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<p>This presumes that the SAT subject tests are in fact accurate measures of the subjects they are testing. I’m not sure that’s a well established fact.</p>
<p>I seriously doubt that the students making the highest scores aren’t augmenting their school work with prep books.</p>
<p>With that said, subject tests can be retaken if a student feels the need. Most schools will accept the scores they send.</p>
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<p>One can argue that the multiple choice format limits their accuracy in assessing knowledge of the subject in some cases, but that also makes the tests easier to do well on.</p>
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<p>I would not be surprised if lots of those 800 scorers on Math Level 2 just took the test without any additional preparation after completing trigonometry / precalculus math in high school. Of course, it is a somewhat self-selected population of the better-at-math students among the general high school student population. But the whole notion of SAT-subject-test-specific preparation being mandatory for even the best students at decent high schools seems odd.</p>
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Not sure when you were in school, but according to my Total Group Report from 1973 a total of 3600 students in the country scored over 700 on the bio achievement out of 46,000 students who took it. Around the 92nd percentile. Today 700 on eco or molecular puts you at 75th or 60th percentile respectively.</p>
<p>When I went to school (early 70s) it was pretty much only kids who did well in the bio class who took the achievement test at all. Or any achievement test period.</p>
<p>We were in a similar situation. I signed up my son for the Bio exam. I bought him a prep book and as he read through it he realized he had not covered much of the material. The guidance counselor confirmed his class would not prepare him for it and that there was no benefit to making him take it. He slept in instead.</p>
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<p>And the standard high school course should prepare one for a standard high school student test score: approximately half correct (according to CB’s target “level of difficulty”). </p>
<p>If that is your (low) goal, I say have at it. :rolleyes:</p>
<p>The assertion about AP Calc scores predicting SAT 2 Math 2 scores is simply incorrect. They test two different things. Math 2 shouldn’t be hard for them, but it will test things, such as matrices, that they haven’t used in some time. They should review older material in order to be properly prepared.</p>
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<p>Notice that I wrote “should be good preparation”. That so many high schools (including private high schools) have poor quality courses is a significant problem in the US. A student who gets an A in a decent quality normal high school course should have no problem getting a high score (700+) on the subject test. Obviously, students who go to low quality high schools may need to do additional preparation both for the subject test and for college courses.</p>
<p>The percentiles on SAT 2 are odd. A 720 was 59th percentile in 2012. Should one retake the Math SAT 2 if they scored a 720 with no review? Certainly there’s room for improvement with some basic review, but will any school care?</p>
<p>ucbalum, that’s the key, don’t wait until you’re at the end of your Calc year, but rather take it at the end of your pre-Calc year. Then, it should be fresh.</p>
<p>The discussion about the quality of the OP’s school is kind of a moot point. It is their school. The question was not “should I be concerned about the quality of my son’s education?”. Even kids in high performing schools, public and private, will encounter teachers who are not very good or a curriculum that has some gaps. It would be great if every student went to an excellent school with all excellent teachers who taught exactly what is needed to be successful in the SAT’s. I don’t read this situation as grounds for serious concern regarding the overall quality of education the OP’s son is receiving.</p>
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<p>In practice, most Math Level 2 takers complete trigonometry and precalculus junior year (one year ahead of normal sequence), so they take the test shortly after completing the course in high school in order to have the score for senior year college applications. Only the math superstars who are two or more years ahead of normal sequence would encounter the question of taking Math Level 2 a year after completing trigonometry and precalculus. But these students are probably the “easy 800 without studying” students for this test.</p>
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<p>For the most part, only highly-selective colleges want SAT subject exams. Most of those only ask for two SAT subjects. However, it’s always a good idea to check with the particular schools & programs that you’re interested in, to verify which tests they require or recommend.</p>
<p>Thanks for the discussion. S took the Math2 yesterday (freshman, finishing up pre-calc) because it was suggested here on CC. He took it cold with no prep, and only the question on matrices did he need to think, “wait, how do these work again?” And he remembered quickly.</p>
<p>Does anyone know the philosophy behind such a generous curve? I’m not sure why you can miss so many and still get a “perfect” score – does that then tell the colleges anything? If 9 percent of the test takers are all at 800, it doesn’t seem like it provides much spread. Or maybe they just want a certain level of mastery and that’s enough?</p>
<p>^^I’m guessing that the generous ‘curve’ has to do with the breadth of the topics covered, some of which aren’t covered in every HS during precalc/trig. I remember my S being stumped on a couple of questions on a topic that he had never seen before. As it turned out, that topic was covered in the first week of Calc at our HS (which is mostly taken by seniors). (Thus, those that took the M2 during the spring of Jr year would have to self-study those topics.)</p>
<p>btw: Colleges don’t care about the percentiles – just the score.</p>
<p>On the subject if the HS class prepare you for the SATII (math not included) here is what kids told me in the SAT forum (their words not mine):</p>
<p>Simple answer… No. Even if you go to the best high school in the country, I HIGHLY doubt that your class can teach you every single topic covered on the test because frankly, SAT subject tests can ask some really obscure questions. However, a good class can teach you how to infer and help you eliminate answer choices, an extremely helpful skill on all of the tests you mentioned.</p>
<p>Oh god no. I’m attending probably the best state school in a 100 mile radius and I took Chemistry with an amazing teacher. There is loads that we covered but SAT doesn’t and there’s loads that the SAT covered but we didn’t.</p>
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<p>It may be that they are trying to make it so that a student who has completed trigonometry and precalculus is not penalized score-wise for choosing Math Level 2 over Math Level 1. I.e. so that students are not asking “does an 800 on Math Level 1 or a 700 on Math Level 2 look better to colleges?”.</p>