I just received my SAT II scores:
Lit: 770
Math 2: 780
USH: 700
The respective percentile scores are 94th, 72nd and 67th. These seem a lot worse than the actual score (a 72nd percentile for a 780??).
So does this mean that I should not submit these scores? I am applying SCEA to Yale. I am submitting my ACT as well with a 34C and 28W.
Thanks!
Math 2 is a test taken by strong math students. An 800 is “only” 81st percentile. I personally think that the test needs to be re-normed, as it is not very useful the way it is, but the College Board forgot to ask me for my opinion 
I would submit the scores, but perhaps I have a surplus of faith in Yale’s AO. In my experience, they do a superb job of choosing candidates who will thrive at Yale. The reality is that they must also reject many wonderful applicants.
@IxnayBob: Yale (and most other colleges) DO NOT look at the percentile score. Instead they take the highest SAT Subject Test Score and plug-it-in to the Academic Index without regards to percentiles. IMHO – and in many Admissions Offices – any SAT score above 700 is fine. For example. this from Harvard’s golf recruitment page: http://www.gocrimson.com/sports/mgolf/faq
I would imagine Yale feels the same way about golf recruits and all non-ahtlethic recruits
Oh thank you!! This is very helpful. I’m curious as to if I should submit the USH one then because it really is right on the border of that, and I’m not an athletic recruit. But I will submit the others
@gibby, I mentioned the percentiles because @bb1313 was incredulous that a Math 2 780 related to a percentile of 72.
And, while Score Choice is allowed for SAT Subject Tests, I personally would submit the 700, as it is a good score.
I would only submit the minimum you need to submit. In this case, math 2 and literature - not USH.
I am applying for politics so I was hoping my USH would be strong. From what I’ve been seeing on cc a 700 is fairly average for a Yale applicant so I’m not sure it would help or hurt me either way
^^ I’m in agreement. As the OP’s score of 700 is right at the minimum for a golf recruit at Harvard, I think submitting that score would fail to move an application forward – especially as the OP already has two substantially higher scores of 770 and 780. So just submit the two highest scores. It really is a no-brainer, as Yale recommends only two SAT Subject Test scores (not three).
Can you tell that SAT/Subject Test scores were released today?
Do you really think that AO’s have the luxury of time that they are all sitting on the floor crossreferencing percentile charts? I don’t.
Don’t focus on percentiles. The percentiles for most Subject Tests are depressed because few colleges require/request them. The ones that do are generally the elite ones with low admissions rates anyway. As a result, the students who sit for these exams are very self selecting. You want to see scary percentiles? Look at Chinese and Korean.
IMO, send lit and M2. I can’t think of any example (short of a college requiring certain tests) where one would not send the 2 best.
Agreed that one shouldn’t worry about the percentiles. 700 or above is fine. I suspect that the admissions department doesn’t even look up percentiles. On the other hand, since Yale only looks at two scores and allows score choice, I’d just submit the two.
For some historical perspective, these percentiles on these tests (which keep changing names from Achievement Tests to SAT II’s to Subject Tests) keep getting lower and lower. Back when I applied to Yale (I was Y’83) an 800 on Math II was 91st percentile implying that 9% scored an 800. As mentioned above, an 800 is now “only” 81st percentile which means that 19% score an 800.
I believe the percentiles are listed on the report sent to colleges. At least when I printed a report it showed the score and then corresponding percentile. The percentiles in my opinion are silly. I have heard anything above a 750 is great to send to selective colleges.