<p>I have a pretty simple question for you:
As a guy grown up in the germanophone part of switzerland I probably would do not too bad at all in the German Subject Test..
I think it's not recommended for internationals to take their native language as subject, is it? I mean if you're applying to a good US college it looks very cheap for the admission committee right?</p>
<p>Or do you have any other informations? Doesnt your chose of the subjects play ANY role?</p>
<p>If you have three other areas where you expect to do very well, then don't take your native language as SAT II, but if you think this would give you a score much higher than any of your other subjects, then why not?</p>
<p>You should choose subjects that appear relevant to your expected major subject or that might counterbalance a low high school grade--say, you got a low mark in biology but do well on that subject test, for example.</p>
<p>I think you're right; it's rather pointless to take the SAT II in one's native language, just as it is for an American to take the TOEFL. Subject Tests are meant as a chance for the applicant to demonstrate how strong he/she is in his/her strongest subjects. For that matter, your choice of subjects does matter. If you take literature, US history and world history it will show a different type of student than math, physics and chemistry or literature, French and Spanish. At selective or highly competitive colleges, that appears to be a factor in admission.
Some colleges even ask for specific subject tests, e.g. math and a science or a foreign language.</p>
<p>It depends on you and the image you would like to convey.
If your whole application is trying to say how good of a science student you are, that science is your life and you really want to major in sciences (and btw you also won several national science awards) then take option 1.
If you want to show that you are a well-rounded applicant, you have done some community service, played a sport, been a science club member and you really like and are good in all your subjects then take option 2.
It's completely up to you.</p>
<p>Imo, if you are really good in one field and can back that point up with national and international awards you would be more competitive than the typical well-rounded applicant (that's what most students are). If you are just saying that e.g. you are the strongest science student at your school that is hardly going to help.</p>
<p>unfortunately at my country there are hardly no national competitions or stuff like that.. things like science clubs or any other clubs in schools are rarely.. here in switzerland your high-school perhaps provides some optional subjects (one more language, choire, orchestra, IT and maybe some language certificates as DELF or CPE) and some people are able to take part in international projects as "International Classroom" but that's once in a blue moon!</p>
<p>of course if have extracurriculars but they have no relation with school at all.. do you think the admission officers will respect this other system? am i supposed to explain this differences? </p>
<p>actually it's kinda new topic now.. i can open a new thread if you want</p>
<p>
[quote]
Imo, if you are really good in one field and can back that point up with national and international awards you would be more competitive than the typical well-rounded applicant (that's what most students are).
[/quote]
DITTO!</p>
<p>It's good that you've looked at opportunities outside your school. If there's a lack of clubs at your school, and you'd like to be part of a club that you wish existed, you could always start a club.
If you know that other swiss people have applied to your colleges, you wont really need to explain. but if you feel you must justify, you can add it on to ur application. But i'm just thinking, wont it kinda sound like an excuse..?</p>
<p>First, don't take the SAT II in your native language. Having gone to a Swiss high school, you could consider the French test, for your level, it won't be that difficult, I assume. Try to balance the tests, unless you are applying to extremely science-heavy schools, but even then the Latin or whatever might look nice. </p>
<p>Now, I grew up in Switzerland too and went to Swiss high schools (I am now at a college in America), and the extracurricular problem isn't really that bad. Most schools will be impressed by your ability to speak four languages; if you feel the need to explain the system to someone, explain it to your interviewer. Sometimes, you can also count things as ECs that wouldn't have occured to you, such as attending confirmation classes, tutoring etc., which fills the page quickly. </p>
<p>Feel free to PM me if you have any questions that you think I can answer. I know that there is little information about American colleges in Switzerland and the process is very confusing.</p>