I am a 10th grade student currently taking a regular (NOT HONORS) Chemistry class. I’m also planning to self study the SAT Chem with Barrons in order to take it in Jan. 2016. However, I am also planning to take AP Chemistry… (I thought the SAT chem might prepare me for AP, but I think that within a few months, I’ll forget everything.) Do you think it’s a stupid idea to take it in Jan? Should I just wait until the end of my junior year after AP Chemistry to take it?
BTW, I tried studying with Barrons, but I just don’t understand anything. It’s much deeper than what I usually learn in school. It’s not just the chemistry, but the language itself is very confusing to me as a secondary English speaker.
Plus, I think it’s also important to manage my GPA…
Any thoughts? (Personally I’m about 75% for taking it after AP, and 25% for taking it in Jan. 2016)
Unless your school is on a block calendar and your chem class ends in December/January, I would not take the SAT Subjest Test until May/June. Contrary to what some think on College Confidential, you do not need AP Chem to do well on the subject test, although you may feel more comfortable doing so.
I would recommend that you wait because although it is definitely possible to do well without AP Chem, it will be a whole lot harder. I took the subject test after AP chem and I got an 800 by studying a couple weeks before the test (And by no means am I smart, it was just really easy after AP Chem). But I guess it depends on how much time you want to put in. To get a 750+ you would probably need to study around 30 minutes a day atleast 3 months before you take so again, I would recommend you atleast wait until May or at best, take it after AP Chem.
AP chem helps a ton. Not saying that taking it will make or break your test results. I took the SAT II in Chem and scored a 800, and i studied for barely 2 days. It’s just that some( 1-2) questions will be so hard to eliminate if you have only studied from PR or Barrons. Just an example taking Ch 10 ( Solutions) in PR. The book tells you a maxim: Adding solid in solution = Low Vapour Pressure, High BP, Derpressed Freezing point. But when you have done AP you know that this is related to colligative properties/ abnormal molar masses/ van’thoffs factor. So when your solving the questions on the paper, you solve them much faster!! At least for me
