Hi! I am wondering whether taking SAT subject test in Maths2, Phy, Chem or Maths2, Phy, Literature will make me a more competitive applicant for college of engineering? Given that I am doing an IB student and am doing HL Maths, Phy, Chem but SL English Literature. I’ve heard that Chem is one of the easiest subject tests and the best colleges expect to see an 800, while the Literature subject test itself is quite hard…
Look at the specific test requirements for the colleges of engineering you will apply to. In general most engineering colleges require math 2 and 1 science.
if you score well, any SAT 2 subject tests will make you more competitive. Some schools say recommend or optional, but if you can score well, I would definitely atleast take Math Level 2 and a science.
Be aware that there are now only eight US colleges left that actually require subject tests for admission: MIT, CalTech, Cornell, Harvey Mudd, Rice, Tufts, Cooper Union, and Webb. Harvard may or may not require such tests because its rule is written in incomprehensible, academic double-speak – it says it usually requires two subject tests but then says you do not need to submit them if you cannot afford the tests OR you just do not want to submit them. For each of those other than Harvard, engineering applicants are required to submit two subject tests, one in math and one in science (and for CalTech math 2 is required). In determining admission, those use the highest two scores submitted, as long as one is math and one is science, and ignore others submitted. For Harvard, math and science are recommended for engineering but then it has some more double-speak about number considered, in that it says it will consider any submitted but the highest two are the ones of importance. In other words, submitting a literature test will not add anything if applying for engineering to the eight colleges and little to Harvard.
There are a number of other colleges, generally high rank colleges, that recommend subject tests. In each case, they recommend two and usually a math (including a math 2 at some, e.g., Stanford, Carnegie Mellon ) and science if applying for engineering (the only exception is Georgetown, which stands alone among all colleges in recommending three subject tests, but Georgetown does not have engineering). Most of those consider only the highest two if you submit more than two. Princeton has said it will consider any submitted but the highest two are the ones of real importance. In other words, adding that literature test will likely provide little of any extra value to your chances for admission into engineering.
There are some other colleges that neither require nor recommend subjct tests but say they will consider them if submitted. Those usually state nothing about number or subjects you might want to send but you should not assume that the subject tests are going to be of major consideration at those colleges.
Beyond that, the majority of US colleges do not even use subject tests to determine admission even if you submit them (in many cases those who actually determine admission are not even provided your subject test scores so sending them is pointless), and that includes some high ranked engineering colleges like Illinois and Purdue,
Also, an 800 score is obviously the highest but it is by no means what the top schools that consider subject tests always expect to see. Any scores in the 700’s are usually OK except Caltech and MIT probably get more with 750 to 800 than others.