Hey everyone,
I am going to be applying to some top tier schools in the fall and was wondering if I should take the world history subject test in june. I know most college require 2 subject tests and right now I have gotten a 780 in bio and 740 in U.S. history. I am registered for Math 2 and world history right now, but was wondering if I even need to take the world history test. I think I could get a fairly good score in math and I already have a good biology score. Is my U.S. history score high enough to use as a back up score in case math doesn’t go as well as I think? Also, if you suggest not taking the world history test, do you know how I can cancel my registration for 1/2 tests? Lastly, I think I am going to major in something involving social studies or humanities (ie. not math and science). Thanks so much!
You don’t need world history, and you don’t even need math unless a college specifies it and/or you are applying for a STEM related major. All of your current scores are good enough.
@Lindagaf thats a relief! Is a 740 really ok for an ivy league application? Also, do you know if/how i can cancel one of my tests.
Just google how to cancel SAT scores. Yes, your score is high enough. Rule of thumb for subject tests is anything over 700. Although, for Math 2, it should be really high. Only because something like 80% of math 2 takers get 800, or similar.
Your scores are fine and you don’t need to take another one unless you apply to a school that strongly encourages or requires three. I think a 740 is fine even for Ivy League. My daughter took three as she was applying to Georgetown. She got Lit 740, USH 780, and French w/ Listening 610. She actually submitted the French to only four schools (the “free” ones you can choose before you know score) and Columbia was one of them, and she still got accepted (she got into all of them actually). It’s just one factor in your application and I don’t think most schools place much emphasis on them.
You don’t need to take the World History subject test, however, adding a second or third subject only has minimal cost. If you think you can get 700s in World History with little preparation, it may be good to try to see if it works out better. You don’t have to decide now and wait till the test day to see how you feel on taking it.
800 is about 80th percentile score, meaning about 20% of students receive 800s.
I would take the math anyway because even if you’re not going to STEM related field, colleges would like to see math along with history or another non-stem sat 2. I don’t know about cancelling but as others have said, you can just not take the test. Even if you signed up for 2, you can just take 1.
Unless a college says they want a Math SAT 2, they don’t care which SAT 2 scores you submit.
If you’ve registered for two and decide to take fewer, just turn in your sheet after your first test.
https://collegereadiness.collegeboard.org/sat-subject-tests/taking-the-test/test-day#changing-tests
I agree with the others; no need to take 2 additional.
the difference of math 1 vs math 2 for STEM, or even non-STEM is substantial. As long as some elite STEM colleges require Math 2 - Cal Tech, Berkeley, UCLA, Harvey Mudd, you’ll have to take Math 2 to be competitive. A couple of reasons for this, these colleges like many others know that Math 1does not give any more information to admissions than the Math section of the SAT or ACT. So let’s say you’re applying to a school that says we don’t care (on paper), like Stanford or MIT. People that apply to Cal Tech or UCB will also apply to Stanford and MIT, and their Math 2 will show that they have more math knowledge than applicants with Math 1 score. So, if you have taken precalc as a junior, take the Math 2, your fellow applicants will have, and most likely have a 800.