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SAT Subject Tests FAQ

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.


Subject-Test-Feature

In this post we’ll take a deep dive into the tactical considerations around Subject Test planning. A more succinct summary of the Subject Test landscape may be found here. Please feel free to call your Compass Director for an individualized assessment of your needs and to schedule practice tests for these important exams.

Click Each Question Below to Reveal an Expanded Answer:

WHO NEEDS TO TAKE SUBJECT TESTS?

Second semester of 11th grade is perhaps the most intense stretch of the college admission testing gauntlet that students must run. Many Compass students have just taken or are about to take their SAT or ACT, but for those applying to a highly selective college, there is no rest for the weary! It’s time to finalize a plan for Subject Tests targeting a test date of May and/or June. Subject Tests are expected by only about 20 of the most selective U.S. colleges and universities, but these institutions tend to attract the most attention from ambitious students.

WHAT ARE THE KEYS TO SUCCESS ON SUBJECT TESTS?

  • Choosing the subjects in which you have the most potential
  • Nailing the timing of when you take the tests
  • Ensuring that there are no gaps in your preparation

The best way to avoid tactical errors is to ensure each of these decisions is informed by the results of practice tests. We recommend taking an initial diagnostic test—one hour per subject—no later than 5 weeks before the official date you are considering. Our proctored test sessions and analysis of results are complimentary; however, advance reservations are required, and sessions close to popular test dates will fill up.

The good news is that an initial diagnostic test and review of the results may be all you need to do to be ready. Many students find that their academic coursework—particularly in AP and honors classes—is often sufficient as preparation for Subject Tests. And when additional tutoring for Subject Tests is needed, that prep tends to be both efficient and multi-purpose. Most students select Subject Tests that correspond with current academic classes, so tutoring for Subject Tests tends to serve double-duty as prep for an AP or final exam.

WHAT ARE SUBJECT TESTS?

Subject Tests and Advanced Placement exams are often confused. Think of them as cousins, but not siblings. They serve different roles. Subject Tests are designed to allow students to demonstrate achievement in a particular academic area, but the tests are not tied to specific curricula and are expressly intended to be used in admission decisions. AP exams are more directly tied to a particular set of academic specifications. While APs certainly serve a role in admission decisions as evidence of mastery of the highest level offering of a particular subject, their original and official purpose is reflected in their moniker: “Advanced Placement.” Many colleges still link course placement and course credit to performance on AP exams. So while your AP classes will help inform your Subject Test planning, APs do not replace Subject Tests in the admission process (with very rare exceptions, e.g. NYU).

HOW IMPORTANT ARE SUBJECT TESTS?

The answer depends entirely on the contours of the field on which a student intends to compete. While Subject Test scores are relevant at only about 3% of the four-year institutions in the U.S., the scores can be significant factors in the admission decisions at a little over 20 colleges that are extremely popular. And an additional 60 colleges—also quite well known—will consider Subject Tests if submitted.

To evaluate the tests’ importance in your individual situation, start by reviewing the list of these 100 institutions. If you’re an 11th grader, then you likely have a college list in mind to cross-reference. 10th graders usually aren’t as far along in their planning but may at least have an idea of whether the likes of Harvard, MIT, Princeton, Williams, etc. will be under consideration. You should also keep in mind that specific academic majors (e.g. engineering or nursing) within a college may require Subject Tests that are not required for all applicants to the college.

As a general rule, if you may decide to apply to one of the selective colleges in the up-to-date list on our website or to a particularly competitive academic major within a college, then you should keep your options open by taking Subject Tests.

HOW MANY SUBJECT TESTS SHOULD I TAKE?

The minimum expectation is two tests (with the sole exception of Georgetown, which still states a preference for three tests). Whether you should push yourself to exceed the minimum can be determined by a common sense assessment of the competitiveness of the applicant pool at your target colleges. Context is key.

For example: George Washington University and Stanford University will both consider Subject Tests. However, in 2014, GW admitted approximately 45% of the students who applied for admission, while Stanford admitted only 5%.

We would advise you to accept GW’s position at face value. You could reasonably conclude that while GW would like to see Subject Tests, it’s much more of a soft preference than an implied expectation.

On the other hand, and keeping in mind that a 5% admission rate made Stanford the most selective undergraduate institution in the country in 2014, it would be wise to exceed Stanford’s “will consider” by striving to produce outstanding Subject Test scores to submit if you possibly can.

