I just took the SAT subject test Math2 and Physics. I’ve always been naturally good at math. I have all A’s on math courses and currently taking AP Calc AB. I also did practice tests for preparation. Yet, I can barely manage to finish the test? The first 35 are easy, but the second half was so difficult. I didn’t finish all the questions and probably got some incorrect ones for the questions I did write.
Physics was a bit easier for me. I had around 5 minutes left at the end to check. But I suspect that I got a lot of incorrects for the ones I wrote. I also left ~7 blanks.
Anyone else experiencing this? Any solutions? Help!
How much time did you spend studying and what colleges are you aiming for? I cannot tell much about physics but I can help you on Math II (I just took it today too). First of, buy/rent/borrow a Barron’s Prep book for SAT MATH II and do the same for the College Board SAT MATH II Official Guide. Read Barron’s Prep book thoroughly, take notes if needed cuz you have remember a lot of the formulas, do all the exercises of each chapter and then do all 7 Barron’s tests. Now, Barron’s prep book tends to be wayyyy harder then the actual Sat Math II, so don’t feel frustrated at first. After Barron’s Book, do the 4 tests you get from the Official Guide, they are the real released tests. Now you are 100% ready.
Honestly, if you can’t finish the test on time, either you are not familiar with the topics or you have not practiced enough. Also, try to maximize your calculator ability, I say 70% of the questions can be solved or very helpful with a graphing calculator.
I took Math 2 just after the AP Calc AB exam this past May, and let me tell you, I was not prepared. At all. I studied for calc, not Math 2, and that was a bad plan. I got a 740, and I left probably about 10 questions blank because I ran out of time. So I bought the Barron’s book in August after deciding to retake it. After all, I got a 5 on calc. I should be able to do better than a 740 on Math 2. On the first practice test I took, at the very end of the summer, I got a 680. After working all the example problems in each chapter of the book, I got a 740 on a practice test I took last week. I did my retake today, and it went so much better than the first time around. I cannot emphasize that enough. It was amazing. I didn’t run out of time, and I left only 3 problems blank. You are not alone in thinking that test is hard. I like to explain it by saying that it tests you on all those weird pre-calc concepts the teacher only spent one day on. If you think you can do better, I’d go for a retake. Even though I don’t have my score yet, I’d be willing to bet that it worked out for me.
So you left 10 blanks and still got a 740? That’s not too bad actually. Do you happen to remmebe/predict how many questions you got incorrectly on for the 740 test?
@StressedSeniorInt Math II has a more forgiving curve than Math I - you can miss a few questions on Math II and still score 800. It is a pretty fast test, so doing some practice tests and reviewing pre-calc topics not commonly found in Calculus AB (e.g. polar/spherical coordinates, vector/matrix operations, some statistics) can help.
It’s been a long time since I took the subject tests so my knowledge of what is and isn’t covered might be a bit rusty. I got 800 and 740 on Math II and Physics respectively without much preparation on either, although I had participated in many math contests in high school (such as the AMC 12, AIME) which seemed to help a lot.
I’m an African from Nigeria, I will be taking my sat subject test in Nov 4th and New sat test on Dec 2nd 2017. my main questions are
is the Sat subject really difficult? back in high school I do skip maths classes but now I will have to take Level 1 maths sat subject test but I don’t know anything when it come to maths.
since I’m an African who schooled in Africa, will my Sat subject test be as difficult and the same as USA Sat subject test takers own or will it be easier, after all USA and Africa (Nigeria) do not teach the same or have the same teaching skills.
during the exam will help be rendered to the sat takers or will they be left all alone?.
is Barron’s literature and level 1 maths review book harder than the main exam