On January 19th, 2021, College Board announced that they will no longer administer the SAT Subject Tests in the U.S. and that the Essay would be retired. Read our blog post to understand what this means in the near term and what the College Board has in store for students down the road.
Our articles on Subject Tests and the SAT Essay will remain on our site for reference purposes as colleges and students transition to a revised testing landscape.
Judging performance on Subject Tests can be confusing for students. While most colleges release SAT and ACT score data, almost none regularly provide Subject Test scores. By combining data from College Board with current and historical data from colleges, Compass has come up with advice on how parents and students can assess Subject Test results and make effective testing decisions.
As more schools soften their SAT Subject Test policies, very strong AP exam scores can serve as valuable differentiators. Compass offers AP and academic tutoring in over 50 subjects to help students stay on pace with their coursework. We have a strong team of subject specific expert tutors to guide the program from start to finish. We also offer a Study Skills and Organizational Coaching program to provide students with the tools they need to excel in the classroom.
Compare your scores to your SAT or ACT scores.
The simplest rule of thumb is to shoot for Subject Test scores that match or better your SAT section scores. If, for example, you scored a 710 ERW / 700 Math, then Subject Test scores above 700 should improve your testing portfolio. When assessing your Math Level 1 or Math Level 2 score, it’s best to compare it to your SAT Math score. If you achieved a 750 SAT Math score, a 700 Math 2 score is unlikely to do you any favors. If you took the ACT, you can use a concordance to help with the comparison.
Don’t get hung up on percentiles.
Unfortunately, students are often drawn to percentiles when judging Subject Test performance, and percentiles happen to be extremely flawed measures. The pool of students choosing Subject Tests is small and skews toward high scorers. The pool of test takers also varies dramatically across the different subjects.
Subject Test percentiles are not comparable to SAT percentiles.
Students accustomed to achieving very high percentile ranks can be deflated by Subject Test percentiles, even when they shouldn’t be. For example, a student scoring a 1500 on the SAT would be in the 99th percentile. She might be disappointed, then, to find out that her 750 Chemistry score is 72nd percentile. In fact, she shouldn’t be surprised. The Chemistry test is taken by other students like her — very good testers who are particularly good at Chemistry. Her 750 is not a drag on her testing portfolio, and she should submit it.
Subject Test percentiles are not comparable across subjects.
A 680 in Literature and 770 in Math 2 are both reported as 67th percentile, but they are not equivalent. The simplest way of looking at the scores also happens to be the most accurate — the Math 2 score is 90 points higher and is the better score. The pool of students taking the Math 2 exam is more exclusive than that of those taking Literature. The average SAT Math score among Math 2 takers is 720. The average SAT section score for Literature students is approximately 660. The difference in Subject Test scores does not indicate that one test is easier or harder than the other; it is more of a reflection of the skill and preparation of the test takers.
Compare your scores to the 25th-75th percentile ranks of SAT scores at your target schools.
“Good scores” only have meaning in the context of college choice. At schools where most applicants submit scores, Subject Test scores will roughly align with SAT scores. If Alma Mater College’s 25th-75th percentile range of SAT scores is 680-760 ERW and 680-760 Math, then its Subject Tests scores will not be far off.
Given the testing portfolio below, what should the applicant to Alma Mater College do?
His Subject Test scores are in line with his SAT scores, so that box is checked. However, his scores are at the low end of the 25th-75th range. Test scores, in other words, are not his strength relative to other applicants. Providing Subject Test results may actually hurt him by doubling down on a weak part of his application. He might be applying to other colleges, though, where the exact opposite is true. His SAT and Subject Test scores might put him in the upper range of applicants, and submitting all of his scores would be helpful. Context matters, so consider the college and the program to which you are applying.
It’s perfectly natural to have one of your scores be higher than the other.
Not every score can be your highest. When UCLA used to report its applicant and enrollee Subject Test scores, it provided insight into how students’ scores matched up. On average, a student’s best score was 60 points higher than the second best.
Don’t miss out on the opportunity to display a strength just because Subject Tests are not required.
It makes sense that as fewer colleges require Subject Tests fewer students take the exams. But some students are missing out on an opportunity to highlight their strengths. Compared to just seven years ago, 50% fewer students achieve a 750-800 in Literature and U.S. History. If performance in literature and history were really on the decline, we would have seen this in AP scores. The more likely explanation is that many students have decided to pass up the Subject Test opportunity.
