Should not-so-impressive SAT II Subject Test scores be sent to colleges unsolicited?

Parents Forum
1

<p>My daughter, a HS senior, has taken 6 SAT II Subject Tests. Scores are as follows:</p>

<p>Biology - 760
Math II - 700
US Hist - 660
Chemist - 650
Spanish - 650
English - 600</p>

<p>Some colleges she is applying to ask for 2 SAT II Subject Tests, some colleges don't require it, and at some colleges SAT II Subject Tests are optional.</p>

<p>She asked me to send her two best scores, i.e.: Biology (760) and Math II (700) to the colleges that ask for Subject Tests and to the colleges where Subject Tests are optional.</p>

<p>I suggested to her that we send 4 or 5 Subject Tests to colleges, if not all 6, regardless of them requiring it or not. I thought it goes to show that she tried.</p>

<p>Her argument is that why should we send bad scores to colleges when they are not either requiring those scores specifically or asking applicants to submit all test scores from all sittings.</p>

<p>I understand the colleges who ask for any 2 Subject Tests would probably consider your best 2 test scores even if you send them more, correct? just like they look at your SAT scores and disregard the lower scores?</p>

<p>In other words, is there any benefit and/or disadvantage in sending low Subject Tests scores to colleges when they don't require it?</p>

2

<p>I agree with your D, and would not send the lower scores unless required. Probably won’t help, and could hurt.</p>

3

<p>Agree. Also, no school that I’m aware of ever has required more than three. The fact that she took six looks a little obsessive, IMO.</p>

4

<p>It also depends on which schools. For some schools, scores in the 600s will be relatively low, for others it will be about the norm and for yet others they could be above average.</p>

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<p>If she is applying to selective colleges, the problem is that many applicants will have 2 or more Subject tests with 700+ scores.</p>

<p>You also need to be sure that that colleges permit score choice for Subject tests, some do, some don’t.</p>

5

<p>Is she home-schooled? I’ve heard that home schoolers may want to take and send more subject tests.</p>

<p>If not, I would just send the best two scores.</p>

6

<p>I also would just send the 2. In this situation less information is better.</p>

7

<p>The schools that don’t ask for them probably won’t even look at them. Save your money for something else.</p>

8

<p>I was under the assumption that CB sent all that were on your report. I don’t think I’ve ever heard of anybody cherry picking them, is that even possible?</p>

9

<p>If a college permits Score Choice for Subject tests, specific Subject tests can be sent, even within the same sitting:</p>

<p>[Score</a> Choice - New SAT Score-Reporting Policy](<a href=“http://professionals.collegeboard.com/testing/sat-reasoning/scores/policy]Score”>Send SAT Scores to Colleges - SAT Suite | College Board)</p>

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10

<p>Unless she is homeschooled, just send the top two. It would be a huge mistake to send the others, IMHO, unless the school requires it. (And the last time I checked, only Princeton and Georgetown still required 3, and I think they have reduced it to 2)</p>

11

<p>Another vote for top 2 only, Plus they are math and science, two strong subjects.</p>

12

<p>If the Spanish score its sufficient to waive a foreign language requirement at a school, it could be worth sending to that school, unless she is taking the AP Spanish test and likely to do well.</p>