<p>Carolyn, my son took the SAT II Chemistry after Honors Chemistry in Sophomore year. His score was in the low 700's, certainly not his best SAT II, but I think it was helpful to get a feel for SAT IIs. He took more SAT IIs at the end of Jr. year, and scored 2 800's and a 740, and only the Biology SAT II was taken in conjunction with an AP course. So I think it's a good thing to take an SAT II, right after a rigorous class -- even if it's not an AP -- because he still has time next year to take more. To the best of my knowledge, colleges really just look at the highest SAT IIs, as long as they are in required subject areas. Some schools require a math/science and a language/literature SAT II, I think. It just give him more choices.</p>
<p>In essence, my daughter did what some of the latest posters are writing. Her sequence of courses was just different. Here, Biology is in tenth grade (only option) and she was in Honors. She took the SAT2 at the end of tenth grade in Biology while it was fresh. Actually, like the Chem test, there were things on the Bio SAT2 that her class had not covered. If Carolyn's son wants a science SAT2 and I don't know his course plans for junior year, he could opt to do the Chem SAT2 test this year or see if he prefers a science SAT2 junior year but junior year may be a year he chooses three other subjects (as my D did). The colleges just take your three best scores anyway, so taking one SAT2 at the end of tenth grade may make sense for your son, as it did for my child. </p>
<p>I also agree about the MATH2C. My daughter took that at the end of junior year after AP Calculus and it was really too far removed from the material that the test really covers. Would have been better given her math acceleration/sequence to have taken that the prior year after PreCal in tenth grade.</p>
<p>I think it depends on whether your son tends to be strong in the sciences and is willing to do some serious prep work. My kids' school does not offer AP Chem, so they both took the SAT II after completing the Honors Chem course and after spending time with a review book and the "Real SAT II". They were able to fill in the gaps from the school's course and both did very well.</p>
<p>My D took honors Chem as a freshman and took the SAT 2 right aftwards since she wasn't planning on taking AP Chem (it's taught by the same bad teacher, which essentially means the student must self-study). We were not very test savvy at the time, so I don't think she studied much beyond what she learned in the course. There were many things on the test that weren't covered by the course, so she got her lowest SAT 2 score, a 690. Like other folks have said, I think that additional prep work is needed if the SAT 2 is taken after honors Chem. One other point, last year my D took APBio and did the SAT 2 in June. Although she did well, she swears that she forgot information between taking the AP test in May and the SAT 2 in June. So now she insists on taking all of the tests together in May.</p>
<p>A clarification:
Our high school does not offer AP Chemistry, only Honors Chemistry, so waiting until after AP chemistry is not an option. That said, the Honors course is designed. according to both the school and the teacher who teaches it, to be taught at the level of a college level intro. to chemistry course. Like Deb's son's class, the textbook is a college textbook and the teacher is a PhD. with college level teaching experience. </p>
<p>My son is actually tutoring two friends who are also currently taking honors chemistry at a different high school, and he feels that what he's doing in class is more advanced. (Of course, my son tends to think highly of himself in general. :)</p>
<p>I'll talk to the Chem. teacher tommorrow - she seems to be on top of things, and see what she says --- but I appreciate all of the advice and suggestions. At this point, I think I'm inclined to tell Son to go for it, especially because he's the one who suggested it in the first place.</p>
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At this point, I think I'm inclined to tell Son to go for it, especially because he's the one who suggested it in the first place.
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This is the key point! I don't think it's wise to take any collegboard exam without some extra preparation, so if your son is interested in taking the SAT II, he'll be more open to reviewing some test prep books. My son usually spent a small amount of time with a Real SAT II book of some kind, and it was enough of a review. Also, the HS course at your son's school sounds rigorous enough to prepare him for the exam. Do students ever take the AP Chem exam following this course (I understand that it's not an official AP class)? At my son's school, students often take the AP World History exam after sophomore honors history, and my son took the AP Calculus AB exam after an honors pre-calculus class. Most of the kids seem to do quite well without a formal AP class.</p>
<p>"My son is actually tutoring two friends who are also currently taking honors chemistry at a different high school, and he feels that what he's doing in class is more advanced. "</p>
<p>This is a really good sign, as I am sure you know. He will be better at it himself for having tutored it.</p>
<p>Carolyn:</p>
<p>Yet one more experience with the Chem SAT II: My son took it as a sophomore after taking Honors Chem and got a 770 on it. It may be that he did better than he might otherwise have done because his high school acknowledges that its Honors course is not sufficient to prepare students to do well on the SAT II and it offers an additional prep course that kids can sign up for (not for free), taught by high school teachers and offered on several weekends before the SAT II. My son took this course and also studied the Barron's Prep Manual. He's not in love with chemistry, but he's very good in math, and seems to have benefited from the two prep strategies he followed before taking the test. I'd recommend taking it if your son is willing to study hard and maybe work with a tutor if his school doesn't offer extra prep.</p>
<p>Carolyn - ditto to sjmom: my son took the SATII Bio test as a freshman after taking (non-AP) Bio. It ended up being his lowest SAT II score and won't "count" since he has enough other SAT IIs that are higher but I think it was a good idea nonetheless. It gave him experience taking the tests, and with an OK if unspectacular score under his belt he could relax a little more when he took the later tests. I know the both the Bio and Physics SAT II had subject areas which hadn't been covered in his (non AP) classes, and that's probably true for chem as well. But at east the parts that were covered were fresh in his mind at the end of the school year when he tool the SAT II. I really don't see a downside to taking the test this year.</p>
<p>Actually, we thought my son's Bio score on the SAT II was pretty good as a freshman, as it was over 700. Still, it turned out to be one of his lower SATIIs, so it did drop out, since only his Math 1 score was lower & he had 3 higher SAT IIs, 760-800. He & we thought it was such a good idea, we had daughter also take the Bio SATII in 9th grade. She did OK too.
Familiarity with the testing format can only help our kids, I think.</p>