Think about skipping the exams if you are not within striking range of a 700.
None of the 15 U.S. colleges requiring or recommending Subject Tests has average SAT scores below 700 on either the ERW or Math sections. Two-thirds of the schools have average Math scores above 750! Given this landscape, Subject Test scores below 700 rarely add to a student’s testing portfolio.
Of the more than 500,000 Subject Tests taken last year, over 200,000 resulted in scores at or above 700. Approximately 135,000 of those were at 750 or above. At highly competitive institutions, in other words, you need very strong Subject Test scores to positively distinguish yourself. While there are situations where a lower score might be useful, they are limited. Approximately 135,000 scores last year were 600 or below. Students taking those tests would likely have been better served focusing on their SAT and ACT scores.
Your endpoint is not the same as your starting point.
As with any college admission test, preparation can raise scores. Just because an initial practice test or a result from an earlier year is low doesn’t mean that you should throw in the towel. You should, however, be realistic about your goals.
Use Score Choice except where absolutely prohibited.
In virtually all cases, colleges will use your best two scores and will take your better score if you repeat a subject. Score Choice gives you even more control, since you can release only the scores you want to reveal. At the time of this writing, Compass believes that Georgetown is the only college that does not allow Score Choice for Subject Tests. It’s also the only college that recommends 3 Subject Tests.
Are 200-800 scores identical to the 200-800 scores on the SAT?
Not really, but it can be a convenient shorthand. When Subject Tests — they’ve been called Achievement Tests and SAT IIs over the years — were created, the SAT scores of test takers were used to help calibrate the scales appropriately. What our research has shown is that, with the exception of foreign language exams, the old SAT scores of test takers were closely matched with Subject Test scores. [See our archived post for more detail.] Students taking Chemistry, for example, achieved an average score of 666. Those same students have an average section score of 663 on the old SAT.
This relationship was useful to College Board in setting the scales of tests such as Math Level 1 and Math Level 2. Students taking both the old SAT and the Math 1 Subject Test saw similar results on the two exams. They averaged 628 on the old SAT Math section and 619 on the Subject Test. While more difficult than Math 1 and taken by a more skilled pool of students, Math 2 results showed the same alignment. Students averaged a 693 on the Subject Test and 690 on the old SAT Math section.
Then things got weird. The new SAT changed many of the rules by redefining the 200-800 scale, eliminating the guessing penalty, and even changing how percentile ranks were calculated. The correlation between SAT and Subject Test scores still holds, it’s just that we need to think of new SAT scores as “inflated.” In the typical 600-800 range of Subject Test takers, a section score on the new SAT went up about 30 points versus the old SAT. The Math 2 students who averaged 690 on the old SAT now average 720 on the new SAT.
Below is a chart of the relationship between average SAT section scores and average Subject Test scores. The points don’t follow the line exactly, but most Subject Test scores are 20-40 points below the average test takers’ comparable SAT scores.
World History is a significant outlier. The test material doesn’t align neatly with high school coursework, and it is challenging to achieve a high score. Foreign language tests are not included here because the SAT score alone is a poor predictor. Some tests, such as Chinese and Korean, are taken primarily by native speakers. Others, such as French and Spanish, are taken by a mix of native speakers and those learning the languages in high school.
If Subject Test scores are 20-40 points lower, on average, than SAT scores, why does Compass recommend test takers try to at least reach their SAT scores?
Subject Test takers average 2.5 exams during their high school careers. Many high-scoring students take three or four exams. Since most colleges only ask for two Subject Tests, and since students will submit their best two, average reported scores are higher than the average of all received scores. Low scores can be hidden through the power of Score Choice. This leads to the advice that Subject Test scores above your SAT scores are far more likely to improve your testing portfolio than those below.
