<p>My son, a sophomore, is taking honors chemistry this year. He asked me the other night if he should plan on taking the SAT II in chem at the end of this year. Frankly, since my daughter refused to take any SAT IIs, I'm not up on SAT II planning so I thought I'd ask for advice here.</p>
<p>Next year (junior year), he'll probably be taking AP USH, AP Biology and Honors English (pre-req for AP Eng. in our school), and honors pre-calculus. His thinking is that he'll be stacked up with AP tests next year so he should try to get at least one SAT II out of the way this year. His reasoning seems sound but I'm not sure how difficult the SAT II chem test is, or how his coursework stacks up. (I'll be talking to his teacher at P-T conferences this week and will ask for her input).</p>
<p>Anyone have any insight into the SAT II chemistry test? His class is fairly rigorous and he's finding it challenging, but is still doing well. Any other suggestions on SAT II test planning or prep?</p>
<p>He has no idea what he wants to major in at this point but has strong interests in classical languages, cognitive science, and possibly economics.
He is a great student, with good EC's, and based on his SAT scores in 7th grade for CTY and his personality in general, I expect he'll be aiming at more selective schools than his sister -- Carleton and Brown are two he's already researched and liked, although, as we all know, that's subject to many permutations between now and senior year. :)</p>
<p>From what I've heard, the chem SAT II test is way hard...my AP Chem teacher even recommended against taking it because it covered things that weren't in the honors chemistry curriculum. I've never seen any questions or anything like that, though so I can't judge using what I myself know.</p>
<p>Calkid,
Thanks --- that is what I was wondering as well. I've seen enough SAT II scores here on CC to know that Chem. always seems to be the lagging score, even for really, really smart kids.</p>
<p>Carolyn:
I'm inclined to recommend taking the test. Look at the SAT-II prep books and see how much of the curriculum will be covered in the class. If he does not do well on the test, he will have next year to take more SAT-IIs. If he does well, it will be one out of the way. </p>
<p>Totally OT: The Nov/Dec issue of Imagine ((CTY's mag) has an article, Latin Alive by Joanna Linzer, a high school junior who took Ancient Greek at CTY. It made me think of your S. The article is about studying in Rome through the U of Dallas.</p>
<p>Maybe this is an area that a private tutor would be helpful in. Someone who has taken the test, knows how challenging it is and what kind of information is on it that isn't taught in honors chemistry.</p>
<p>Marite, thanks. We didn't resubscribe to Imagine this year, but I'll have to see if S. knows her --- it's a very small world among CTY Greek fanatics. :)</p>
<p>Carolyn,
My feeling is that taking the SAT II's in the same year as the AP test is actually a very good idea if you can match up the AP course with the SAT II test. For example, if he is taking AP Bio and APUSH next year, have him take the corresponding SAT II tests. Those are given a couple of weeks or so after the AP exams and he will already have studied for the AP exams. I know that my S also took the Chemistry SAT II's and aced them, but it might have been after AP Chem and not right after Honors Chem. I thoroughly agree with Marite to look at some of the SAT II prep books to see if he's covering what will likely be covered on the test. That worked very well for us, especially in the case of the Bio SATII where he will have a choice of two different Bio tests, the "E" for ecology or the "M" for molecular. But, that's TMI for you right now. I'll remind you to check that out next year before he registers!</p>
<p>Before he takes the test, have him take the practice tests in the Real SAT II book. If he doesn't do well, skip it. It is supposed to be a really hard test and most kids have had AP Chem before taking it. He can always take US History and Bio, plus a Math SATII or Literature. There are plenty of other options.</p>
<p>It is much easier to take the SAT IIs right after the AP tests especially the SAT IIs are easier than the AP tests. I took US History in June with two AP tests, honor english, honor trig, and honor physics. It is very manageable since you will spend a lot of time studying for the AP tests anyway and you don't need to study again. I suggest taking the SAT IIs in May right after the APs. I wished I have done that because I think I would've gotten a 800 if I did. Also, SAT II Biology should feel like a breeze compare to the AP test.</p>
<p>I also know a friend who got a 800 on the SAT II Chem after AP Chem but then again, she also got a 5 on AP Chem.</p>
<p>I also recommend Don't Know Much About History by Kenneth C. Davis. It was a required summer reading for us but it really comes in handy when you need to refresh quickly on all the main events.</p>
<p>My son took the practice chemistry test a couple of weeks before the real deal, scored over 700, and took the test after the completion of an honors chemistry course with a very good teacher - pulled a 790. He took the SAT II the weekend after finals and did not prep for it (other than the chemistry final).</p>
<p>You can miss / skip around 7-8 problems and still score very well. I would suggest that your son tries the practice 2-4 weeks before the SAT - this probably means that you may pay for a test that you may not use. If he scores well - or sees that he could with a little polishing here or there - go for it. If he is just concentrating on the one test, it should be managable. </p>
<p>He can always retake during AP chem if he needs to - else he has one in the bag. My son could really have used one more SAT administration - worked out ok, but I am a great believe of banking good scores.</p>
<p>i am kind of in the situation of ur son except for sat 2 physics. i am taking ap physics right now but its only been 3 months. thus i got a prep book and started studying today. december is my last chance to take an sat2 because i am a senior. colleges like to see that u took an sat2 science if ur going to major in a science related major. although the physics curve is much nicer (60/75 is still an 800) but u have to memorize 223234 formulas, no calculator, and there are 75 questions.</p>
<p>hmm finally an opportunity to give advice to carolyn instead of taking some!
Well take USH next may during AP week it will be fresh and Bio in may.
