Hey guys – I’m a junior and I’m thinking of applying to the top tier schools (I have a near perfect SAT, go to the top boarding school, have class rank #5, and won two major national research awards). However, my grades did slip last semester and I’ve been told I need strong standardized test scores to compensate. I decided to get two Subject Tests
“out of the way” my junior fall, so now I have a 770 Spanish w/ Listening score and a 760 Math II score.
These scores may look good, but the curves are really generous on both tests: a 760 on Math II is actually around the 65th %ile and 770 on Spanish is around the 70th. Should I retake them to try to get higher scores and utilize Score Choice? I will probably end up taking the US History test at the end of this year, but I don’t have any other prospective Subject Tests I will be able to take. My family, relatively, doesn’t have financial troubles, but I don’t want to make them pay for me to retake Math II and Spanish unless it’s worth it.
I don’t think those scores are going to be the deciding factor on your applications. They are totally respectable scores. Maybe if you have your heart set on Cal Tech or MIT, I might retake Math 2 but even then, those scores are not going to get you in or keep you out.
I would not.
However, keep in mind that if you are applying to Caltech, their math 2 midrange is 800-800.
Just a side note: If you are applying for engineering at any top school, I’m pretty sure that it is recommended to take a science subject test related to your major as well.
I would not. Not worth the time you’d have to spend on them to get the scores up + the risk that they go down.
Contrary to what you said the curves are actually the opposite of generous: they are quite steep. Such a high percentage of kids get perfect scores that the percentiles drop precipitously with just a couple questions wrong.
Thank you all! I don’t intend on studying science in college (I’m really interested in sociology/anthropology research) so I think I should be fine with the Math 2 score 
Those are fine scores. If you are not a native speaker that’s an excellent score in Spanish.