The tables below provide a summary of current Subject Test data. The mean Subject Test scores are compared to the average SAT section score of test takers. In the case of the Math Level 1 and Level 2 exams, the SAT Math score is the better proxy. The number of test takers is shown along with the number of students scoring at or below 600, at or above 700, and at or above 750. These figures give context to how many students already perform well on these exams and how many might consider taking a pass.
| Subject | Subject Test Mean | Relevant SAT Score | Test Takers | <=600 | >=700 | >=750 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Literature | 618 | 663 | 44,109 | 18,966 | 11,027 | 3,969 |
| U.S. History | 645 | 675 | 52,995 | 16,958 | 19,078 | 9,009 |
| World History | 618 | 683 | 14,018 | 5,887 | 4,065 | 2,102 |
| Math Level 1 | 619 | 651 | 45,745 | 20,585 | 11,893 | 3,659 |
| Math Level 2 | 690 | 721 | 141,951 | 28,390 | 78,073 | 56,780 |
| Biology-E | 625 | 659 | 29,648 | 12,155 | 7,708 | 3,557 |
| Biology-M | 652 | 672 | 38,092 | 11,427 | 14,855 | 7,999 |
| Chemistry | 666 | 692 | 68,879 | 18,597 | 31,684 | 19,286 |
| Physics | 667 | 685 | 56,956 | 15,378 | 26,769 | 17,086 |
| Chinese w/Listening | 759 | N/A | 4,105 | 205 | 3,612 | 3,201 |
| French | 636 | N/A | 5,829 | 2,506 | 2,040 | 1,340 |
| French w/Listening | 666 | N/A | 1,037 | 290 | 487 | 352 |
| German | 644 | N/A | 634 | 272 | 234 | 152 |
| German w/Listening | 636 | N/A | 365 | 156 | 124 | 62 |
| Modern Hebrew | 608 | N/A | 311 | 146 | 115 | 90 |
| Italian | 695 | N/A | 455 | 122 | 232 | 163 |
| Japanese w/Listening | 694 | N/A | 967 | 174 | 647 | 483 |
| Korean w/Listening | 768 | N/A | 1,761 | 70 | 1,567 | 1,391 |
| Latin | 613 | N/A | 2,242 | 964 | 739 | 403 |
| Spanish | 651 | N/A | 16,844 | 5,390 | 6,737 | 3,874 |
| Spanish w/Listening | 665 | N/A | 1,757 | 474 | 790 | 456 |
Thank you for usefull article. Also I have found more information about SAT here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SAT_Subject_Tests
The Wikipedia page is useful, but editors don’t update the information very frequently. They present 2013 data. For the latest from the College Board, readers can look at College-Bound Seniors 2015 or the latest Subject Test data tables that contain full percentile information and other nuggets.
HI Art,
My son received a composite 33 on the ACT
Sub scores
32 Engish
34 Reading
He received a 610 on Subject test Lit
should he report that score?
thank you for your advice!
Christine,
The 610 would not benefit his application. I would recommend against reporting it.
Art,
What advise would you give to a student applying to Harvard with the following test profile:
SAT( taken only once March 2016) EBRW 790, Math 760 , Total 1550
SAT Subject Tests Bio M (taken June 2014 after 9th grade) 740 American History (May 2016 ) 760 and Math 2 (taken June 2016) 720
Would you send the Math 2 ?
Student is interested in Cognitive Science
Rita,
I would lean toward submitting Math 2. 700+ scores on Subject Tests are good enough that additional results should never be a negative.
ACT super score of 35 (35, 35, 35, 33)…should I submit to highly selective but optional schools subject test scores of: Math 2 -790, US History – 720, Spanish Language (w/o Listening) – 710?
Thanks from a Compass Student
jf,
At highly selective schools where Subject Tests are simply “considered,” then I might let your ACT scores do the talking. While excellent, the scores will not necessarily help you stand out. I do think that you should submit them to schools that “recommend” Subject Tests. A number of highly selective schools in that camp expect to see Subject Tests except in extenuating circumstances.
ACT score = 36, Math 2 subject test = 800; US History subject test = 800; Chemistry subject test = 770. Applying to highly selective schools, would you recommend just sending the 2 top scores? I am writing in my applications that one of my possible majors (also History and Philosophy) is Chemistry. Will schools expect to see a Chemistry subject test if I indicate an interest in Chemistry major?
Thanks for your advice
Bafr,
You should be very proud of all of your scores. Phenomenal job. I would recommend including Chemistry.
1) 770 is an excellent score. Just because something falls short of 800 does not mean it drags you down.
