<p>On Harvard's website it is stated that "If some students believe they are not well prepared to take a third SAT Subject Test because of a lack of opportunity at their school or because they have made other, thoughtful educational choices, all they need to do is submit a statement explaining their choices, to help us interpret their test performance."
If one were to not take a third Subject test, do you think it would hurt their admission chances to a great extent. As a Jr. I'm taking AP Calculus, AP American History, H Physics, H Chemistry, H English III, and Spanish III. I would be ready for the Math II and U.S. Subject tests in may, but I'm not sure what third I would take. As a Sr. I'm taking AP Calc II, AP Phys C, AP Chem, possibly AP Lit.</p>
<p>My question is, do I say not ready for third, or is it possible to take a subj. test while in the mid-year of an AP class and score 750+.
Any help/responses will be appreciated.</p>
<p>You have all next fall for a third. D took Bio M fall sophomore year, Chem spring junior year, and math I and II fall senior year.</p>
<p>I would think long and hard about what excuse you would have for not doing the third. Is it really worth the chance that Harvard will not think your excuse is adequate. You have next october, november, december and maybe even january to produce the third score.</p>
<p>My son, 5 years ago, took chem at the end of his sophomore year right after taking honor chem (not AP) and scored a 730. Therefore, you might even be ready this year. But there is nothing wrong with spreading things out.</p>
<p>Take the third test. Even if you don’t get a top score, it is better than sending a letter saying that you won’t take it.</p>
<p>WOW by “lack of oppportunity” they mean poor kids who go to high schools where the graduation rate is like 60 percent and they don’t have enough funding for books.</p>
<p>Your excuse is not even close to adequate and the fact that you even thought you might qualify shows you need to live in the real world for awhile.</p>
<p>Thanks for mentioning that page. </p>
<p>[Harvard</a> College Admissions Office: Prospective Students](<a href=“http://www.admissions.college.harvard.edu/prospective/applying/requirements/satsubjecttests.html]Harvard”>http://www.admissions.college.harvard.edu/prospective/applying/requirements/satsubjecttests.html) </p>
<p>As the other replies have mentioned, the situation described in that page is not quite like your situation. </p>
<p>Good luck on your tests.</p>
<p>You can take it as late as next January, in your senior year.</p>
<p>Judging from your courses, your school is lot better than the one in our town!</p>
<p>Relax, the third SAT II is not a deal breaker, and again, from your course list, it seems you would do fine.</p>
<p>AP Calc II, AP Phys C, AP Chem, possibly AP Lit.AP Calculus, AP American History</p>
<p>It’s given. If you can’t see it then I’ll say it to you.</p>
<p>Math1c/2c
Physics
Chemistry
Literature
American History.</p>
<p>Take 3 of those, what’s the problem?</p>
<p>Thank you for all of the replies. I actually feel bad now asking about this, my initial intererpritation of sat subj tests was that u basically had to take them after the ap class to score highly- my bad on that. Comp mom said I could take one as late as next jan , is this possible with reg decesion?</p>
<p>Here was the info off of the application instructions from the class of 2013:</p>
<p>Additional Dates to Consider </p>
<p>January 24, 2009
Last SAT Reasoning and Subject testing date. </p>
<p>February 7, 2009
Last ACT testing date. Note that this test date is not available in New York</p>
<p>I’d suggest taking Lit if you’re afraid about taking one in the middle of the class. It doesn’t actually require you knowing anything special, just being good at interpretation and the sometimes quite confusing and specific multiple choice. I took it 3 months into my AP Lit class and got a 760.</p>
<p>I’d take one of your sciences now and if you don’t like the score you have a couple of chances to repeat it in the fall. Taking the lit is also a definite possibility and I’d suggest taking it in the fall if you feel the need to repeat the science test.</p>
<p>Speaking from experience, I think it’s actually better to take certain SAT II’s after a non-AP class. In chemistry, for example, the SAT II covers things that are taught much more in first year chem. I took it after taking AP junior year, and had a 730 (not bad, but this is in comparison to a five on the AP test and 800’s on my other SAT II’s and 2350 on the SAT). The SAT II doesn’t cover anything not taught in a class you’ve taken by sophomore or junior year.</p>
<p>My son’s experience is what Benny B described. Years ago he took the chem after non-AP chemistry and scored the 730. His best friend waited a year and took it after Ap chem and scored much lower.</p>
<p>The one comment in reverse was with my daughter this past year. She was supposed to take the Math I/II last June. At the last minute, we had her opt out. She ended up having to take it in October during her senior year after she started Ap Calc. After taking the Math II she was glad she had not done the test in June since there were certain topics that were covered in the beginning of AP Calc that she did not know and were on the test.</p>
<p>Weird, I definitely didn’t know any calc when I took the math II, though my brother said he saw an integral when he took it junior year, before taking calc (he got it right despite having no idea what the symbol meant–figured it out on the calculator).</p>
<p>I’m not sure that it was actually any calculus. i got the feeling that certain preparatory concepts were dealt with at the beginning AP Calc course. I’m not really sure but that was a comment my daughter had made last October.</p>
<p>There isn’t any straight-up calculus on the Math Level 2 test, but there can be trigonometry topics that often aren’t well mastered by students until they review them in the beginning of calculus class.</p>
<p>I seem to remember something written by admissions in which they said they do not expect all students to get great scores on all 3 SAT II’s. They made the comment that admissions is next to Howard Gardner’s office (Gardner came up with the concept of "multiple intelligences).</p>
<p>Take US and Math this year and in Oct or Nov take Chem or Physics, no big deal haha.</p>