My rising senior son has the following SAT Subject test scores:
Math 2: 800
Physics: 800
Literature: 780
US History: 780
Suppose he’s applying to HYPSM and a mix of other LACs and Ivies. Should he just sent the Math 2 and Physics, or all of them, or just some? The 780 Lit puts him in the 97th percentile but the Math 2 only puts him in the 80th percentile.
I’d send the full score report with all. They show he’s well rounded. As you see, lots of kids get 800 on Math 2.
Send them all. In all likelihood, they will just focus on the 800’s.
At the Ivy League school I’m attending, little elves in the basement (well, work/study students) assemble a cover sheet which lists only the top 2 scores; the other scores will appear further inside the package if the AO decides to dig for them.
If you are concerned about the percentile, it is important to understand that for several subjects, the percentiles are depressed because so few colleges request Subject Tests, that the one that do are the ultra selective ones. As a result, it is the high achieving kids taking the tests. No AO is sitting on the floor cross-referencing scores with percentiles.
If they just look at two, wouldn’t it be better to include Math and Literature? Math and Physics 800s seem to be a very common combination. Would it show more balance, or is it just a number?
Send all. There’s no way a 780 is going to hurt him, it’s basically a perfect score.
No. Send the best ones. If a college wanted Subject Tests that showed breadth of knowledge in humanities vs. STEM, they would tell you.
But the reality is, a 780 vs an 800 for any applicant will not be the difference between acceptance and rejection.
Send them all. Although they only look at the top scores, the other scores show versatility. Also, 780 on Literature is brutally good.