A rule of thumb: The more competitive the applicant pool, the more you should interpret “recommended” as “expected” and “considered” as “recommended.” And if you could excel on more than the minimum of two Subject Tests without too much extra effort, then you should probably do so. It’s not uncommon for Compass’ most ambitious students to take three to five Subject Tests, if such an approach is supported by their academic coursework and strengths.

WHICH SUBJECT TESTS SHOULD I CHOOSE?

Optimal selection of Subject Tests is critical, and the best choices are usually those that align with your most advanced classes and your academic strengths. See the following list of subjects and months when each subject is offered, noting that not all subjects are offered on all test dates.

Here is a table detailing the number of questions and a brief description of each test:

Thoughts to keep in mind as you are evaluating these options relative to your classes at school and your academic strengths:

The more advanced and challenging the academic class, the more likely that the material will overlap significantly with a related Subject Test. If you are in an AP or honors/advanced class that corresponds with a Subject Test, then it is almost certainly advisable to at least take a practice test to evaluate whether you should take that Subject Test officially.

The alignment of content is not always straightforward though, and the practice test results must be interpreted with caution. Let’s take AP U.S. History for example:

A student expecting to score a 4 or 5 on AP-USH will find much content that is familiar on the ST-USH. However, we are not suggesting that even the top students in AP-USH should just walk into the ST-USH cold. The content overlap is not 100%. While most AP classes start with the arrival of the Europeans in the “New World,” the Subject Test takes the more enlightened view that Native American history is fair game too.

Then there is the rather fast pacing of Subject Tests. The ST-USH has 90-95 multiple-choice questions in just 60 minutes. Students must move quickly and act decisively. And decisiveness in the face of uncertainty is essential, as even the students most steeped in U.S. History may find a surprising number of questions with unfamiliar content. The test is designed to be approachable by students who have been taught U.S. History from a variety of pedagogical emphases. This broad but shallow characterization of the content means that very few high school history classes will have covered every stitch of material on the test, and therefore most students will need to make educated guesses or skip at least some questions. This also means that indecisive guessers and reluctant skippers may struggle to finish the exam.

Finally, the conversion scale reflects these realities of the test’s construction. A typical ST-USH scale allows students to leave as many as ten questions blank and still receive the top score of 800. Even students leaving half the questions blank could still score around 600.

WHEN SHOULD I TAKE SUBJECT TESTS?

With just a few exceptions, you should take a particular Subject Test at the end of the school year when you have taken a corresponding class of appropriate rigor. May or June of 11th grade is thus the most popular window when the majority of Subject Tests are taken. 10th and even 9th grade students may be advised to take a Subject Test, if they are excelling in an AP or advanced class in a subject that they will not continue in before 12th grade.

The choice between the May and June test dates requires careful consideration. June tends to be more popular, simply because it is later in the school year for most students and occurs very close to their final exams. It’s a lot to worry about simultaneously, but you get more bang (points) for your studying buck (time). Students in a corresponding AP class may find that their AP exam date is closer to the May date for Subject Tests than the June date. Would you rather study for the Subject Test first, knock that out, and then move on to the AP….or vice versa? We recommend you consult with your teacher at school. Many (but not all, unfortunately) teachers are well-versed in the Subject Test related to their specialty. They may be able to give subject-specific advice. Some may even tell you to take the AP first and wait until June for the Subject Test, because they plan to spend class time on the Subject Test material in the 1–3 week period between the AP date and the June date for Subject Tests.

Keep in mind that you can’t freely choose between May and June for Subject Tests if you have already planned to take the SAT on one of these test dates. You cannot take the SAT and the Subject Tests on the same date (we wouldn’t wish that on anybody even if it were possible). This is one of the reasons why we recommend a December, January, or March test date for a first sitting of the SAT. The ACT helpfully avoids College Board test dates, so the April and June ACT test dates do not pose a direct conflict. The June ACT date is always the second weekend in June, one week after the SAT / Subject Tests date. You could choose to utilize both of these June dates, in which case your summer break would be especially well earned.

The fall test dates are generally unpopular for Subject Tests. Thoughtful exceptions include an October tester who took an intensive summer school course or a November tester who wants to take the version of a Language test with a listening component (often preferred by native speakers). An unfortunate exception would be a student who somehow missed or failed to heed the advice to take Subject Tests at the end of the school year when students are most typically peaking in a particular subject.

IS IT OKAY TO TAKE A SUBJECT TEST MORE THAN ONCE?