2) I think breadth can be an excellent way of demonstrating your qualifications — that’s why Subject Tests exist.
3) [My weakest point.] If you are an admission officer looking at a potential Chemistry major, are you happier to see a student with a 770 or one who didn’t bother to submit (or possibly even take) the Chemistry test?
Hi Art
My son has a 36 in ACT (36 in Math and 36 in Science) and a 2330 in SAT including a 800 in Math section. He has a 800 in Chem subject test, 780 in Math II (Took in Freshman year) and recently scored a 760 in Physics subject test. He is planning to apply to Cal and MIT as well as few other colleges for engineering. He is worried about submitting his Physics score, and in addition most of these schools only need two Subject tests. Will Physics hurt him or help him? Should we also submit Physics or just submit Chem and Math II? Thank you for your advise?
Ramesh,
What excellent scores! It’s hard to think of a 760 as being a weak score, but it is true that a number of applicants to the very top engineering programs will have even higher Physics scores. The key, though, is that this is his third subject. Colleges generally view subjects after the first two as “plus factors.” I think the fact that he took Physics and did so well would be a valuable addition to his testing portfolio.
Hi Art,
Thank you for your article. I’ve just received scores for my January subject tests but am unsure which to send in. What would you advise a student applying to Harvard/Princeton with the following test profile:
New SAT (submitted): 1520, EBRW 740, Math 780 Essay: 18/24
Subject Tests:
Taken Jan 2017: Math 2 750, Biology E 660
Taken October 2016: Literature 660, French 630 (not a native speaker)
I think I will send in my Math 2, but which of the other three do you think would most aid my application?
For some context: I am a UK applicant, Afro-Caribbean heritage, interested in Philosophy/Economics
Chris,
It’s really a toss-up on Biology and Literature (I wouldn’t worry about French). I’d like to at least suggest repeating one or both. 660’s would be on the low side of Subject Test scores at H/P. You’d only need to submit your highest scores.
Hi!
I recently received my SAT Subject test scores for the U.S. History Subject Test that I took in May. I received a 720. While I am not necessarily upset with this score, I was expecting to my score to be a little bit higher. Could you give some perspective on how “good” this score is? I’m in the 76th percentile, so I know I’m above the average score on the U.S. History test. Also, how much of a positive addition will this score be if I choose to include it in my applications this fall for colleges?
Thank you!
Isabella,
Percentiles are a tricky way to assess a Subject Test score, so you are right to be inquisitive. I like to think about how your score stacks up against your other scores. At highly competitive colleges, Subject Test scores, on average, are higher than old SAT scores. I should emphasize the “old” part. New SAT scores are higher than old SAT scores, so we can loosely say that SAT scores and Subject Test scores will be about the same at top colleges. If your SAT scores are in the 650-740 range (or lower), then your U.S. History exam certainly won’t hurt you. If you are scoring in the 1500 range on your SAT, then your U.S. History exam probably doesn’t improve your testing portfolio. In that case, I might suggest that you send it only to colleges requiring Subject Tests.
Hi,
I got my son’s SAT World History score 750 that is in 87% today. His math is 800 and physics is 780. If he applies for Stanford, do you think we shall send top two subjects or we can send all three of them?
Thanks
Alice,
I would recommend sending all three. It’s understandable that a student’s third best score is less than his best, and there is no reason to hide from a 750. It shows an excellent performance in a non-STEM area to go with his Math and Physics results.
Should one retake an SAT Chem Score of 700 and a SAT score of 1440?
Pacey,
Your 700 Chemistry is a good score and matches with your 1440. I would recommend that you consider a few things:
1) Will a higher score help you? This depends on where you are applying and also on what sort of gain you can expect. At a 700, there is still room for improvement.
2) Do you think you can achieve a higher score? Based on your preparation and practice tests, was the 700 much lower than expected. Even more important, are you in a position to do better? Presumably you are not taking a chemistry class over the summer, so it will mean studying on your own or with a tutor.
3) Does repeating work with your schedule. Trying to raise a good score is different than trying to raise a weak score. Don’t force it. If it is going to interfere with your SAT plans or classes or applications, you probably shouldn’t force it.
