SAT II Strategy

Parents Forum
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<p>D's currently a sophomore taking both AP Physics B and Honors Chemistry. Overall, she's consistently about an A- honors student, realistically not really shooting for the most elite schools, but probably the next rung down, maybe schools with a 25% to 40% admit rate. </p>

<p>She aced Honors Physics last year, she's acing Honors Chemistry this year, but is probably more in the B range in AP Physics, though the complex multistep problem solving is starting to click and maybe she can pick it up a few notches before May. </p>

<p>She is planning to take the SAT II in Physics in May just before the AP exam. The thinking was that the SAT II questions are a piece of cake compared to the AP questions and she'll be pretty well prepared by then. Also the SAT II Physics curve is very favorable. </p>

<p>Now we're thinking that maybe she should also take the SAT II in Chemistry in June because she's learning it so well. It doesn't seem like it could really hurt her to take it, but could really help her. </p>

<p>I have three concerns: 1) that the highest scorers on the SAT II in Chem will probably have taken AP Chem and she will be disadvantaged 2) the curve will be less favorable, and 3) are there a lot of topics on the SAT II Chem that aren't usually covered in an Honors Chemistry class?</p>

<p>What are people's experiences with their kids taking the SAT II in Chemistry without taking AP Chemistry. She's not going to be doing a lot of extra prep work in Chemistry before the AP Physics exam, but she might have a few weeks before the Chem SAT II to do a little review, or at least get ahead to be ready for the exam. Her class will still have two more weeks left. How well can people really do with just good knowledge of what is taught in a high quality Honors Chemistry class? </p>

<p>In terms of college applications, for schools that require any two SAT IIs, it seems to me that it's advantageous to take any exam that has the potential to be one of your two best scores. That seems like a good use of an hour. On the one hand, I wouldn't want her to take one that she can't do well on, but on the other hand, if she can get in the 700s, it seems like it could be really advantageous. Does that make sense? Any comments?</p>

2

<p>Has she looked at the CollegeBoard’s practice exam for Chemistry? My son was in honors chemistry and an A student, but he took one pass at the practice exam and knew immediately that was one he was not going to take.</p>

<p>Not saying it would be the same for your daughter, but she’ll know a lot more about whether it’s a good idea if she tries a practice exam from the SAT Subject Tests practice book.</p>

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<p>My understanding from six years ago, when my kid took both tests, is that there was some sort of significant mismatch between AP Chemistry and the Chemistry SAT II. I think I remember my kid got a 5 on the AP, an A in the class, and a 690 on the SAT II (which was well below the range of any other SAT tests this kid took). But this was not something I micromanaged at all, and I never really looked into whether there was an actual mismatch of areas covered or what. And, as I said, it was six years ago, so things may have changed.</p>

<p>Anyway, I guess my point is that taking AP Chem is not necessarily an advantage on the Chem SAT II. But it was a pretty hard test.</p>

4

<p>Is she planning on taking AP Chem? If so, I would wait. I think Chem is suppose to be one of the most difficult SAT2 tests. Most schools only require 2 Sat IIs, although some want 3. Most high end schools want Math 2. So with Physics already under her belt, I would concentrate on either APUSH or Lit and Math 2 for SAT 2s. Either way, I’d wait till after AP Chem to take the SAT2.</p>

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<p>I agree iwth geogirl. If she is planning to take AP Chem I would wait till after that class to take the Chem SATII. Most of the schools S1 applied to required any 2 subject tests, but the ones that required specific ones required Physics OR Chem plus Math II (this was for engineering, so it may vary).</p>

<p>In any case, I don’t think any school would require Physics AND Chemistry and she would be better off taking the Math II or a humanities (History/English) as a second test to show she is well rounded.</p>

6

<p>On the SAT II in Physics, check to see if AP Physics B covers all the topics on that test. My (could be faulty) recollection is that the AP Physics C class better matched the SAT II test.</p>

<p>Our high school’s Chem AP class prepared the kids well for both the AP and SAT II subject test.</p>

7

<p>Georgetown is the only school I know of that wants 3 subject tests still. </p>

<p>In her shoes, I’d take both practice tests and see what sort of score she gets. My older son was taking AP Physics C and had to do some review for the SAT, but I think that’s less likely if she’s in Physics C. As I recall he got a few wrong and still got an 800. </p>

<p>I can’t speak to Chem since neither kid took the SAT test. If she takes AP Chem next year it makes sense to wait, but if she’s waiting till senior year, she might want to take it now. I don’t think she needs to some of the tech colleges ask for Math and Physics OR Chem, but I don’t think any need to see both Physics AND Chem.</p>

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<p>I’d suggest the D ask her Chem teacher how the course aligns with the SAT-II. S2’s 9th grade pre-IB Bio class was very compatible with the SAT-II Bio-M and the teacher strongly encouraged the kids to take it while the iron was hot. Most of them scored very, very well. Ditto the pre-IB Chem. It varies from one school to another.</p>

<p>Worse come to worst, spend $20 on the prep book and fills in the gaps, assuming the OP’s D has the time and inclination. (I gather she leans towards science/engineering programs if she is debating which of those two tests to take.)</p>

