<p>My D just returned from SAT2 tests and admitted she freaked out at the last minute and took US History instead of Chemistry for her 2nd exam (took Math2 first), as she didn't feel prepared for Chem. (She's taking AP Chem, AP Calc & AP US History this year). She plans to major in Animal Science and/or Biology and apply to top schools (Cornell, Tufts, RPI, etc). She doesn't think she needs to take a science subject test & I disagree. </p>
<p>Any advice?</p>
<p>Schools typically post on their website any recommendations regarding specific subject tests requirements. For example, if applying to Cornell’s life science program it is recommended that applicants submit subject tests from math and a science.</p>
<p>Why don’t you have her look online for herself? If my child were unwilling to take the recommended subject tests for a school, I would not pay the application fee for that school.</p>
<p>My son is a sophomore in California. He is very interested in biology, genetics, etc… Atlhough for his year, 2012, he is not required to take a subject test to get into a UC (he is aiming for Berkeley) he thinks it would be a good idea to take a subject test especially in biology which will be his major. He thinks if he does well, it will only reflect positively on his admission. You should check the requirements for those universities she is interested… However, that being said, if she is planning on being any science major, especially biology, the colleges will want to see a subject test in a science area. And a biology or chemistry test would be preferred, since she will be taking those subjects in her major…I agree with you. If you plan on being a science major, you have to show proficiency in a science subject.</p>
<p>There is still time to register for the June SATs. It will give a month to study and she will have the AP chem test behind her.</p>
<p>I freaked out too and took math 1 instead of chemistry
might have been a bad idea considering I took math 2 as well… hmm</p>
<p>Thats OK, I’ll take it later</p>
<p>Not only that, coffeecup, but Math1 has a notoriously bad curve. </p>
<p>Take another one in June.</p>
<p>:( which specifically should I take in June?</p>
<p>QUICK QUESTION:
— do colleges care if you did horrible the first time on the sat subject tests, but then later improve. Or do they prefer getting a good score the first time</p>
<p>OR
does it not matter- they just take your highest score regardless on how many times you took it</p>
<p>Consolation - Do you have a table or link to the raw score vs final reported number for all the subject tests. S wil be taking SAT 2 in June and it might sway which tests to take. thanks</p>
<p>Most schools will look at the two tests on which you receive your top two scores. A few require 3 tests, in which case that is what they will look at. Some programs require specific tests, in which case those are what they will look at. </p>
<p>You need to familiarize yourself with the requirements of the schools/programs to which you might apply. Students who are applying to some engineering programs or programs that guarantee med school acceptance may be required to take certain sciences. Most students applying to highly selective non-specialized schools and/or programs will be safest taking MathII, a science, and a social science/literature/language subject.</p>
<p>I would avoid retaking the same test, unless it is required and you got a poor score. (And by “poor score” I do not mean 700!)</p>
<p>mamom: Information about score ranges on individual test is available somewhere on the College Board web site. I don’t know if it has precisely what you asked for, but it does list the percentiles for each final score. The raw score=final score info may possibly be there somewhere. I don’t have a specific link, but if you go there and do some searches you will find it. They also give the score ranges for APs, btw.</p>
<p>620 chem? </p>
<p>retake or no?</p>
<p>My D took chemistry this morning and then also took physics - and midway through, realized she was in over her head on the physics one. (She’s in AP Chem … honors physics, but not AP physics). But it seems from everything I read apparently you can’t cancel the scores for an individual test (only for a day in total, which she doesn’t want to do) but she can choose the scores she sends. And she will be taking 3 other SAT II’s in the June sitting, with the goal of then picking the 2 - 3 she does best on. The schools she’s applying to do not have specific requirements for the types of tests.</p>
<p>coffeecup, it completely depends on where you are applying and how likely you are to get a significantly better score in a different science.</p>
<p>Go with MAMOM’s Post #4 - everything is cool.</p>