4) Do you want to repeat. You have a good score. Are you really interested enough in raising it to put in the work and deal with the stress of another test day.
Good luck with whichever decision you make!
Thank you for replying.
1) A higher score will definitely help me and keep my higher options open. At the moment, my main goal is to get into the Honors engineering programs for UT Austin and Texas A and M.
2) It was much lower than expected. And you do bring up a good point about improving my score whatsoever, considering that I am not taking a chemistry class.
3) Repeating works. Should I retake the SAT score of 1440?
4) I’m conflicted about whether I should retake both of these scores, as I believe a higher score is better, but I don’t know if I can achieve that higher score.
Thanks again.
Pacey,
I can’t speak to the competitiveness of the UT and A&M engineering programs. Subject Test scores are completely optional and are unlikely to receive much weight. If you were to repeat a test — and I’m not saying that you must — I would recommend the SAT. Students often improve with time and practice, whereas the Chemistry test poses an additional obstacle. I do think you should submit your score.
Thank you so much for your input.
Hi, I recently took two SAT subject tests in May of this year. On the Bio M test, I got a 660, and on Math 2, I got a 630. I know that these scores aren’t that high, but are they enough for a UC such as LA? I’m all debating if I should retake them or not because I don’t know if I can do better if I do retake them. What do you think i should do?
Yolanda,
When the UCs stopped requiring Subject Tests, they also stopped reporting scores for applicants and admits. We know from prior experience that scores were roughly in line with SAT scores. The average SAT scores for UCLA are likely to be 700-720 in EBRW and Math. Admissions rates drop off quickly for students in the 600’s. I would consider retaking the exams (at least M2) or choosing not to send the Subject Tests to the UCs. As it stands, they do not help your testing portfolio.
Hello Art, I have a score of 1540 on my SAT 1 (750 – EBRW and 790 – Math) with a GPA of 3.92 on a rigorous curriculum with 4 APs in Sophomore year and 4 APs in Junior year. I got four ‘5’s and three ‘4’s as my AP scores. However, my SAT II subject test scores are less than optimal with 720 in Math2, 730 in US History and 730 in Chemistry. I am planning to apply REA to Princeton this coming fall. Should I retake my Math subject test and/or US History? I am planning to major in Econ with minor in Language Studies.
The answer that throws things back in your court is that retaking one or two ST’s can provide a boost to your testing profile, but not so large of one that they distract you from other things. I think you are at the cusp of where I would recommend a retake. You should retake the ones you are most likely to improve. For example, you shouldn’t feel pressure to do better in US History just because you plan on being a Econ major. A killer Chem score would be just as effective.
Hi Art,
My daughter is applying to Rice which requires no Subject Test scores if you submit ACT, but two with SAT. She will be submitting her ACT with a composite of 36 (E36,M35,R36,S36, Writing8). She took SAT Subject Tests once and got MATH 2 (770), Bio-M (790) and US History(750). Should she submit her Subject scores? Will they help her application or distract from her 36? Thank you for all your great work!
Sung,
I think your daughter’s scores supplement — rather than distract from — your daughter’s 36. If she is applying as a prospective STEM student, the Math 2 and Bio would be particularly relevant. Many of the ST-optional-with-ACT policies are vestiges from a time when students tended to take one test or the other and many ACT students ignored College Board exams entirely.
My son has a 36C on ACT (single sitting). SAT II subject test scores are 800 (US History) and 750 (literature).
Is there any advantage in taking more subject tests when target schools recommend only two? If he can score 750-800 on math II, would it be better to have third test when applying to selective schools (ivies and equivalents)? Or does that become overkill?
I do see kids with multiple subject test 800s. Those impress me, but I am not sure if they impress admissions officers. Worth taking a third test or should we move on? My son is a senior (likely major in social sciences) so studying for the test would take away time from applications.
MN dad,
Additional Subject Tests can improve a student’s testing portfolio. There is certainly a diminishing return, but the tests can still provide insight. For example, Math 2 results can display your son’s math skills better than can the ACT alone. You and your son will have to decide whether or not investing in another day of testing is worth the small potential gain. If he is considering Georgetown, keep in mind that they strongly recommend 3 Subject Tests!
