<p>With all this SAT strategizing, it’s important not to overlook the fact that SAT Subject Tests are important, too, and strategy there is also crucial.</p>
<p>An earlier post in this thread gave some excellent information. The following tidbits may also be useful:</p>
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<li><p>The optimum time to take Math II is at the end of precalculus. If the student is not taking precalculus until senior year, it’s best to avoid Math II if possible.</p></li>
<li><p>Not all high school curricula are a good match for the SAT Subject Test in that area. It’s worthwhile to check this out for your specific school, both by asking around at school and by having the student try a practice test. Even if chemistry is your best subject, if your school’s chemistry course doesn’t match the expectations of the chemistry Subject Test, you may be better off taking something else.</p></li>
<li><p>AP Biology, Chemistry, and U.S. History provide good preparation for the subject tests in those fields. AP Physics, not so much. </p></li>
<li><p>Some students deliberately design their high school schedules so that they take AP Biology, Chemistry, or U.S. History in 10th or 11th grade, rather than 12th, specifically for the purpose of getting a high score on the corresponding Subject Test. This makes for a weird-looking high school schedule, and it does put the student in a very rigorous course rather early, but it works well for some people.</p></li>
<li><p>There is no law that says that you have to wait until after you take the SAT before taking SAT Subject Tests. In fact, depending on their course choices, some students would be well advised to take one or more of these tests in 10th or even 9th grade. For example, a student who takes AP U.S. History in 10th grade and wants to take the U.S. History Subject Test should take it at the end of 10th grade, before everything he knows about U.S. History vanishes from his brain.</p></li>
</ol>