<p>I know Columbia wants at least two SAT IIs. I've only taken two so far and I'm wondering if I should take another one (if I did I'd take US History). I am probably applying to Columbia College (maybe SEAS, but I already took the required subject tests for that). Is it better if I have a more diverse range of subjects if I want to apply to CC? The issue is that I'm most likely taking the SAT I again in Oct. so I want to plan accordingly. </p>
<p>Also sidenote: I got a 750 on Chemistry and I'm wondering if I should take it again this fall. I feel like if I study during the summer I will get an 800, but I just want to know if its worth it and if it'll matter.</p>
<p>you should take another one/take one of them over again only if you are dissatisfied with your scores and think you can score better in a diff subject or by retaking. if you were applying to SEAS it would be a different story, because taking chem, physics, and math would be a good idea, but CC is not so harsh.
it also depends on which subjects you took. chemistry is a good one. if you took a language one as your second, then you might want to take the US history test, just because language subject tests are not always as impressive, particularly if you take the test for a language you speak at home.
basically, if you scored well, just stick with two and focus on the SAT I and on your high school grades. your report card/transcript grades are THE most important factor for 90% of applicants (although some people are recruited for athletics, etc.).</p>
<p>For Seas, you will need both Chem and MathIIC. So, if you don’t have that, I would take it and allow yourself time to take it twice if need be. Chem score is great, so, leave it. You need a minimum of 2 for Columbia – any two really, but for Seas you need a science and MathII.</p>
<p>mom1966 - well to be precise, he could take MathI or Physics (columbia says chem/physics and one of the math - not chem and mathIIc). </p>
<p>regarding math of course the preference is toward mathIIc because of the higher rigor. and physics v. chem - well that is a student judgment call, but supposing your interest is something so blatantly physics based as mechE it might make sense to take physics.</p>
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<p>to the OP:
columbia (specifically for CC i should say) has no preference regarding breadth or depth because in the end it has seen both and admitted and denied both kinds of students. so in the end it has to make sense regarding who you are and what you want to study. if you are the renaissance type student and can get 750+ scores on a variety of areas, then go for it, show off that mental versatility, but if you’re a science person thru and thru, don’t feel you need to take a humanities sat ii just to prove something. especially if you don’t do well in it.</p>
<p>so in your case unless you have a potential interest in majoring in history, i don’t think it matters to take the US History II, especially if you’re at an AP school and are taking AP test in US history anyhow. if you’re interest is econ, i’d say definitely have a mathiic.</p>
<p>The USH SATII is an incredibly easy test (though the curve isn’t great), so I’d encourage you to take it if you like taking standardized tests. But you definitely don’t have to take any more than two. CC just looks at the top two and I guess SEAS looks at Math and the top science (though I think they’d like to see you take Bio, Chem, and Physics). You shouldn’t worry about it, but you should decide soon whether you want to do CC or SEAS.</p>