<p>I'm a Junior in high school and I'm planning on applying to Columbia next year. I will be submitting my ACT score (instead of a SAT score), which is a 36. I saw on Columbia's official website that applicants who submit ACT score are not required to submit SAT subject tests, but "are welcome to if they have taken the tests." I was wondering if anyone could give any input on if that means it would be to my benefit to take the tests or not. I'm looking to major in Political Science or History (pre law), so there's only one subject test that pertains to that at all (the US history one), and then otherwise I would jut have to take the Spanish language one because I would need to submit two (right??). Any advice would be appreciated!</p>
<p>Congratulations on your perfect score.</p>
<p>You should take some subject tests so that you can apply more broadly. Despite the 36 score, your chance of admission still might be 1 in 5 at the top schools and so it would be a good idea to take subject tests in order to be able to apply to other schools which require them (4 out of 8 Ivy schools do).</p>
<p>There is no reason you should limit yourself specific subject tests. If you are good at some subject tests, you can take them. Nothing stopping you from taking Math I or II, English Literature, foreign language, History or any science subjects you are doing well on. Showing proficiency is a good thing. Several schools do give you a waiver for foreign language based on your SAT II score (I think Harvard lists it at 700 but others may be lower).</p>
<p>If you are taking any APs, the best time to take a subject test is May or June during or just after APs while you remember the subject.</p>
<p>texaspg gives excellent advise and information. The only thing I would advise is to be aware of test reporting policies of each of the schools you are considering prior to choosing the subject tests you plan on taking. If you have any that require you to submit all tests you’ve ever taken (as opposed to score choice or single highest sitting) you will want to choose with a eye towards the subjects you will confidently score well in. You don’t want to take subject tests in some subjects just to see how you’ll do thinking you can bury anything that isn’t really good, only to find later one of your schools requires all scores and you have to report that ‘whoopsie’ 580. You can take up to three subjects on a single test date. Not all subjects are offered on all test dates so make sure you check the schedule in advance.</p>
<p>From this link you can check each remaining SAT date this spring to see which subject tests are offered on each date:
<a href=“The SAT – SAT Suite | College Board”>The SAT – SAT Suite | College Board;
<p>blueiguana - thanks for pointing it out! With OP’s perfect score, I did not think about making that addendum.</p>
<p>Until this year Columbia required two SAT subject tests even if you submitted ACT. It has now joined a number of other colleges, including Yale, Penn and Brown, that accept ACT alone even though SAT subject tests are still required if you submit SAT. What Columbia means by you are welcome to submit the tests is an unknown but you should assume that they might help a little if they are high scores. </p>
<p>If your intent is to apply to any other colleges that require subject tests you should definitely take them. Harvard, Princeton, Dartmouth, and Cornel require two even if you submit ACT. Thus, taking two would be a good choice. Don’t try to overthink that you must have something that is the same as your possible major. Math is always a good choice if you can do well and virtually anything else, includiung a language (as long as you are not a native speaker-- some colleges state they are unimpressed with high language scores from a native speaker) is fine for Poly Sci.</p>
<p>Thanks for all of the information everyone! I’m trying to figure everything out, and I just don’t want to make any mistakes that would make me a less drsireable candidte, like not submiting scores that are tacitly preferable.</p>