<p>I'm pretty new to all this. I just spoke to my daughter's "college counselor" at her high school. (Daughter is a soph. - good student - 4.0-all honors, lousy test taker.) Asked him about SAT II. Math is her strongest subject - now taking precalc H. He said that if she takes SAT II June 3 and doesn't do well, we DON'T have to send scores to colleges. This is NOT what I've been told by everyone else. He said we have 4 "freebie" SAT tests where we can just opt not to send the scores if we want. Is this right?? </p>
<p>Also he said for a lousy test taker, ACT is better than SAT. This sounds reasonable. Can anyone give me some guidance.</p>
<p>Thanks so much. She would need to sign up for the SAT II this Friday.</p>
<p>Has your daughter taken a practice test? This would be useful in making your decision. You can always pay more and register late; that deadline in May 10 so you would have more time to decide. Also, since she is a sophomore, there is no reason she needs to take the test now if you aren't sure. There are plenty of other times she could take the test if she decides to go ahead. It doesn't have to be taken right after precalculus. Heck, my son took that class in 9th grade and didn't take the SAT II until three years later. </p>
<p>The four "freebie" tests are the score reports that get sent to colleges you list on the registration form -- and this just means you don't have to pay.</p>
<p>In other words, the SAT has no score choice. The ACT does have score choice.</p>
<p>I've never heard about the "lousy test taker" idea about the ACT. Some do better on the ACT, some on the SAT, and others do equally well on both. I think the only way to tell is to do sample tests. The ACT seems to ask more straightforward questions, but people report here that they feel more time-pressured with it. The ACT might be helpful for those who seize up in high-stakes test situations, because it is score choice. So, I guess you need to assess what makes your daughter do poorly on tests -- trickiness of questions, time pressure, nerves, or what.</p>
<p>Thanks Diane. I think the rationale for her taking the test now is that next year she'll have a bunch of AP tests and more SAT subject tests to worry about. I appreciate all of your input. I'm just thrilled to know our guidance department has no clue about any of this! Doesn't surprise me though.</p>
<p>Yeah, the counselor is definitely off. Once the scores are on the score report, they're there for the duration. You don't have to send them at the time you take the test, but if you send any SAT scores for future tests, those scores will be reported too.</p>
<p>The ACT is definitely more straightforward, tests more academic knowledge than test-taking abilities. I would suggest she take a practice SAT and practice ACT to see how they feel to her. There are free ones for both on Princeton Review's Web site (<a href="http://www.review.com)%5B/url%5D">www.review.com)</a>. I would also suggest their prep books for either test (I have both, very good). I also am not a good standardized test-taker and those books are extremely helpful.</p>
<p>Another option, if self prep doesn't do it, is a prep course. They're great for people who aren't good test-takers. </p>
<p>If she has a heavy courseload now, btw, I wouldn't recommend the June test because she'll need more time to prep since she has trouble with tests. Summer is great for studying. If she can get the bulk of her prep done then, she won't need to spend too much time studying after school starts.</p>
<p>yea well how can she be a lousy test taker then. The 4.0 she has in all honors classes is a result of all the tests she takes in school. How can you be a bad test taker with a 4.0. GPA measures hard work not intelligence. Thats why colleges use the SAT. I know plenty of kids who spend most of their time studying and have high GPA's, but are idiots with no common sense.</p>
<p>And that would obviously explain why a student with a high GPA / low SAT has a better chance of being admitted than a student with a low GPA / high SAT.</p>
<p>Momnewtothis -
Your D can register for June SAT II, do some studying and try a bunch of practice tests now.
If she is not happy with results, she can change</a> the Test Date and take SAT II in the fall.</p>
<p>jyc - it's against common sense to insult people, especially if they don't provoke you. You might create an impression that you are in the wrong category of kids, your low GPA's and high test taking skills notwithstanding.</p>
<p>Absolutely, there are many who take standardized tests poorly and are good students.
JYC, Your arrogance is showing and it is not becoming at all</p>
<p>Actually, there's another factor to be considered besides general smarts and test-taking ability. That's the match between a particular school's curriculum and a particular SAT subject test.</p>
<p>Unlike the SAT, the subject tests are very much based on the content of a specific course or series of courses. If a particular school's curriculum does not correspond well to the expectations of the subject test, the student is not going to do well (without resorting to extensive self-studying).</p>
<p>In some schools, the teachers or counselors will tell you straight out about this sort of thing. Many years ago, in the high school I attended, we were specifically told that we would be better off taking the Chemistry subject test than the Physics test because our school's Chemistry curriculum was a really good match for the subject test but the Physics curriculum was not.</p>
<p>In other schools, such as the ones my kids have attended, nobody tells you anything.</p>
<p>If the school won't tell you, go out and buy a book of sample tests and have your kid try a sample test in any subject for which s/he is considering taking an SAT II. You may be surprised by the results.</p>
<p>Another point (I got this one from my kids): In general, AP courses provide excellent preparation for the corresponding SAT subject test. For example, I know a bunch of kids who took AP U.S. History as juniors, took the SAT II U.S. History test without studying, and got scores in the 700s. I have heard of similar good experiences with biology and chemistry. The exception to the rule is math. AP math is calculus, and the SAT II does not cover calculus; it covers other topics. So in this case the AP course is no help.</p>
<p>Thanks Marian (and to the rest of you for reassuring me that I'm not nuts.) I wouldn't be having this dilemma if my kid wasn't planning on taking the SAT Math IIc. Everyone has said she should take the Math now because she's finishing precalc H and doing well.</p>