, guidance counselor report and interview report to determine which competitive applicant they will accept. So, much still is undecided. Best of luck to you!
@gibby thank you! And once again to the OP, @heisinwonderland to summarize the impact your subject test to directly quote Gibby “…you will be a competitive applicant.” Remember there are still a bajillion reasons you can get rejected, but just keep your fingers crossed and hope for the best! Regardless of what happens remember that its just a college!
I did bad on my SAT IIs, so I didn’t submit them. I still got in, so honestly test scores aren’t that important. Focus on your essays.
@collegebound1096
and how were your SAT1 scores if you submitted them.
According to a previous post, he had an ACT score of 31. He also reported his circumstances were “URM, first generation, teen mom” from Iowa who was rejected from the Stanford and the other Ivies he applied (he did get into some other fine schools though) so I don’t know how applicable his advice is:
My advice would be to send in two scores if you can afford to take the tests.
@gibby Is there any consideration given to CLEP in the process of evaluation of an app at Ivies?
According to the CLEP website, Harvard is not one of the institutions that accepts the College-Level Examination Program. Maybe other ivies do: https://clep.collegeboard.org/started
No Ivy League uni accepts CLEP.
I know it cannot be accepted as credit, but could it be considered in evaluation? AP is not necessarily accepted for credit at Harvard unless it is a five, but if it is a four it can be considered as part of application, I believe. So do you know if CLEP can have any influence?
You can always call them and ask, but I doubt that it would much of an effect.