Coming off very high grades in honors physics and pre-calculus classes, I felt I didn’t need to take time out of the fall of my senior year to prepare for the Math II and Physics subject tests. However, I was wrong in doing this and scored only 690 on both of these tests.
I’m applying to Cornell, Princeton, and UPenn, which all require the subject tests, and also Northeastern, RPI, Tufts, Binghamton, Stony Brook, U of Rochester, and Syracuse, where SAT subject tests are not required, so I’m wondering if I should only send these scores to where I’m required to send them, or if it would help to send them to all of the schools.
And for a little more about myself if it helps at all, my SAT I is a 2130 (620CR, 780M, 730W) and my ACT is a 32C (34 superscore, 36E, 35M, 32R, and 34S), and I’m looking to major in engineering.
Similar question here with scores in the same general ballpark.
My sense is that the percentiles skew differently because the SAT Subject Tests are taken by self-selecting population, but what’s the tipping point for a given score strengthening rather than weakening the application?
I’m guessing a score in the 600s that hits below the 50th percentile (of all those who took the test), not so much?
How about in the low 700s, and hitting in the 60-70th percentile (again, of all those who took the test)?
But sending JUST that one score … odd?
My inclination is to leave it alone, but it’s hard to judge what’s right. Further thoughts?
I decided to only send the scores where they were required. My Physics score, which I thought I did comparatively worse on because I only completed honors physics, was in the 51st percentile, while my Math II score was in the 44th percentile, so I felt both of those scores weren’t worth showing, even though those who choose to take those subject tests generally tend to excel.
I’m more worried at this point about how it could negatively affect my chances at the Ivies rather than how it would help me get in to the other schools.
Hopefully you sent the ACTs and not the SATs to those schools that allow choice. Do you have any AP scores that would provide information about how well you learned physics or other topics. That could offset the poor SAT2 scores.
For schools that require the SAT IIs, I guess it makes sense to supply anything that would offset mid-range showings. Fortunately, no schools on my kid’s list require them, so it’s really a question of whether average-ish showings in a pool of mostly high achieving test takers helps or hurts … or accomplishes exactly nothing either way. Still on the fence, but thinking not to bother.