<p>Whether one thinks that the ACT is a “better” or “worse” test than the SAT, a student can try both (or at least practice old released tests to get an idea), then focus on the initially higher one for additional preparation and retesting if desired. Also, taking the ACT does not “use up” a test date that may be needed for SAT subject tests.</p>
<p>UCB, please note that I did not say one is better than the other. I wrote that I (as in me personally) found it a waste of time, and especially at a time the ACT was still considered the ■■■■■■■ cousin. Since then, the shenanigans of the ACT organization have paid off, and their drive to force that test on every student in a number of states has resulted in the schools having to accept both tests as equals. </p>
<p>My point, if unclear, is that a student with a weaker than expected score in Math will not necessarily fare better on the ACT, and especially one that might have more problems with the faster pace, the paint-by-the-number problems, and the lack of rewarding reasoning and logic over brute force. </p>
<p>I do NOT think that checking out the ACT is a bad idea, but I do not think it is necessarily the best idea considering this student is very close to get a superb score on the SAT, and might need just one more sitting. </p>
<p>HTH</p>
<p>xiggi–what do you mean by:</p>
<p>“I cannot stress enough how helpful it is to “monitor” the recent administrations.” I sense there is a message here that I am not grasping.</p>
<p>BTW–completely agree with you about not retaking too quickly. My son took Oct of Jr year and then Dec of Jr year, bumped his M + CR 80 points, which was nice, but not huge. He then waited until Oct of Sr year and finally saw the M increase he needed. I don’t really know why the M score finally increased as he was now further from the classroom work of SAT math. He wasn’t tutored so it must have just been endless math practice problems.</p>
<p>My only caveat is that learning the scores Oct 24th caused for a bit of scrambling for ED & EA apps. Fortunately the Common App glitches provided another week for many schools, but the timing was still tighter than was comfortable. No guarantee that he would have been able to achieve the score last spring. As others have pointed out, Jr year life is too busy after April break. Perhaps March would work for OP.</p>
<p>I always tell people who aren’t happy with their SAT scores to look at the ACT, but in this case the SAT score is really good, just with a “meh” math score for top engineering programs. The 690 certainly shows proficiency; I really think a few weekends of a couple hours’ work each on math can yield the results she’s looking for.</p>
<p>Interestingly, ds1 and 2 were bored in spring of junior year after the AP tests. Foot totally taken off the gas in their classes. For them taking SAT-related tests in May or June worked out well.</p>
<p>OP, make sure you come back and let us know what you decided and how she did.</p>
<p>Is it possible to take SAT Math 2 separate from W and CR sections?</p>
<p>Can a student, theoretically, take full SAT test and, next year, take SAT math 2 only?</p>
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</p>
<p>Sorry for the nebulous language. The SAT administrations are the test dates. It is a “professional” term:<br>
[SAT</a> Test - Coodinating the SAT Reasoning Test](<a href=“http://professionals.collegeboard.com/testing/sat-reasoning/coordinate]SAT”>Test Administration Training | Spring 2024 Testing - SAT Suite of Assessments)</p>
<p>I should have used the simpler “tests” or “versions.” The monitoring of the recent tests means to follow the “post-test” discussions in fora such as CC, and when feasible, to obtain copies of the released tests that are sent to the students when they purchase the QAS. Not all versions and forms are available, but they do show up on the internet.</p>
<p>@CAaaa: Math2 is totally separate from the “Reasoning” test (with CR, M, and W).
