What would you advise your kid?

<p>My kid scored 640/640 on SATs and definitely wants to retake.</p>

<p>2 schools she's interested in "recommend" SAT subject tests.</p>

<p>What's the best timeline?
May SATs are out of the question -- they're the day after her Prom!</p>

<p>If she takes SAT subject tests, she should probably do the US History test in June, as she'll be finishing up AP US History II. I know she'd like to re-take the regular SAT test in June though. She'd probably do Math I for a second subject test if she needed a second.</p>

<p>Is it necessary to do the subject tests if they aren't required? I hate to advise her to wait until Oct to re-take SATI...</p>

<p>What would advise your kid to do?</p>

<p>What "recommended" means really depends on the school. My D got into all of her high matches/low reaches (Wellesley, Scripps and Whitman) with only an ACT with writing score (which the some of the schools said could be taken in place of SATI and SATII combo, and some "recommended" SATII). She quickly figured out that taking one test was easier than the other choice, and in the end, it was a good decision. June is a great time for test taking, since their brains still hold the information and knowledge absorbed for the finals and AP/IB tests. Unless a kid does a test prep course during the summer or is a natural test taker, beginning of the senior year is not the best time for SATs/ACTs.</p>

<p>June really is the time to take the SAT2s, a student in AP History is likely to do very well on the SAT. Math is always a good second one to have and often the score will be higher than the SAT score. Can she retake the SAT1 in May? That's what my son did. If she still doesn't like the score she'll have a third chance in the fall with all summer to do preparation. My inclination would be to do the subject tests - her list may change over the summer.</p>

<p>I'd recommend taking the SAT2's even though they are only recommended because between now and fall of senior year her choices may change to a school that requires them. It would be added stress to take them during the whole application process</p>

<p>I'd second the advice and say re-take SATI in May and take SATIIs and ACT with writing in June. I know, it is a lot of testing, but it will give your child choices as to which scores to send if her ACT score turns out really stellar.</p>

<p>I really question where the school administration's head was at scheduling a prom for the day before the May SATs. This is just the sort of thing the numbnuts who run our local school district would do. I remember last year our district forgot all about the AP tests and scheduled several school activities that normally involve 90% of the top students for the same day. </p>

<p>I don't see an easy way out of your dilemma. Could she skip the usual after-prom activities and take the SAT IIs on Saturday? Tests are shorter and not as physically and psychologically demanding as the SAT I. </p>

<p>Really, the people who run your school need a stern talking to.</p>

<p>:eek: Sorry I missed the prom part! Doing testing in the morning after a night of festivities is not a good idea. What was the school thinking?!!</p>

<p>It is not difficult to choose another testing site other than your high school. Check the college board website for other places to take the tests on a better weekend. I agree it is best to get as much testing done as possible before senior year.</p>

<p>1) i would strongly recommend retaking the sat1's sooner -- those scores are more likely to determine what colleges are feasible to apply to than the sat2's - and if the schools that recommend the sat2's are still in the mix after that, she can take them in the fall.</p>

<p>2) definitely try the ACT's -- for most colleges, they'll consider the ACT in lieu of both the SAT1's and SAT2's (which could eliminate the need to take the SAT2's). and some kids just do better on the ACT - just have her go thru some sample tests -- timing is a key issue on the ACT - important to know how to time yourself.</p>

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Check the college board website for other places to take the tests on a better weekend.

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<p>while not all schools are testing centers for all test dates, there are a limited number of test dates -- there is only one may test date and one june test date (regardless of test center you desire).
<a href="http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/sat/calenfees.html%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/sat/calenfees.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>How much weight does "recommended" really carry?</p>

<p>D's inclination is not to take the subject tests and do SAT in June.</p>

<p>Darn that school for being oblivious to big test dates! Grrrr...</p>

<p>you haven't indicated what schools your d is considering, and even if i knew which they were, i doubt i could comment on how strongly they intend their statement that sat2's are "recommended," but i would really urge her not to pass up the opportunity to take the sat2 or act.</p>