Art,
Thanks for all the great information. My daughter has a 34 ACT (single sitting) and her subject matter tests are US Hist (710), Chem (740) and Math II (740). She is applying to schools that recommend/require 2 or 3 subject matter tests (Penn, Georgetown, etc.) but some others (Georgia Tech, Rice) make them optional. She wants to major in chemistry. Any concerns about submitting all three of the subject matter tests even at those places where it appears truly optional?
RI dad
Norm,
No concerns. If really pressed, I might not bother sending the US History. I don’t think it would hurt her, but it’s not going to be much of a positive, either. Rice is a good example of how colleges send mixed signals on Subject Tests. Until recently, it required Subject Tests. But it realizes that the exams are an obstacle for some students and doesn’t want that to prevent great students from applying. In other words, “we want you to apply even if you don’t have Subject Tests, but we’d love it if you did have Subject Tests, but we sort of promise not to hold it against you if you don’t.” When faced with these policies, the best decision is full disclosure unless scores are weak.
Hello Art,
The Subject Test scores were released this morning and I wanted to thank you for your advice!. My original question that you had replied earlier is pasted below for reference again. I retook Math II following your recommendation and got a 790 this time. My question now is, should I subject all three subject test scores or only submit Math II and U.S History? Please let me know when you get a chance.
Math Level II – 790 US History – 730 Chemistry – 730
Thanks, Vasu
=======
I have a score of 1540 on my SAT 1 (750 – EBRW and 790 – Math) with a GPA of 3.92 on a rigorous curriculum with 4 APs in Sophomore year and 4 APs in Junior year. I got four ‘5’s and three ‘4’s as my AP scores. However, my SAT II subject test scores are less than optimal with 720 in Math2, 730 in US History and 730 in Chemistry. I am planning to apply SCEA to Princeton this coming fall. Should I retake my Math subject test and/or US History? I am planning to major in Econ with minor in Language Studies.
Vasu,
Congratulations on raising your M2. I would go ahead and submit all 3 scores. A 730 is hardly a weak score and having a third subject cannot hurt you.
Hi Art,
My son has a 35 on his ACT (36 math, 35 science). He got an 800 on his Math 2 subject test and a 740 on his physics subject test. Should he send the physics score to places like Carnegie Mellon and Cornell?
Thank you very much!
NJ Mom,
Yes, send it. Colleges typically view Subject Test scores “supportively” or as “plus factors.” A 740 is not a score your son needs to hide. The percentiles on the Physics exam can make it seem as if any score less than 800 is a failure, but that’s more about the self-selection of the testing pool than anything else.
My son is in Sophomore now and got 720 in Biology E subject test. He is going to try for BS DO dual program. Most of the schools are asking for two or three subject test. He is planning to take Math 2, Chem and US History Subject test as well in Junior. He is wondering whether he has to retake Biology E test again or focus on other test as taking it again will reduce his time for other tests.
Devi,
Dual programs are one of the last strongholds of Subject Tests because they are so competitive and colleges want to make sure that students are comfortable with the math and science that will be required. I don’t think that he *has* to repeat Bio, but it would be good if he could apply with really strong M2, Bio, and Chem scores. Since he is just a sophomore, he has plenty of opportunities to retake the test. He may want to prep and re-take while the information is fresh. He’ll have Score Choice available, so only his best scores will matter.
Hi Art,
My daughter would like to apply for Princeton University early admission. Her current GPA is 3.8 UW; will complete 9 AP courses by the end of her senior year and many Extra-curriculum, since 9th grade. She received on SAT subject test – Chem 740 and Math 1 650. She has a 34 ACT composite score. She is also taking college courses (MOWR) and currently has received A’s in the courses. We are trying to complete an holistic profile for IVY league schools due to her GPA not being 4.0 UW. I am aware, as a student she will not be in the upper end of applicable students. My questions is would it help or hurt her to send the subject test scores?
GA Mother,
I would submit her Chemistry score but not the Math 1 score. The latter is below what the most elite schools want to see and doesn’t improve her “testing portfolio.”
Hello Art,
My daughter has 35C in ACT(superscore), Writing 9 and SAT II 760 (US History) and 740 (Literature). Her target schools are all 4-year Liberal Arts college, Claremont colleges on West coast and Amhert/Williams/Swarthmore/Haverford/Wellesley on east coast. We are hoping these scores along with her high GPA and range of extra curricular actitivity portfolio, good essays, be good enough to make her competitive? She plans to study either History or English. Any comment on her chances to get into one of these colleges?
