My daughter’s top 2 subject test scores are a 690 (chem) and 730 (Bio E). She is not sending these in. None of her colleges require them, but coming as she is from an affluent NJ suburb with a top school system, will this be held against her? Is “optional” for these tests really optional? Her top college choices are places like Emory, U Michigan, Boston U, Tufts, Lehigh, Wisconsin…so not Ivies.
My son sent in a Bio 720 (took both E and M versions and got the same score each time), Lit 700 and US Hist 790 to all the schools he applied to including Tufts and got in. (Also got into U of Chicago and Vassar.)
I’ve seen people say that upper middle class kids shouldn’t consider these optional, but I’ve never heard an admissions officer say it.
Those are decent scores, but if the colleges don’t require them, they don’t require them. If they suggest, but don’t require them, it’s a good idea to submit them, but they are only one piece of an entire application package.
The only school on your list that was also on my kid’s list is UMich.
Here’s the UMich Class of 2023 Results thread:
http://talk.qa.collegeconfidential.com/university-michigan-ann-arbor/2117611-university-of-michigan-class-of-2023-ea-results-thread-p1.html
Here’s the UMich Class of 2022 Results thread:
http://talk.qa.collegeconfidential.com/university-michigan-ann-arbor/2042249-university-of-michigan-class-of-2022-early-action-decision-thread-p2.html
Some kids send them, some don’t. You can still be accepted, even if you don’t send them. Also, there are some kids who send them with similar scores. Per the CDS, standardized test scores are considered “important.”
There can be a difference between “recommended” versus “optional”. It is commonly said that “recommended” should be treated as “required” for non-disadvantaged* students, but “optional” really means optional.
*Meaning in a school environment where no one ever mentions that things like SAT subjects exist, cannot afford the testing fees, etc…
Princeton: ”Some students may find the cost of taking and submitting SAT subject tests to be prohibitive. Please note you will not be penalized for not submitting SAT subject tests if the cost of taking the tests causes financial hardship. “
Harvard: “While we recommend that you submit two SAT Subject Tests, you may apply without them if the cost of the tests represents a financial hardship”
CMU : ”Some students may find the cost of taking and submitting SAT Subject Tests to be prohibitive. Applicants won’t be penalized if the cost of taking the SAT Subject Tests causes financial hardship and as a result, prohibits their submission.”
I’ve personally heard a few others.
I am certainly not recommending that middle class parents pretend taking the SAT subject tests was too expensive, or that if the website says recommended, but not required that is the same thing as “optional”.
Tufts finally got rid of their “optional” essay because they couldn’t persuade applicants that they really meant optional.
from Emory’s website:
“SAT II subject exams are encouraged but not required. Students are encouraged to submit these scores for academic areas of strength and/or interest. Since these exams are not required, students have a choice of which subject exams they want to report.”
How would one interpret that? My daughter has a 1470 SAT (730/740, not superscored), and took 3 AP tests Junior year, scoring 4 on two of them and 5 on the other one (taking 3 more now I think).
personally I would send them in. Also find out if a teacher or the GC may be mentioning the AP scores which won’t hurt. I’d only ask if the AP teacher(s) is not one of the ones writing a recommendation.
If she’s serious about Emory, she should submit her strongest score. It sounds as if they really expect you to submit one if you were able to pay for the test. Encourage is a strong word and they further clarify it by saying that students can choose which exam they want to report, which means they expect students will want to submit one.
I think it would look worse to submit none and imply that she never took a subject exam than to submit one with a good, but not perfect score.