Generally, yes. (See the next question for caveats related to colleges that disallow Score Choice.) The most typical retesting scenario would be to take a first stab on the May test date and then get right back on the horse for the June test date. Equestrian skills and test-taking skills tend to improve with experience, like most anything else. This May-then-June approach is a bit unusual though, as most students feel it will be sufficient to target just one test date and use practice tests (and possibly a modicum of tutoring) to ensure they are well prepared. Also, there is not time to test in May, wait to receive your score 2–3 weeks later, and then register for the June test date. The June registration deadline is earlier than the May score reporting date, so students wishing to keep the retest possibility open would need to pre-register for June well in advance. Those who sign up after the late registration deadline receive “Waitlist Status,” which does not guarantee a spot.

Another rationale for retesting would result from taking classes that build upon one another. For example, consider a 10th grader taking Honors Pre-Calculus. The content of the Math Level 2 aligns quite well with most Honors Pre-Calculus classes, so from that perspective the end of the 10th grade may be the optimal window. A 10th grader in this situation may be able to bank a top score on Math Level 2 and thus have less to worry about in 11th grade. Or, that 10th grader may find that there is still significant room for improvement after the first try, so he/she could decide to take another stab at it a year later. That student would typically go on to AP Calculus AB in 11th grade. The content of Calc AB is generally beyond the emphases of the Math Level 2, but math skills tend to be acquired cumulatively and retained. These further developed math skills specifically combined with another 12 months of academic maturity generally may be the ticket to an even higher Math 2 score.

If you’ve been paying attention at all, then you know what we rely on to help make these timing and retesting decisions. Practice tests! Never take an official test cold, and avoid speculation as much as possible in selecting tests and test dates.

WILL I HAVE TO REPORT ALL OF MY SUBJECT TEST SCORES TO COLLEGES?

Maybe. Technically the College Board gives you “Score Choice” capability, allowing you the ability to selectively report your scores as you see fit. You could, for example, take the Math 2, Literature, and Chemistry exams on the same test date and then later choose to report only certain scores from this date to any particular college. However, some colleges disallow Score Choice and require you to stipulate in your admission application that you have not exercised Score Choice. The “who” and “why” of this issue would require its own blog post, but try not to worry about it. If there is reason to believe that a retest would increase your score, then retest. If you retest and a particular college expects you to report both scores, then report both scores. The likelihood is extremely remote that any college would scrutinize the trend in your scores and discount a gain in any meaningful way.

WHAT ABOUT COLLEGES THAT ACCEPT THE ACT IN LIEU OF THE SAT AND SUBJECT TESTS?

If you find the variety of Score Choice postures confusing, here’s another head-scratcher: Many colleges require Subject Tests if paired with the SAT, but will officially accept the ACT alone as meeting the basic testing requirement. Let’s take two universities you may have heard of as examples: Harvard requires at least two Subject Tests IN ADDITION to EITHER the SAT or ACT, while Yale will fully consider your application for admission with ONLY an ACT score (Yale requires Subject Tests only if you chose to take the SAT instead of the ACT). Princeton and MIT are in Harvard’s camp on this issue, while Penn and Columbia see it Yale’s way. For a complete list, see the institutions listed in this table.

Confused yet? We don’t blame you. The pundits and gurus don’t all agree on why this variation in practices exists.

On the one hand, we are reluctant to suggest that any college’s policy should be taken at less than face value. If Yale’s policy says that an ACT alone is accepted equally in lieu of the SAT and several Subject Tests, who are we to suggest otherwise?

On the other hand, it’s possible that the option to submit an ACT score alone may make that college appear more welcoming to some prospective applicants, especially those in geographic locations or demographic circumstances in which Subject Tests are less readily available. For the typical Compass student in a competitive high school in California and carrying a schedule full of AP and Honors classes, we feel it is advisable to demonstrate academic strengths as convincingly as possible. In many cases this is best achieved by submitting Subject Tests regardless of whether they are technically required.

HOW MANY SUBJECT TESTS CAN I TAKE ON A SINGLE TEST DATE?

You can take as many as three Subject Tests on a test date, but you don’t have to take that many—you could take just one or two. You can choose to spread your Subject Tests across multiple test dates if your schedule allows. Each Subject Test is one hour long. Only having to cope with one or two Subject Tests on a certain date makes for a less taxing day, and this may reflect positively in your scores. It’s possible, for example, to take 1–2 Subject Tests in June of 10th grade, 1–2 more in May of 11th grade, and 1–2 more in June of 11th grade, with some of those tests serving as second attempts in the same subject. Each student has unique circumstances and strengths, so there is no static template.

