<p>How many of these should a student take? And is the SAT II a subject test or is this an entirely different test?</p>
<p>SAT II is an outdated term for the SAT Subject Tests, not a different test.</p>
<p>A student should take the tests required or recommended by the colleges/programs he/she applies to. Take a look at the Web sites of colleges and programs your student is interested in and see what the requirements/recommendations are.</p>
<p>Usually, if a school requires or recommends SAT Subject Tests at all, the student will be asked to take two in different fields (for example, the student might choose U.S. history and biology, but biology and physics would not be acceptable because they are both in the same field – science).</p>
<p>For certain majors, especially engineering, specific Subject Tests may be required (usually math and a physical science). And there are other instances in which schools set specific requirements, either for all applicants or for applicants to specific programs. </p>
<p>A very few schools require three Subject Tests. VERY few.</p>
<p>I see no point in taking more Subject Tests than necessary. Others may disagree.</p>
<p>SAT II = Subject test. Most schools require 2 or fewer; a few require three. Some want Math or science and a humanities, while some engineering require Math 2 and another science. Some will exempt foreign language or give language placement based on them. So to be perfectly safe, there’s NO point in taking more than 4 - Math, a Science, a Humanities, and a Foreign Language. And probably less, if you aren’t going to score that well on a foreign language or don’t want to go to the schools that require specific flavors of tests.</p>
<p>Except for homeschoolers, who often need all the outside validation they can get and should take as many as they can do well in if they don’t have <strong>completed</strong> APs or community college courses at the time of applications.</p>
<p>In any case, the tests need to be taken before some point in fall/winter of the senior year (depending on the college).</p>
<p>Clear as mud? :)</p>
<p>EDIT - Cross-posted with Marian</p>
<p>Thanks Marian and GeekMom. Just trying to determine if D should take the Physics Subject test this June after finishing Honors Physics. She won’t complete AP Physics until her senior year. In my day we took the SAT and that was it.</p>
<p>My daughter took her subject tests after taking the class: honors biology freshman year/biology subject test in June after freshman year. She didn’t want to take AP biology and her honors class had been intensive. She bought an SAT subject test book and used it to prep. Did fine … much better than if she had waited till senior year.</p>