<p>For my D. SAT II in US History and AP US History were the hardest. Well, Chem. is her easiest subject both in HS and college, and she never had AP Chem (was not offerred at her HS) and was hand picked by Chem prof at college to be his assistant, which is the best job on campus, that she will have all thru graduation. So, the choice seems to be odd for me, but again, History is the hardest subject for my D., and thanks goodness she does not need to take it in college because of her AP credit. Strange coincidence, that my D. is Zoology major pre-med which is very close to OP’s D major. D. is college senior next year and knowledge and love for chemistry has been very helpful including in prep. for MCAT.</p>
<p>coffeecup - I agree it depends. My younger son was applying to a bunch of top 20 schools and needed good scores to make up for some iffy grades. When he got a 610 on the math he decided he needed to take something else. He ended up with Biology, US History and Lit as his over 700 scores. Some schools want all your SAT 1 scores, but the way they worded it we understood that they didn’t need all the subject test scores, just the two or three best ones.</p>
<p>Unlike MiamiDAP my son wouldn’t touch Chem with a ten foot pole but thought US History was easy if you were taking APUSH at the same time.</p>
<p>OP - I agree with the others - have her take the Chem test in June. If she’s taking AP, she ought to be able to take Chem as well, and to not take it may close doors (or necessitate her taking it later when she may have forgotten some of the material).</p>
<p>
I more-or-less agree with this, but as with everything else, I’d say it depends. My son is a math geek and did retake the Math II as a matter of personal pride. The ascending scores didn’t hurt him in any of his admissions, and since he applied to top math schools the better scores may have been necessary.</p>
<p>You might want to research if there’s any flexibility in the testing requirements for specailized programs the student will be applying to. I’ll use my S as a case in point. He’ll be attending Northwestern U in the fall and received acceptance (separate application) into the honors Integrated Science Program. </p>
<p>Due to the timing of when he was taking certain AP science class and then the corresponding Subject Tests, it was going to be a tight squeeze for him. However, the printed materials for admittance to ISP indicated there might be some flexibility, so he presented what he had and inquiried whether it would meet requirements to apply to the program. Basically, they wanted to see two science Subject Tests and then the Math II Subject Test. He was going to be short a science test, since he was taking AP Chemistry as a senior, and had taken honors Chemistry as a sophomore. However, he’d be coming in very strong in mathematics, having completed Linear Algebra and MV Calc. He was told they’d take into consideration his first semester mark in the AP Chemistry class, for which he had an A.</p>
<p>This Integrated Science Program at NU is like a mini-CalTech in terms of its vigor. He’s very excited about it.</p>
<p>thanks for the input, unfortunately she’s already registered to take SAT I in June. She took it for the first time in January at suggestion of GC, but then realized it was just before midterms, so she didn’t review very much and scored a 2040. Her goal is 2150, so she registered for the June exam. I already started another thread wondering when the subject tests are offered in the fall. </p>
<p>Her GC has been great for the past 2 years, but I’m a bit annoyed at his advice on the January test, as the rest of her friends took it in March. She thought taking SAT 2’s in May would be great (most of her friends did), but she panicked at the last minute, as she’s been spending most of her study time on Calc BC & APUSH, as the teachers are holding study sessions. The Chem teacher is going through a divorce this year and seems to be operating not quite up to his decent reputation (he’s already informed the class that he’s out next Monday and the AP Chem test is Tuesday!) I’m sure she would have done fine on it, but it’s a moot point now.</p>
<p>I would not rely on anybody’s advice / review sessions…etc. At such important time for very important decisions self-evaluating and planning customized to personal needs is of the most importance. D’s very good college advisor did not know about most of programs that D. was interested to apply. We did not blame him, he had many kids, it was a family responsibility to research / find the best match as well as the best set of tests to take based on personal goals. There are specific goals attached to each tests, there is no way college advisor is in position to know very detailed aspects of each student’s college admission process. And on top of it, his own goal is to place top students in most selective colleges, which was not my D’s goal at all. The same goes with advising at UG colleges when they are ready to apply to Graduate Schools. You have to evaluate advising based on your own personal goals and keeping in mind that advisor has a set of his peronal goals also.</p>
<p>nj2011mom, my son was also already registered for SAT1 in June, we were able to switch it the SAT subject tests instead and my son retook the SAT1 in the fall. It’s definitely easier to do subject tests in the spring if they correspond to courses you are taking.</p>