SAT subject tests?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Don't bother with SAT subject tests at all unless your kid will be looking at Ivies or other top 20 schools. (And they are optional even for many of these.) Don't waste your money.

Absolutely maddening the schools want to see both AP and subject tests. It's a racket. Colleges are totally in bed with the College Board.

schools don't see AP scores. it's self-reported.

College could certainly require that students send official AP scores if they wanted to. Because they are housed....at the College Board. (And, of course, official scores are required if an admitted student wants credit for AP classes, correct?)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Have him take the test, if he feels he is ready. My DC took bio sat in the end of 9th grade, scored 750.

Dont buy that "test optional" bs. Admissions are so competitive that you want as many tests and AP scores as possible. It is all wishful thinking that GPA alone will get you in a school of your dreams.

There's a difference between being "test optional" (which means that the school does not require the submission of ANY scores (SAT, SAT subject, ACT, etc) and not requiring SAT subject tests. I think the latter is what the PP meant when she said that even at some top schools, SAT subject tests are optional.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Don't bother with SAT subject tests at all unless your kid will be looking at Ivies or other top 20 schools. (And they are optional even for many of these.) Don't waste your money.

Absolutely maddening the schools want to see both AP and subject tests. It's a racket. Colleges are totally in bed with the College Board.

schools don't see AP scores. it's self-reported.

College could certainly require that students send official AP scores if they wanted to. Because they are housed....at the College Board. (And, of course, official scores are required if an admitted student wants credit for AP classes, correct?)

Yes, correct. You send in the "official scores" to the one school you plan to attend. Mine didn't send in until July after HS... No issues at all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Have him take the test, if he feels he is ready. My DC took bio sat in the end of 9th grade, scored 750.

Dont buy that "test optional" bs. Admissions are so competitive that you want as many tests and AP scores as possible. It is all wishful thinking that GPA alone will get you in a school of your dreams.

So this must have been an honors bio and not AP Bio if it was taken after 9th grade? Is that recommended to take SAT subj test after just taking an honors class and not AP?

[Anonymous]

make sure you understand this chart before getting too excited about the scores.

http://media.collegeboard.com/digitalServices/pdf/research/SAT-Subject-Tests-Percentile-Ranks-2012.pdf

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Have him take the test, if he feels he is ready. My DC took bio sat in the end of 9th grade, scored 750.

Dont buy that "test optional" bs. Admissions are so competitive that you want as many tests and AP scores as possible. It is all wishful thinking that GPA alone will get you in a school of your dreams.

So this must have been an honors bio and not AP Bio if it was taken after 9th grade? Is that recommended to take SAT subj test after just taking an honors class and not AP?

Yes, Honors Bio. It is probably better to take sat after ap class, but you want to start testing as early as possible to avoid burnout in junior grade.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Have him take the test, if he feels he is ready. My DC took bio sat in the end of 9th grade, scored 750.

Dont buy that "test optional" bs. Admissions are so competitive that you want as many tests and AP scores as possible. It is all wishful thinking that GPA alone will get you in a school of your dreams.

There's a difference between being "test optional" (which means that the school does not require the submission of ANY scores (SAT, SAT subject, ACT, etc) and not requiring SAT subject tests. I think the latter is what the PP meant when she said that even at some top schools, SAT subject tests are optional.

Nothing is optional these days, imho. There are so many qualified applicants, that you need every little bit to get ahead. I am so glad we are done with this process

[Anonymous]

Nothing is optional these days, imho. There are so many qualified applicants, that you need every little bit to get ahead. I am so glad we are done with this process

My DC just finished the process. She submitted a single ACT score (very good, but not stellar) to 7 schools and got into all of them. It's only as cutthroat as you want it to be. If OP's DC is taking AP Bio in 9th grade (our school requires regular Bio and Chem as prerequisites for this class), I'm guessing it's a cutthroat environment and the kid will feel like a failure if he doesn't go to a Top 10 university. Take all the tests!

[Anonymous]

How many SAT subject tests do kids need to take? And it sounds like even if they are required by colleges, they aren't used for admission decision purposes, so you can submit them after you are admitted, like after your Senior year? If so, then that sounds like a better strategy since kids are less likely to be so busy towards the end of their senior year. Am I missing something?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Nothing is optional these days, imho. There are so many qualified applicants, that you need every little bit to get ahead. I am so glad we are done with this process

My DC just finished the process. She submitted a single ACT score (very good, but not stellar) to 7 schools and got into all of them. It's only as cutthroat as you want it to be. If OP's DC is taking AP Bio in 9th grade (our school requires regular Bio and Chem as prerequisites for this class), I'm guessing it's a cutthroat environment and the kid will feel like a failure if he doesn't go to a Top 10 university. Take all the tests!

There are ~4000 schools in US. It is easy to get in if you aim for lower tier schools. If you try for top 1%, it gets very hard.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How many SAT subject tests do kids need to take? And it sounds like even if they are required by colleges, they aren't used for admission decision purposes, so you can submit them after you are admitted, like after your Senior year? If so, then that sounds like a better strategy since kids are less likely to be so busy towards the end of their senior year. Am I missing something?

You need to look at specific schools requirements - most ask for 2-3 on particular topics.

[Anonymous]

12:33. They are required with application so you must submit them early in senior year. Georgetown suggests three subject tests.

[Anonymous]

Yep, certain schools specify which tests they want to see...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How many SAT subject tests do kids need to take? And it sounds like even if they are required by colleges, they aren't used for admission decision purposes, so you can submit them after you are admitted, like after your Senior year? If so, then that sounds like a better strategy since kids are less likely to be so busy towards the end of their senior year. Am I missing something?

If required, they are due with the application, not in the end of senior year. You are confusing them with AP scores.

[Anonymous]

Have the kid take three sat subject tests. Hopkins and Georgetown require them.