So you can take Math2 only, but it’s better to take another subject test the same day (since most schools that want the SAT subjects want two) and if you want a choice of which 2 scores to send you can take 3 on the same day. You can take up to 3 in one day, each lasts 1h. Taking English or a Foreign Language, for a STEM-focused kid, will help him/her stand out since stem kids tend to take Math and sciences. Physics is the hardest subject but because it’s so self selected, the medium score is very high. Subject tests aren’t always the same so students need to make sure the subjects they’re interested in are offered for the sessions they’re thinking of.</p>
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</p>
<p>Different animals altogether. The SAT Reasoning Test is the close to 4 hours ordeal that consists of ten sections. The SAT Math Level 2 is a Subject Test. SAT Level 1 is another Subject Test and also takes one hour. </p>
<p>A student can take up to three SAT Subject tests on a test date, but cannot combine them with the SAT Reasoning Test because the latter takes all morning.</p>
<p><a href=“The SAT – SAT Suite | College Board”>The SAT – SAT Suite | College Board;
<p>MYOS1634 ,</p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>I wonder why most kids take SAT in junior year. Why not earlier? Math 1 is very easy.</p>
<p>SAT subject Math2 is a separate free-standing hour long test with a math level somewhat higher than that of the basic SAT test. Just like SAT subject Lit is a separate test, but quite similar to CR section of basic SAT test. All given by college board. You can read about it on their website. Dates, prices, topics to study and sample questions.</p>
<p>celesteroberts , THANKS!</p>
<p>californiaa, math1 is not a term that describes the math part of basic SAT test. Math1 is another hour long free-standing subject test, like math2, but testing a lower level of math knowledge.</p>
<p>Because people don’t know about Subject Tests. I’m counseling a mom whose junior dd is top 10% in her highly regarded HS and who is looking at selective schools. They had no idea she would need SAT Subject Tests.</p>
<p>Celeste, the one is that somewhat higher than the SAT Reasoning test is the Math Level 1. The Math Level 2 is a very different test from the “regular” SAT, in both content and structure. It is also graded on a very different basis. The SAT Reasoning Math part is unforgiving. Math Level 2 has a huge curve. You can easily ace the Reasoning test without ever looking at a calculator. For the SAT Level 2, mastering a TI-84 or 89 almost guarantees a high score.</p>
<p>xiggi ,</p>
<p>THANKS!</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>I think we covered that in past discussions. Math 1 (and I assume you mean the Math part of the Reasoning Test) is easy for an adult, and especially an adult with years of academic background. It is also easy for someone to read a question and answer it … without time limit. It’s a bit different at 15 to 18, with huge pressures and hard time limits. Answering 54 questions, including some written in arcane language, and making no mistakes is very hard. Add the penalties for guessing, and you now know why the AVERAGE score of the entire population hovers at around 500. And this by design. </p>
<p>Fwiw, if you referred to the one hour Subject Test Math Level I, it is actually the hardest test to earn a high score. Surprisingly enough, Math Level 2 is one of the easiest test to score a perfect 800. </p>
<p>Funny how that works, isn’t it! It IS a bit confusing. Like many things in education! :)</p>
<p>OK, agreed that ‘somewhat higher’ is not very descriptive of the differences between the math levels and scoring and etc. of the 2 tests. I did say to read about it on CB… </p>
<p>I’m pretty familiar with the curve on Math2, thanks. D retook a 790 on Math2 to get the 800 on account of that, only test she took twice. And yeah, she missed one problem on SAT math section and got 790, lucky actually, as on other administrations that may have gotten her only a 760-770 I understand.</p>
<p>Here’s what Xiggi is talking about with the subject tests curve.
<a href=“http://media.collegeboard.com/digitalServices/pdf/research/SAT-Subject-Tests-Percentile-Ranks-2013.pdf[/url]”>http://media.collegeboard.com/digitalServices/pdf/research/SAT-Subject-Tests-Percentile-Ranks-2013.pdf</a>
Reason the math2 is so ‘easy’ and curve so strange is they scale it so you can miss a few (4?5? can’t recall…) and still get 800. Don’t understand why they scale it that way. Xiggi knows(?)</p>
<p>Wait Xiggi, are you saying a TI-83 isn’t enough? I don’t really have the money to go get a new calculator for my son. This was a hand-me-down from my oldest and it seems to be getting him through trig ok. He’ll take pre-calc, Calc I and Calc II before he’s done with HS and will probably take the Math II in May after pre-calc or next fall, depending on how practice test(s) go.</p>
<p>If the TI-83 isn’t enough, I guess I should start saving.</p>
<p>I suggest retaking the SAT and agree you should not rush out and retake it. But I disagree about waiting until Oct of senior year. College essays take a lot of time, more than an extra AP class, and I am very glad my daughter finished her tests last spring. So I would try to take it again this spring.</p>
<p>The TI-83 is all my daughter used. It was not a problem for her. Actually I seem to remember her commenting that she didn’t make too much use of calculators in these tests. She trusts her brain more.</p>
<p>sbjdorlo, a graphing calculator is not needed at all for the math2 test, though it is required for parts of the AP calc tests. Any scientific calculator is good enough for Math2, but a graphing calculator in the hands of a facile user can make things easier.</p>