[I started this question on another thread, but I understand now I should have asked this question on its own thread.]
My son attends a rural public high school which doesn’t administer the SAT II. In fact, the school only has 1 SAT testing date per year. (Crazy? I think so.)
Anyway, I asked the guidance office (1 person really) if my son should take the SAT II, her response was “he can, but you’re going to have to drive and I don’t know if it’s worth the drive…” I’m like, fine… assume it is worth it, WHERE can he take the test? And what SAT II should he take? She said look online or at the CollegeBoard website.
A solution is either not look at SAT II “recommended/required” schools or maybe explain our situation to a SAT II school if it makes some list. Thoughts?
How far is the drive? Are those schools on his radar anyway? I just googled the schools yesterday because my brother from Brooklyn called. My niece’s school recommended not taking the subject tests in the spring to avoid conflict with the Regents exam. He called me yesterday saying he’d be out in August because the only open seats for the Bio exam this summer are at my local high school - 1.5 hours from Brooklyn! I think he’s nuts - she’s only a freshman - plan better next year and take another subject next spring in Brooklyn. But he’s making the drive.
A little different because he does have plenty of options near him. I’m also in a pretty rural area, but rural NJ is probably pretty different from rural where you are!
Well he can take up to three tests in one sitting, so one 80-mile RT drive may be worth it if he is ready for all the tests and can get them all in. Otherwise you can look at the requirements for every school to which he wants to submit an application to find out if they are required or not (it will be on their web sites). Many schools take AP test scores in lieu of subject tests, but you really have to check because each college is different.
It’s not unusual for people here to drive for a test. We have the opposite problem - lots of test sites but lots of testers. You might have to drive to a place with availability. (We are traveling in 2 weeks for the ACT since the places near home were full) Good luck.
For a high tier of college targets, you should submit AP scores regardless of SAT2.
If they don’t offer a convenient SAT2 site, you might get away without it. The GC can explain. Or yes, one line in Addl Info. But if he’s aiming high, cover your bases. Not sure I’d chance missing scores that could enhance an app. In many rural areas, people routinely drive 40 miles for one reason or another.
Looks like your situation in terms of high school and testing availability is one of the situations why some colleges specify “recommended” rather than “required”.
I do not think 40 miles is that far to drive really…If I thought he was going to do well on the SAT II then I would certainly drive but if he might not do so well then put it down as not being offered at your school. I would imagine many kids drive distances for various items for college applications.
^^^ Exactly. If you think that is too far for your kid to drive himself, look around for something for you to do while he takes the test. Back in the last century, I carpooled with a bunch of pals to take the SAT in the next town (about 25 miles each way), and drove myself 20 miles the other direction in the dead of winter for the SAT IIs.
As others have pointed out, driving a distance is common to get pants, milk, etc. Possibly the bigger issue is just the lack of knowledge about SAT II’s. He’s taken AP exams, so I’m guessing a conversation with the AOs to ask about submitting those instead of the SAT II’s or what they’d expect us (him really) to do in this situation.
I honestly forgot all about SATs until this post. I think I blocked it out for good reason.
This caused us more stress than probably any other portion of the application process! We had to do some quick thinking last summer, as the deadline for registering was quickly approaching. D18’s school also did not offer these and the nearest one was 1.5 hours away. She checked the college websites to see if it was required, recommended, or not necessary. We researched if it would impact her one way or the other. The problem became that at some schools it does say ALL TEST SCORES would have to be reported. So, if you took SAT2s and didn’t like the scores? You’d have to include them anyway. D18’s smart cookie, but the cost and the risk vs. reward caused us pause.
I think it will come down to the schools your son is applying to.Do the research. Weigh it all.
D18 will attend Amherst College in the fall which didn’t even require them. In the end, this post reminded me that I nearly blew a gasket for nothing 8-}
This really comes down to a personal decision. I would refer back to the comment I made on another thread:
IMO, 40 miles, while inconvenient, is not that far, even on rural roads, particularly as a one-time occurrence. Regardless, I would not rule out schools that recommend Subject Tests. If you decide to forgo ( I personally, would not), I think that it is better for the GC to explain the circumstances rather than your son
My daughter commuted over 30 miles to school every day (one way) for four years for high school. 40 miles for the SAT II tests doesn’t sound bad at all to me.
All very helpful. I suppose it’s more the GC creating an impression and then not really knowing much about these tests. Probably best to figure out which schools first and then thinking through & plan the testing.
Is the GC indicating it isn’t worthwhile due to the student, or due to the drive? If kid is a top student looking at competitive schools, this probably wouldn’t even be a question.
He’s a solid student who has taking the toughest classes offered with high SATs looking at competitive schools. I think possibly there’s just not the school doesn’t have a culture of applying to competitive schools?
We lived in Germany and drove over an hour so my DD could take the ACT at the local US Army Base.
If your child wants to apply to colleges that recommend the SAT 2 tests, then go on the College Board website and sign up for the closest testing location. Those are usually top colleges…does your son have top grades? If yes, then go for it. Its a few $ and a few hours and he will not look back and wish he had.
Make sure ofcourse he has safeties and matches picked out too.
When my kid was taking one of the subject tests, I chatted with a couple while waiting. They were on family vacation from several hundred miles away. They arranged for their child to take a SAT II while on the road far from home because that was their only option.
If he is aiming high, IMO he should strive for the most complete application possible.
My other kid took three SAT II in one sitting. Assuming that your child is prepared, getting them done in one go might not be too inconvenient.
My kid had to take the SAT the second time about 40 miles away because it was a (relatively) last minute decision and all the closer places were full. I just found some stores to visit in the area that I don’t have in my area (specialty food stores in my case). Brought a book for when I was done. I don’t think 40 miles is out of the question. And you do say “on a date that works” so some of that is your constraints rather than it not being available closer.