I was looking for some advice about which SAT II scores I should send.
I’ll be sending my SAT I, which comes out to a 2210 super score (770 CR/680M/760 W).
As for my subject tests, I have the following:
780 USH (sending this to all colleges).
680 Math I
690 Math II
650 Spanish (retook it and got a 640, so I’m not even considering sending the second test date).
Except for Georgetown, none of my other schools require a complete testing history and I can choose which SAT IIs to send. I was wondering if it would be worth it to send the 650 Spanish at all, since that test is known to be difficult? What about the Math II?
I’m also going to be taking the SAT II Literature in December, as I think I could score well on it.
Colleges I’m Applying To
Brown, Stanford, CMC, William & Mary, Lafayette, Occidental, Middlebury, Dickinson (I have some other safeties as well they just don’t take SAT IIs)
I think Stanford and Brown will want to see the Math II score.
@Massmomm even though its not above 700? (I don’t want a lower score in math, my weaker subject, to hurt my application)
Why don’t you wait until you see the Literature score and reask this question then?
Check the websites to see if they take the Dec test date scores. By the time the scores come back, it might not be enough time to get them there by Jan 1.
@yonceonhismouth, I think Stanford and Brown require the Math II score. At least they did when my kids were applying to those schools a few years back. The score won’t help, but if the schools require it, you have to send it. And to be honest, I don’t know anyone with scores under 700 in any category who got into S or B. (Others here may know of kids who did, so I hope they chime in.)
@bwaygirl1 The December SAT scores are available on 12/22. Most top universities will accept December scores based on the schools that I have checked (particularly private schools).
Testing requirements change year by year. Stanford’s Subject Tests are optional and Brown says any 2 tests.
For the most competitive schools I would NOT send subject tests under a 700 unless they require them. It will only hurt you. And for the record, I know someone who was applying ED to Vandy and they told her not to send her subject test scores unless they were in the top 10%…hard to do on subject tests, but that’s what they told her. She had a 700 Math II and did NOT send it.
^ I hope she misheard. That would be awful advice. That means that Vandy would only get 800s on Math 2 exams since a 790 is 89%ile.
she definitely did not mishear the rep. I thought the same thing though because the percentiles are so low on that test in particular. My daughter just got a 790 and it was 76%. With that said, I don’t think sending anything in the 600’s would be a wise thing to do at some of those really competitive schools.
I’m not a big fan of “I heard from a friend” quotes; unless I heard it personally, I would not believe it, especially when this advice is totally bad. That would mean that no applicant could send in scores for M2, physics, and most foreign languages, since an 800 on those subjects are all below the 90th percentile.
It varies by year, but I believe the most recently published is actually 77.
https://secure-media.collegeboard.org/digitalServices/pdf/sat/sat-percentile-ranks-subject-tests-2015.pdf
@skieurope this is not just a friend of a friend sort of thing. I am advising a student who was told this by the Vandy rep that came to our school. She told me minutes after it happened. I think top 10% is a bit unrealistic, but I do think percentile is something they look at and just because you get a 700 on a subject test, doesn’t mean it will strengthen your application. It depends on the school.
Some schools outright say that they won’t use additional, non-required info unless it sheds light on you in a positive way. Others suggest you don’t send unless you want it to be used. When in doubt, I suggest we contact the admissions people at the school and just ask. They will be the best to answer and will be honest.
And as for the math 2, my daughter just got her 790 and it was 76%.
So I guess she won’t waste time by applying to Vandy. 
Seriously though, great score.
Whether 1 person misspoke or the other person misheard is a red herring. Bottom line: it’s bad advice and should not be perpetuated. There’s a great difference between saying that a <700 Subject Test will not enhance an application vs. saying don’t send in any Subject Test score that is less than the top 10 percentile. 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. I really do not think that AO’s have the luxury of time to sit on the floor and crossreference scores with percentiles. But that’s just me.
@skieurope I see your point. However, when you are talking about a school like Vandy, making a general comment about subject tests being top 10% is really not that much of a stretch. I completely agree with your point about the Math II subject test, but I think it varies by test. My daughter took Math I at the same time and got a 780 and that was 98%! I think the comment the Vandy rep was making was very general, and of course they would prefer the 790 math II over the 780 Math I. However generally speaking, as it relates to scores needed to get in to Vandy on the regular SAT or ACT, students without hooks probably need to be in the 97% or above. Yes, the population of test takers for the subject tests is more “elite” because most people don’t take them, but the 10% is still higher than the top 3% that they want on the regular tests.
I think the overall point on the subject tests is that you should be aware of your percentile and make decisions accordingly.
As it relates to an elite and most selective school like Vandy, I’m not sure sending a 700 Math II would help…not sure it would actually hurt, but I don’t think it would strengthen the application. But it would help at another school that might not be as selective but still a really good school. There’s no exact formula…everyone needs to do what they think is best!