Farhad,
I’m only qualified to talk about her test scores, and her ACT and Subject Test scores are in line with what those schools will want to see. Best of luck to your daughter!
Hi Art,
It’s so nice of you to respond to all of these questions!
My son is applying to highly selective schools that all consider SAT subject tests optional (one school says recommended). He has a 34 composite ACT, a 1520 SAT, with a 750 on his Math 2 and a 700 on his Biology M. What are your recommendations concerning submitting the subject tests?
Cali Mom,
Subject Test scores near or above an SAT section (we’ll call it 760 from your son’s SAT score) can generally increase the strength of a student’s testing portfolio. Your son’s Bio score is borderline for the top colleges. I might opt to not submit Subject Tests to the “optionals.” Some “recommended” colleges mean “we recommend, but we really, really want them.” Harvard and Princeton fall in this camp, for example. I would submit them in those limited circumstances.
My son has a 35 ACT, 780 math ii and 620 physics. If applying Carnegie, should he retake physics? Thanks
Ali,
He is best off retaking Physics or finding another subject where his score will be more inline with his ACT and Math 2 scores (at least 700+). If he is applying to the College of Engineering, Physics is his best choice.
Art,
My son has 1400 SAT (730 Math + 670 EBRW), Math 2 is 750, Physics is 670 and Chemistry is 690. The rest of his package is exceptionally strong so he is keen to take a shot at the Ivies including Harvard and Penn. Would it be advisable for him to report his subject SAT scores and if so which ones?
TX Dad,
The question I ask is “Will these test results help or hurt a student’s testing portfolio? Or will they not matter?”
Each of the elite schools is a little different. Harvard, for example, has “an expectation” of Subject Tests although it is not a hard requirement. I would recommend sending his Math 2 and Chem. Penn’s recommendation is a bit looser. Neither of his ST’s is so strong that it will dramatically strengthen his application, but I think that they are still good enough to send. I’d leave off Physics because no school — except Georgetown — expects 3 tests, and the 670 won’t help him. Overall his testing portfolio puts him toward the lower quartile of candidates, but scores are only one component. Harvard doesn’t release much in the way of stats, but Yale has posted some class of 2017 admission data that has new SAT scores for comparison.
I have a question completely unrelated to college admissions. My son is at a top prep school and would like to show that he has sufficiently mastered freshman biology. He took the SAT II biology without prepping towards the end of his 9th grade honors biology course and scored a 650. Do you believe this score would show that he knows the material enough to move onto chemistry or does it show that he needs to retake freshman biology? I appreciate your input.
Susan,
I don’t feel qualified enough to answer this. Based on what I commonly see from students taking the Bio Subject Test after 9th grade Bio is that a 650 is a good score. I would imagine that your son’s school, though, is much more concerned about his grade in the class.
Finally, in-depth info about the Subject tests, this has been so helpful! Would like to get your opinion about USC engineering. SAT I score is 1540; Math II is 740 and Physics is 650. Would you send all? Thanks again for the great info.
Chris,
USC is OK without Subject Tests, and I’d be concerned that your Physics score is not high enough to impress in relation to your SAT score. They are going to be looking closely at your grades in math and sciences, so I wouldn’t worry about STs.
Ok, thank you for the feedback. He will be sending the same scores to the UCs, some of which require two subject tests for engineering. Do you think the Physics score going to be a deal breaker for them? Don’t think he will have time to retake this fall. Thanks again.
Chris,
None of the UCs require Subject Tests — even for engineering. They recommend them for certain programs. It’s a close call. I don’t think the Physics is a deal breaker, but I’m not sure that it strengthens his application.
http://admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/freshman/requirements/examination-requirement/SAT-subject-tests/index.html
Thank you again!
Hi Art, When the UCs say that they want all of your SAT scores, are they talking solely about the SAT I or does it include the Subject tests? Chris
They are solely referring to the SAT, not Subject Tests. Unfortunately, there is no College Board option to state this policy, so when submitting scores, students get the scary message that the school does not recognize Score Choice. Ignore the scary message!