<p>IB Physics and the SAT-II physics exam was a whole 'nuther story.</p>

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<p>mathmom’s exactly right. If your D plans to take AP Chem, then wait. Otherwise let her try a practice test and see how she does. Even a less than stellar score won’t hurt her if the other SAT2’s are good. Math2 is also one that colleges like to see.</p>

10

<p>It’s easy to find practice SATII exam books in the library or bookstore. That might help your D decide which 2 exams she’ll target. </p>

<p>Hmm… she’s only a sophomore, so it may be too early for a full strategy. But the practice tests will help you understand more about Phys and Chem.</p>

11

<p>Thanks for the replies. </p>

<p>AP Chem was slashed with budget cuts. Honors Chem is the most advanced chemistry offered in the school. Also teacher is a rookie, so not sure she knows how the course matches with SAT 2. I like the idea of looking at the prep book. Maybe we’ll just do late registration in May after she looks at the book. I don’t want to distract her from Physics before the AP exam. </p>

<p>She will definitely take Math 2 next year and maybe the Bio SAT2 while doing AP Bio. However, I was really thinking that since most colleges count your best two, doesn’t it make sense to take a test that may end up being one of your best two. Can she possibly do better on Chemistry than Math 2 or than Physics? I don’t know, but I’m thinking maybe, and it’s another swing at bat with a chance for a hit. Is there a downside in taking 4 SAT2s each at different times when the colleges will count your best 2? </p>

<p>Also she’s NOT that well rounded. No point in making believe that she is. She finds math and science much easier than english and history so no SAT2s there.</p>

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<p>no downside as long as her scores are not too low, which you’ll be able to determine from taking a sample test. it’s one hour of her life. If she’s satisfied with her sample score, then the actual score shouldn’t be far off.</p>

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<p>My D’s chemistry teacher believes AP Chem test and SAT II Chem require different approach. It may just apply to her school.</p>

<p>Are practice tests a good measure for how they will do in the real test?</p>

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<p>A couple other random subject test notes for math and science:</p>

<p>A few colleges require either the Physics or Chem SAT Subject test to apply in engineering.</p>

<p>The Math II SAT Subject test is best taken at the end of the trig/precalc high school class.</p>

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<p>Igloo, while not perfect, I think the practice tests --especially those published by the CollegeBoard-- are as good a measure of how a student is likely to do on a test as we have. Certainly trying to project course content and how well it matches with the test is a weaker measure, as are course grades. So while not perfect, they can give a good general idea of which tests it’s best for the student to target. My kids’ scores on actual SAT Subject Tests (and they took 8 between them) were pretty much what they expected based on practice tests. Sometimes they did a little better, sometimes a little worse, but always in the general ballpark.</p>

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<p>My son took the SAT Chem test after honors chemistry at the end of his sophomore year and scored a 780. He said the Princeton Review prep book was absolutely clutch - it helped him to learn the material not covered in class. He looked at several other prep books, but he said the Princeton Review is best for SAT Chem. He spent about a week studying diligently before the test. His practice test scores were in the 750-800 range, so he was not surprised with his score. His school does not offer AP Chem, but he has decided to self study and take the test this May (he’s a junior now). So far, he has the level II math and the chem subject tests, but he’s also planning to take physics in the spring with the reasoning that three good scores are always better than two good scores.</p>

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<p>Be careful with late registration for the May and June test dates – around here, they testing centers fill up in April.</p>

<p>The Physics SAT-II does NOT permit calculators, so there will be a limit as to how much advanced math is on it. [SAT</a> Physics Subject Test - Physics Questions & Tests](<a href=“http://sat.collegeboard.com/practice/sat-subject-test-preparation/physics]SAT”>http://sat.collegeboard.com/practice/sat-subject-test-preparation/physics)</p>

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<p>I think the blue SAT subject book with real exams was an excellent gauge for how one will do on a test. At least it was for my younger son. He knew even from the book that he was going to bomb the Math 2 (by CC standards), and he did. He needed to scramble in June to have three good scores for Georgetown and by taking practice tests figured out he’d do well in the Lit exam - even though he generally got B’s in English and refused to be in either AP English class. He couldn’t decide which Bio exam to take because he scored similarly on both sections. (Most kids in our school do better on M than E, but he’d done Ecology for Science Olympiad for three years running.) He ended up doing E in May and then (just for fun :eyeroll:) did M in June - I think his scores ended up 10 points apart.</p>

<p>Some colleges (Yale for example) make it crystal clear that you are supposed to send in every SAT subject test even though they only require two, but most colleges have wording that I interpret as saying the requirement to send in all the SAT’s only applies to the the SAT1. My son had three good scores and one he didn’t care for - so he didn’t send it.</p>

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<p>Yeah, S2 wanted to take the Math Level II and English Lit SAT-IIs to show that the Bs were truly due to the course difficulty. He did three, kinda wishes he had done Bio – he took Enviro as a soph after the really good pre-IB bio class, but felt he’d have to go back and review too much Bio to make it worth his while.</p>

<p>It all worked out. He had three scores he was pleased to send.</p>