<p>SAT II scores seem to have had their ups and downs; I remember a few years ago, the Harvard head of admissions was widely quoted as saying he thought them more valuable than SAT Is, but now the word is that Harvard isn't going to request them at all. Most schools seem to want them, though not all require them. Does anyone know if they are viewed as backup/substantiation of SATs, as a useful indicator in themselves, or simply extra decoration? </p>
<p>I too would like to get someones word on this. I am a international student from India - admission pool here is probably the most competitive one in the world (along with china). </p>
<p>Harvard has a peculiar relation ship with our country. Though the importance of the SAT Reasoning is de-emphasized throughout CC/ AdCom’s interviews (at the higher end of the spectrum, say 2300/2350+), Harvard only took people with a 2400/2400 in the SAT reasoning from my country. The situation was similar last year aswell. Is this only a correlation or truly a prerequisite? I cannot fathom how 2-3 questions can determine the fate of a student. </p>
<p>Also, are triple 800’s in subject tests rare/ give you a leg up?</p>
<p>" Most schools seem to want them, though not all require them" Very few schools want them. Fewer require them.</p>
<p>'Harvard only took people with a 2400/2400 in the SAT reasoning from my country. The situation was similar last year aswell. Is this only a correlation or truly a prerequisite? I cannot fathom how 2-3 questions can determine the fate of a student." International students have the hardest go at schools like Harvard. They can pick between dozens of super applicants – especially from India. I’m sure if there was a compelling story from a person who scored less than 2400, he or she would have been chosen. 2 or 3 questions will NOT determine the fate and I think the correlation is coincidence only, IMHO.</p>
<p>"Also, are triple 800’s in subject tests rare/ give you a leg up? " The answer should be obvious. They are rare.</p>
<p>FYI</p>
<p><a href=“Calculating the Academic Index - NYTimes.com”>Calculating the Academic Index - NYTimes.com;
<p>I’m really interested in this too, as I plan to make my application competitive predominantly through a bunch of SAT subject tests: Lit, US History, Bio and something that I’ll probably study for the summer of my junior year and take in the fall before I apply, (I’m thinking Physics-- if it doesn’t require trig or pre-calc to get a competitive score.)</p>
<p>But, I think I do have a little bit to add to this thread: Harvard probably dropped their SAT II requirements as a move to be more ‘understanding’; but, I think that they’ll still strongly value good SAT II scores. It’s like how some schools that are SAT optional-- where 90% of students still submit SAT scores; It might not be a ‘requirement’ at those schools, but it’s a de facto requirement.</p>
<p>
If you are an asian and applying to HYPSM, not really. It’s a given that one gets 800 on math2. Plenty get 780+ on Bio too. The third one can be either physics/chemistry for the STEM oriented, or even USH is not difficult to score 780+.</p>