Retake SAT IIs??

Colleges and Universities A-Z Harvard University
1

<p>I'm a first-generation Latino applying to Harvard and the other Ivies.
English is not my first language.
My academics are solid and I've done my fair bit of extra-curricular activities.</p>

<p>To fulfill Harvard's requirements of 3 SAT IIs I took these tests</p>

<p>Math 1-750 (October of 2008, with only two months of Pre-Calculus Honors)
Math 2-650 (October of 2008 as well)
Literature-720 (October 2009)
Physics-730 (October 2009, after taking my school's regents level physics which didn't cover half the topics on the test)</p>

<p>My question is whether I should retake the Maths now that I've completed Pre-Calculus and am now in AP Calculus?</p>

<p>If I take the Spanish SAT II will it hurt me, or can I just use it for placement?</p>

<p>If it will hurt me can I choose not to report it as a test I will take on the Common App, and just keep it aside for use in placement later on?</p>

<p>PS. What is the TOEFL, and should I take it?</p>

2

<p>it wouldn’t hurt you to retake the SAT IIs. my guidance counselor told me my scores will be present on my transcript as well so I’m sending everything. check with your school to see if this is the case for you as well. keep in mind that anything over a 750 is generally considered good and that you are more than your test scores- even for Harvard.</p>

3

<p>Thank you for your response. I’m glad to see someone, on this site of people worried about applications with their test scores as 2380 and three 800s, who knows that test scores aren’t everything.</p>

<p>I’m confident that I can get into Harvard, I Know I’ll get into at least one Ivy. </p>

<p>I just wana make sure I’m not hurting my chances by taking that one Spanish SAT II.</p>

<p>I still don’t know what the TOEFL is, and whether or not I should take it though.</p>

4

<p>The TOEFL is a test of English competency; looking on the Harvard website, it is not necessary to do it, though you can submit a score if you do:

</p>

5

<p>

</p>

<p>Being a Hispanic URM is a boost, but it’s most certainly not as strong a clincher as being of African American or Native American ancestry.</p>

6

<p>I am inclined to tell you to not re-take your Math SAT IIs. Harvard should be considering your top three scores which should only include you 750, 730, and 720. If you did decide to do a retake, I would only take the Math 2.</p>

<p>As for the Spanish Sat II, my daughter had wished that she had thought to that the Spanish while she had time in High School. She did not need it for admissions (she had 3 other scores) but by the time she new she was accepted and attending Harvard the remaining test date conflicted with other school obligations (like graduation). A miracle did happen though, she tested out of foreign language through Harvard’s own tests. What might work for you is to not take the test until after January so that there is no way it would be considered for admissions but you would have the score to be used for placement.</p>

7

<p>@Eric Lee,
By Native American I assume you mean North American. If it were any Native American than I would be, because my father’s great grandparents were Native Colombians, i.e. Indians.</p>

<p>@smoda61
I didn’t think about taking the test after January, that’s a great idea. Thanks alot!!!</p>

8

<p>Yeah, I meant North American Native American, if clarification was needed. ‘Native American’ is a conventionally accepted and nearly universally understood way of referencing Native Americans from North America with tribal affiliations.</p>

9

<p>abstractz37 - you can technically take it up to the last testing date of next June</p>