<p>My Careers teacher was telling us that to get into competitive colleges, we need SAT II. He also said that he believes the Academies require it also. Is this true?</p>
<p>USNA does not look at them.</p>
<p>Some schools do, some don't. For example, Davidson, now possibly the most competitive school in NC (I can hear Duke chains rattling already) suggests it and does not require it. W&L ... yes. WFU ...no Wm&Mary ... no Ivies ... yes. Lehigh, Bucknell, F&M ... no Rice, Stanford ... yes Michigan, Penn State, UNC ... no, even for outtastaters and honors colleges </p>
<p>This is a real mixed bag and becoming more so, and your counselor is making a generalization that in many cases is not necessary though undoubtedly well meant. ID your evoked set of schools and see what they want. </p>
<p>As 69 has rightly informed, USNA does not even accept them. No place for them on the app.</p>
<p>chris-
while the Service Academies do not require SATIIs, most other competetive colleges- especially those considered the "Tier 1" schools- do.</p>
<p>Would suggest looking carefully at the admission requirements for the schools you will be applying to, and if required, take them.</p>
<p>If you do not have your list "finalized," then take them.</p>
<p>While you may not need them for USNA, you might need them for your Plan B, C, D and even E..... (and backup plans are a must!)</p>
<p>Best of luck!</p>
<p>Whoops. Stanford no longer requires SAT II. Sorry.</p>
<p>With the prevalence of AP and IB exams, I would bet that the SAT Subject Tests will be phased out pretty soon. Fewer schools are requiring them and most just suggest taking them. I personally refuse to take any Subject Tests because I've taken 7 AP exams so far and that should be a pretty good indicator of how well I can do in certain subjects.</p>
<p>How the California system goes the rest of the major universities go. UC system requires two SATII in different subject areas i.e. can not be two sciences and requires the level 2 in math if you take a Math SATII. The whole reason the SATI was revamped with the Math section now resembling the SATII level 1 math and the doing away with analogies and basing the Math and English somewhat more in tune with the ACT was all the UC system's doing when they threatened to pull out of SAT and only accept the ACT's. The system speaks and College Board listens with the rest of the country tagging behind. Would not bet on SATII going away anytime soon especially since many state universities require them for home schooled applicants.</p>
<p>Sorry to say AP's test what material your teacher has been told will most likely be on the AP test with many teachers only teaching to that test and have study session after study session to prepare for that test. Probably why USNA uses their own validation tests for Chem, Physics and some of Calculus.</p>
<p>And students who study for the SAT Subject Tests have study session after study session preparing for the subject tests. They only learn the material that is on the Subject Test. It's all relative...</p>
<p>CB has SATII Subject test guides which include 4 practice test which you can review, they do not provide teachers with course material, dozens of practice tests, DBQ's or the likes. Math tests material over two years of algebra, one year of geometry, and elementary functions (precalculus) and/or trigonometry. 4 years of classes, one or two which were typically taken in Middle school. Granted most of the tests are just one year courses but unlike AP you have no idea what the focus will be. CB provides to the teachers course outlines for that years materials to which the teachers structure their class around. Teach all year long one subject matter outlined by CB, provide DBQ's of the type that college board indicates could be on this years test. Very little creativity for the teacher. (Why many teachers do not like teaching AP courses) It is not all relative when you compare the scores from AP to SATII's. Most of the top tier schools that mine applied to and was accepted to did not accept AP scores for admissions but all required SATII's. USNA and GT were the only two who did not require SATII's.</p>
<p>I did not know one student who took a SATII study course after usually spending $$$ on the SATI courses or tutoring. Some bought some of the books to study by themselves with most taking the appropriate SATII just at the May testing date following the AP tests.</p>
<p>The University of Pennsylvania and Brown (Ivy League) allow you to substitute the ACT for the SAT II subject tests -
Whistle Pig is right - it is a mixed bag</p>
<p>It is a mixed bag....</p>
<p>which is why the suggestion:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>If you know what schools you will be applying to, check out the requirements for admission. If SATII's are required, take them. If not, don't.</p></li>
<li><p>If you DO NOT know what schools you will be applying to, then you have no way to know at this point if you will need, or not need, SATII's..... therefore, take them. </p></li>
</ol>
<p>Some things to keep in mind concerning APs:
-not all schools will accept
-some schools will accept only if a certain score is reached (4 or 5)
-some schools will accept (as noted above) but will only count it as an "elective" and not as an "in place of" course
-some schools will accept (based on grade) and will count towards fulfilling that specific requirement</p>
<p>once again, a mixed bag.....
just something to add to your "list of questions" when doing your data collection on your school choices!</p>
<p>Thank you for all of the information. It is really helpful. I really hope</p>
<p>And hope is one of the big 3 emoticons to retain always ... ;)</p>
<p>I live in Tennessee and almost no one takes the SAT, so should I take
SAT II's if applying for NROTC colleges (as a back up to USNA)?</p>
<p>Look to see what the back up colleges require and then decided if you should take the SATII's.</p>
<p>Yep, if the NROTC universities call for SAT II's, then you need to take them, in addtition to your ACTs. No getting around it if the U. requires.</p>