I’m a future international undergraduate and I’m in the midst the application process. Also, I’m taking all of the required tests in the upcoming months (already took the SAT October test, will be taking the TOEFL later this month and the SAT subjects in December).
I was wondering whether the SAT Math Level 1 is taken less seriously then Math Level 2 test, say in the eyes of a highly selective school, or is it good enough combined with another SAT Subject test? I’m not really strong at math (I’m not bad either, it just doesn’t come that easily to me as it does to other more “sciencey” people), but along with World History they are the only subjects in which I can get a high score. I’m worried a not-so-well-rounded combination such as this might come across as unfocused.
I am not planning on majoring in something that has great relation to math or science. And yes, most of the schools on my list, or at least my top school-choices, require the SAT subject tests.
If you have taken trigonometry and precalculus math, choose math level 2. Math level 1 is for those who have not yet completed trigonometry and precalculus math (most high school seniors in the US are currently enrolled in it, but many of those aiming for highly selective schools have completed it the previous year).
Check each university to find out what subject tests it wants to see.
I am an international student and a non traditional one for that matter, and the high-school experience is really pre-history for me (it’s been almost 6 years). I’m rusty with almost all the math and science subjects. I’m merely trying to do the SAT subjects - at all costs. but that is exactly where my question lies; with my current limits, does it worth it?
Have you completed trigonometry and precalculus? If so take math 2.
But if you’re not going into STEM why not choose Literature? Along with World History it’d be perfectly coherent and “better” than math 1. Math 1 really isn’t considered very seriously and its curve is wicked (unlike Math2, which has a more generous curve).
@Dramaticv Am self studying for MATH 2, because I saw the content is not so hard to relearn(been on a gap year). I think, however, its better to take MATH 1 for you, if you don’t plan to read. Its fairly easy, but the mean is 621, you NEED to be above that, while in MATH 2 its 686!. Big chance you’ll be below that, considering your 6 year gap.
Otherwise if you don’t plan on reading. Take World History, Chemistry, Bio M or Literature(Fairly Easy with little reading SAT 2s). Since Non STEM majors won’t require a MATH + SCIENCE SAT 2.
True, the stronger students can explain the higher scores.
But: No, in this instance I meant the curve is wicked, as in, one Math 1 error drops your score much more than one math 2 error, keeping in mind pretty much everyone will make a few errors… - Math2 allows for a couple mistakes to still result in a perfect 800, whereas Math1, each mistake dings your score by a huge chunk. Make 4 errors in Math 2? Still 800. In Math 1? 700-730. If the student is a bit weaker and makes 10 mistakes, the score difference is huge. If they’ve not studied trigonometry then it’s not possible to take Math 2 and they have to hope they get close to 100% on the easier questions, but if they have a grasp of trigonometry (which is not the majority of questions on Math 2) then they’re better off taking Math 2.
In this case though, I’d recommend World History (as OP says it’ll be okay) and Literature (same level as Reading for ACT, with different texts).
Math 2 sometimes has a simple matrix questions, and vectors also appear regularly. 65,319 students took Math 1 last year, so it must be worth something somewhere.
Math I is more difficult per my son who took both and received a 710 on math I and 800 math math II one year apart.
I don’t see any reason to take math I of you are going to take math II, but taking 2 subjects tests such as Math II + Chemistry/Physics is typical for science/engineering majors, Math II + History/Literature for LA majors.