<p>go look at the admissions forum here on cc -- look at the number of postings from kids who were wait listed or rejected by the schools they hoped to go to attend -- some with little if any options left -- there is even a thread for students to talk about where they went wrong in the application process. </p>

<p>how would she feel if a year from now, she was rejected by these schools knowing that she did not do all that THEY recommend she do as part of the application process? college admissions is so competitive these days -- why in the world would you ignore what a college recommends!!! </p>

<p>while there are stories (eg., andison) of rejected students doing well after a gap year and a second round of applications, i really think students should approach the application process as a one-shot deal -- putting their best effort into putting forward their best application. ultimately, your d should, in my opinion, do whatever will allow her to present the best package of test scores (sat1 and sat2 or act - just check if these schools still want sat2 even if act is submitted). why leave the door open for regrets later?</p>

<p>We had the exact same problem last year. And Hudsonvalley, don't blame the school for scheduling the prom the night before the SAT. Schools have to book their prom sites more than a year in advance, well before the SAT schedules come out. Also, the SAT is offered many times for this exact reason - people have lives and events conflict sometimes.</p>

<p>DS and most of his classmates re-took the SAT1 in June, and took the SAT II in the fall. DS didn't study and still got a 760 on the US History SAT II and he didn't even take AP (he did take honors, though). </p>

<p>At DS's college, the SAT II are "suggested." More than anything, they use them for placement for languages, etc.</p>

<p>I'd say take the SAT 1 in June. It's required and it's more important to do well on it than the SAT IIs. Take the SAT IIs in the fall.</p>

<p>Bizymom, calm down. The OP's kid already has decent SAT scores and you're telling her mom she's not going to be accepted ANYWHERE. Transcript matters a lot more than SAT scores. It's not worth ruining her daughter's one and only prom to have her worrying about taking the SAT (or the SAT II) the next day. High School is more than just a stepping stone to college - it's a life passage that should be enjoyed.</p>

<p>If it were anything other than U.S. History in question here, I would say to retake the SAT in June and wait on the subject tests.</p>

<p>But the U.S. History Subject Test is very fact-oriented, and facts tend to slip out of people's minds quickly. By next October, your daughter may not remember which one was Franklin Roosevelt and which one was Theodore Roosevelt.</p>

<p>I think that a better strategy would be to take the U.S. History SAT Subject Test in June and whatever second test she needs or wants to take (many schools that require or recommend Subject Tests want two of them). If she's taking a math test, the choice between Math 1 and Math 2 should be made very carefully. Math 2 involves more advanced concepts, but for those who are ready for it, the scores tend to be higher than those on Math 1.</p>

<p>At the same time, your daughter might want to do some prep for the SAT over the summer, if she thinks she needs scores higher than those she has right now in order to be competitive for the colleges that interest her. Then she could take the SAT again in the fall.</p>

<p>I know what my D would tell her. Take the ACT , and if you do well never send a collegeboard score . Adjust your school list to match. It worked for Yale, Amherst, Colgate ,......... (but admittedly, she's was dead set aginst taking any more tests YMMV). </p>

<p>BTW I took the SAT the morning after Homecoming. I hadn't been home.</p>

<p>I think your daughter should go ahead and take the SAT 2 the day after the prom. If it's only one test, it's not that big a deal, really--it only takes an hour, and one good espresso should cover it.</p>

<p>The 2 schools in question are GW and American. And I'm not worried about her not getting in anywhere, as she has what I believe will be a super-safety with rolling admission.</p>

<p>Day after prom is out of the question. In NJ, kids "go down the shore" and she would never pass that up. Neither would I.</p>

<p>She already indicated 4 schools to send SATI scores to, so those 2 schools already got them. What do they do with SAT scores that come 6 months before the application?</p>

<p>In the cold light of day, it probably makes most sense for her to do SATIIs in June when the material is fresh, do some more SAT prep over the summer and retake SATI in October...</p>

<p>Thanks everyone!</p>

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And I'm not worried about her not getting in anywhere, as she has what I believe will be a super-safety with rolling admission.

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<p>if she would in fact be happy if she ended up having to go there, that is wonderful and puts her well ahead of many other students preparing their college list.</p>