SAT Subject Tests

Colleges & Universities A-Z University of Michigan
1

<p>Hi,</p>

<p>I asked a question on this forum a bit ago about SAT IIs and wanted to re-ask my question with new information. I am applying to U of M and I'm trying to get a merit scholarship (which will obviously be difficult). I'm wondering if I should submit my SAT IIs to make myself more competitive or more.</p>

<p>I scored a 750 on Math II and a 780 on Biology. Would they help, hinder, or do nothing to my application if my ACT score is:</p>

<p>34 Composite
33 Math
35 English
36 Science
32 Reading </p>

<p>Other stats:
4.0 UW GPA
Very competitive high school
Great ECs</p>

2

<p>Oh and thanks in advance to anyone who responds :)</p>

3

<p>I don’t think it will hinder to your application, your bio will help.</p>

4

<p>they won’t hinder. the math won’t help i imagine, considering that 750 is 78th percentile. biology, depending on M or E is between 95 and 98 percentile so that’ll surely help. </p>

<p>Source: <a href=“http://4089962002.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/subjtestpercentileranks.pdf[/url]”>http://4089962002.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/subjtestpercentileranks.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>In any case, your stats are good. If the rest of your app is solid, you’re in.</p>

5

<p>Should I only send the bio then? Or would that be weird?</p>

6

<p>Statistically, the difference between a 720 and a 780 is just a few multiple choice questions on a single test and on a single day. College admissions understand standard deviation curves. They look for an overall picture. You are parsing the numbers too finely. </p>

<p>Colleges admit people, not numbers. Your numbers all say (including math II) that you are a stellar test taker. Spend you time, not on obsessing over numbers, but boosting your “interesting student” quotient. College are putting together a class of people who will live and work together for four years, and be alumni (making big donations) for 30 years. So adcoms are likely to hand out merit money to not just people with good numbers, but people who have the social skills, are interesting to live with for four years, be successful professionally, make big bucks, and big donation. In that context, the difference between a 750 and a 780 seems pretty small.</p>

7

<p>srrinath, a 750 may be the 72nd percentile, but the caliber of students who take the SAT II is pretty high, so the score is still respectable. I have known students who got into Ivy League Schools and Stanford with 750 on the SAT II. Getting a 750 on the SAT II is like getting a 4 on AP Calculus BC or a B in A Level Mathematics; sure the score is not perfect, but it the level is advanced and the result is still pretty good.</p>

<p>To the OP, Michigan does not attach much importance to SAT subject tests, but I can’t see how it would hurt. You might as well submit them.</p>