<p>I'm currently a homeschooled freshman taking classes at a local community college. I just finished Calc 2, and I'm on to Calc 3/Dif Eq next semester (in terms of math). I'm also doing calc-based physics next semester.</p>
<p>As of now, I'm interested in engineering and the schools that are good for that major (aka CalTech), so when I apply I would like to have the best chances I can get.</p>
<p>This May I got a 790 on the Math 2 SAT Subject Test, should I take it again over the next couple years before I apply, or should I stick with what I've got?</p>
<p>On a side note, I took the AP Calc AB test, and I really didn't do well on it (it felt bad), due to lack of studying and other factors (Calc 1 was last semester and I was never taught to the test). I mainly took it for the practice (I'm taking the BC test seriously next year). Should I cancel my score, since I'm pretty sure it will be bad, or should I keep it?</p>
<p>Math II is really, really easy to get an 800 in with adequate preparation, and so is the AP exam very easy to get a 5 in for even those who’re terrible at math, to be honest. I’d focus on actually learning calculus well, because that’s very, very important if you’re going to be an engineer. Ditto on IMS’s advice regarding doing well on the BC exam. Be sure to get yourself to the point of getting a 5 with zero effort on the BC.</p>
<p>I’m very sure that all of my scores from my high school career are going to be valid when I apply.</p>
<p>I know math well, especially calculus (my calc 1 teacher thought that I had taken calculus before, when I took his class), it’s just that I wasn’t taught to the test and I had very little time to study for the AB exam. The stuff I was actually taught, I KNEW, the stuff I wasn’t I winged it :/</p>
<p>I am definitely going to get a 5 on the BC exam next year. I’ll know the AB stuff I hadn’t been taught (for example, I was never taught diff eq’s), etc, etc.</p>
<p>The biggest thing that got my in my actual calc class tests was stupid mistakes, which can hurt you a lot on MC exams because of the lack of partial credit, so that’s probably some of what happened.</p>
<p>Don’t be a tool. Don’t retake. Good luck on your BC test, it should erase any problems your AB test might cause for you. And basically, listen to IMSAgeek, she knows what she’s talking about.</p>
<p>Whoa, dang, you are a freshman and you’ve finished a lot of calc! Don’t worry about your Math II; I am sure the other areas in math where you excel at will make up for it.</p>
<p>Why would you “worry” about analysis or algebra? They’re supposed to be fun. (assuming you like math past calculus, but most people don’t; while nothing definite can be said, it’s rare to have someone major in engineering and find algebra or analysis interesting, but there certainly are exceptions.)</p>
<p>Good luck finding anyone who would distinguish between an 800 and a 790. If you do, I’m not sure you’d be able to stand them for longer than a minute or two. They might also believe 80 hours of volunteering is far better than 79 hours.</p>
<p>I usually shy away from threads of this type, but this is completely incorrect. The difference between a 790 and an 800 on the subject test is enormous, unlike the difference on the reasoning test. This is due to the fact that you can miss upwards of a dozen questions and still get an 800. If you obtain an 800 on the test, I can’t distinguish if you missed zero questions or 12, but at least there’s a possibility you missed zero.</p>
<p>In terms of percentiles, an 800 means you scored in the top 10% of test-takers. A 790 means you did not score in the top 10%. This is a huge difference, especially when you’re aiming for scores in the top 1%.</p>
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<p>Apples to apples. Hours of volunteering is not a fair comparison; what would be a fair comparison is a pass line. Suppose you needed 60% in a class (that is graded on a P/F basis) to pass and you scored a 59. A 60 is surely “far better” than a 59. The same concept applies to the 800 because of the structure of the subject tests. As I said before, the subject tests uniquely suffer from this because so many people get 800s; this is not true on the reasoning tests.</p>
<p>Raw score of ~43 is enough to get an 800, so octalc0de is correct in what he is saying – whether you make zero or five-six mistakes will not show, but making seven-eight+ will.</p>
<p>Except plenty of people get into Caltech with a <800 on the Math subject test (I had a 780). The reason is of course that the material on the subject test isn’t all necessarily important (my score was because I completely forgot the formula for combination/permutation and I didn’t bother to retake). </p>
<p>It’s not ideal, but I wouldn’t say it’s a big deal.</p>
<p>In my experience, the difference between an 800 and a 790 is negligible for admissions. 10 points on the SAT II math is not going to make or break your application, especially if you have As in math. It’s a waste of time and money to retake the test if you have a 790.</p>