For chem, i wouldn't say it's hard. Well i took it after AP and it was a breeze. But i know people who took it after honors chem and they did fine. Definitely take a practice test at the end of the year on sparknotes or borrow the collegeboard SAT2 book from the library. Then he'll know where he will basically stand. Also if he really wants to make sure that he will like ace the SAT2 chem use barrons. It is excruciatingly detailed but hey SAT2 chem can be hard like this oct. </p>
<p>I agree with the others - take the SAT IIs right after the APs, if possible. SAT IIs are slightly easier than the MC portions of the corresponding APs. A student who studies for the AP exams will find little additional studying is needed for the SAT IIs. </p>
<p>Any thorough AP chem or biology course will cover all the SAT II material. Honors courses probably vary widely across the country. To determine whether a course covers sufficient material to prepare a student for the SAT II, check the exams in the Real SAT II book. </p>
<p>AP physics is different. AP physics B covers the broader scope of material tested by the SAT II physics exam and is good prep for the SAT II. The two AP physics C courses address some of the B material in more depth than the B course (and are calculus based, as opposed to algebra based), but don't cover some of the B topics at all. Thus, a student who takes only the C courses may have to study extra material on his own before taking the SAT II physics exam.</p>
<p>Carolyn, my advice to your son would be to take the SAT II US History next year, one SAT II science - either the chem this year or the biol next - and an SAT II math next year. That combination of SAT IIs would work for any college that requries SAT IIs. Another option would be to take the SAT II chem this year. If your son is disappointed with his score, he can take the biology test next year. Most colleges consider only the top three SAT II scores.</p>
<p>My son also took 3 SATIIs in June, after he took the APs in May. If he were to do it again in his junior year, I'm not sure he would have had the break between the tests, since all his classes for AP ended after the May exams & he was NOT exposed to the material for several weeks before his SAT IIs. In any case, he did OK for both the APs & the SAT IIs.
He never took the Chemistry SATII exam; he was not enjoying that Chem Honors course anyway. He took the SAT II biology after 9th grade bio & did well. As a junior, he took AP US, AP Physics, AP Computers, & just tested for AP English Comp. He did well for all the APs & then took SATIIs for Math I (mistake--it should have been Math II, which he took 10/05 as a senior & he did much better in as well--it covers a lot of precalc, which they had just been reviewing in calc & AP Physics BC), Physics, & US History.<br>
I'd definitely ask son's teacher what s/he recommends. Son said some of his friends did take SAT II chem & some did quite well. Would also borrow the SATII chem book from the library & let son look it over & decide, maybe after 1st semester (still lots of time to register).</p>
<p>Carolyn, Unlike the others as well as perhaps your son, you can't get to Chemistry at our school until 11th grade (you can't take Bio before tenth either). So, there is only one year of chemistry offered and the highest track class is Chem Honors (this is NOT AP). My daughter was the top Chemistry student in the school and won the Bausch and Lomb award for being the top science student too that year. The chem teacher said she had the highest avg. of anyone who ever took her course in 25 years. Ok, so you get the point, she was real good in this class and is also very strong in math/science. She signed up for the SAT2 test in Chemistry for May of that year (junior year). To prepare, she took a practice SAT2 test in Chemistry. She found that it covered many things that her class had not and she realized she would not be able to score high enough without studying brand new material for which she would never have time considering what else she had going on at that time of year. She chose not to take this exam and had other SAT2 tests/scores. From what I am reading above, it sounds like many kids who did not find it to be such a problem or found that their class covered all the material, had AP Chemistry which I gather is second year chemistry, right? We do not have that here. But for someone who just took Honors or first year Chemistry, you might want him to take an hour long practice test to see if it covers what his class covered or even look at the SAT2 book on that subject and he can see if there is material that was not in his course and decide what to do. He only needs three subject tests and so he can think of the whole picture of the next two years and which subjects he mostly likely will take them in and come up with an overall plan. </p>
<p>DS (senior this year) had AP Chem 11th grade, honors chem 9th so he took the AP Chem exam last spring and SAT II chem in June. 5 on AP but a 720 on the SAT II. He said it was different, not what had been presented in AP Chem. He did much, much better on the Bio (M) and the Math IIC. And the SAT Bio was WITHOUT AP Bio, he has it now, his senior year. He had Honors Bio in 9th, so it had been a few years and he did no prep/review. Have your son take the Math IIC after his pre-calc course, it will still be fresh. </p>
<p>DS waited and took it after Calc BC last year and it is a different thought process.</p>
<p>Honestly Carolyn, I think that the answer depends on a couple of things. </p>
<p>My S did exactly what your S is contemplating, as that what was recommended to us in a pre-college meeting. His school does not even offer AP Chem, just Honors in the 10th grade. He studied the SAT II Chem book and did two practice tests. He scored a 700, this is from a very B student. I had a friend that her D did not take the SAT II after Soph year but took in Senior year and reported that it was much harder and that she had trouble remembering her Chem. </p>
<p>My S Honors Chem was very rigorous. The textbook was a college textbook and the teacher was very good and had a Phd. My D is taking the same class this year and she'll take the SAT II also.</p>
<p>I really think that this is something that you should talk to the GC or the Chem teacher about. They should know if the course is rigorous enough to prepare them for the SAT II. Also if this is the only Chem class that the school offers, I would be more inclined to take the SAT II when the material is fresh.</p>
<p>BTW, my S is not applying to any schools which require the SAT II. But it has been nice to know that he had one in his back pocket and doesn't have to prepare for something else with all that he has to do Senior year.</p>