UP TO WHAT POINT CAN I CHANGE MY MIND ABOUT WHICH SUBJECTS TO TAKE?

Up to the very last minute. While the registration form for Subject Tests asks you to indicate which subjects you intend to take (we’re not sure why), this is non-binding. On the day of the test, you are given a thick booklet with all subjects, and you choose then and there which subjects you will take. Don’t worry: If you decide to take more subjects than you paid for when you registered, the College Board will remember to bill you for the difference.

IF I'M TAKING MORE THAN ONE SUBJECT TEST ON A DATE, DO I CHOOSE THE ORDER?

Yes, you choose the order. Most students choose to start with the subject on which they feel they need the most energy and/or are most hopeful will be their best subject, but this is entirely up to you.

WHAT IS A GOOD SCORE ON A SUBJECT TEST? WHAT DO PERCENTILES INDICATE?

We’re sorry to keep saying “It depends,” but, well….it really does depend on the context. While few institutions readily report Subject Test data for admitted or enrolled students, we can make some reasonable assumptions. SAT score data in the middle-50th percentiles (25th % to 75th %) are available, and it stands to reason that Subject Test scores for enrolled students are similar to SAT scores. Students can expect that Subject Test scores in the low-mid 700s put them in the same ballpark as other applicants to the highly selective colleges that require Subject Tests.

When evaluating your Subject Test scores, focus on the scaled score from 200–800 and not the reported percentile. Percentile scores for Subject Tests are misleading, because they often indicate a skewed testing population. For example, only 27,000 students take the Physics test each year, so it is logical to assume that most are quite good at Physics. Your scaled score, not your percentile, is the most important number on your Subject Test report and allows you to compare your performance across different subjects.

If you’ve read this far, we salute you! Making decisions based on accurate information is half the battle, so your commitment to being well-informed will serve you well. Please don’t hesitate to contact us for more information, personalized guidance, and practice tests.

Adam Ingersoll

Adam began his career in test prep in 1993 while at the University of Southern California, where he was a student-athlete on the basketball team, worked in the admission office, and graduated magna cum laude. Over the last three decades he has guided thousands of families to successful experiences with standardized tests and has mentored hundreds of the industry's most sought-after tutors. Adam is known nationally as a leading expert on college admission testing and is a frequent presenter at higher ed conferences, faculty development workshops, and school seminars.

255 Comments

  • R Robinson says:

    Hi, do colleges make exceptions ,like Harvard if you dont have a high SAT score but high GPA, my daughter has a 4.9 gpa. She has an interview this weekend from a local Harvard rep for admissions. She is taking 3 subject test this weekend also.

    • Art Sawyer says:

      R,
      There is no automatic trade-off between SATs and GPA, but Harvard does take a holistic approach and does not have an SAT cutoff. Most Harvard applicants have high GPAs, so it is difficult to differentiate oneself on that alone.

  • Sarah says:

    Hello,

    I registered for 3 subjects tests- Physics, Chemistry and Math Level 2. On the test day, however, I decided to do only one. The Test Center told me to postpone them online when I got back home. I did and was charged a change fee. However the SAT site states that there is no change fee?

    • Art Sawyer says:

      Sarah,
      The fee policies are not my area of expertise, but hopefully College Board’s customer service can help you. Perhaps the fact that you postponed them was viewed as a change of test date for which there is a fee.

  • BT says:

    Hello,
    I have taken 4 different SAT subject tests. I took Maths 2 and Chemistry recently and I received good scores. However I also took Literature and Latin a few years ago. I do not wish to submit these scores as they are poor. Am I required to submit them for schools which do not participate in SAT score choice? If I am, will the lower scores hinder my application if I am applying for engineering and have high scores in maths 2 and Chemistry.
    Thanks.

    • Art Sawyer says:

      Even schools that “do not recognize” Score Choice typically make an exception for Subject Tests. In cases where they don’t, they’ll usually have a policy of using only a student’s best scores. I would exercise Score Choice if you are concerned.

  • Louise says:

    Hi Art, I have a question about reporting sat subject scores. My daughter has a great sat score, gpa and she will have 9 APs. No one even mentioned subject tests until we saw they are ‘recommended’ for engineering at some schools she is applying to. She sat the chemistry and math 2 but she did AP Chem in sophomore and she is calc BC this yr so in both subjects it was a long time since she did this kind of work. Both were disastrous; math 690 and chem 610. She knows she could score 800 in both if she had time to study but she has a strenuous courseload, busy extracurricular life and is drowning in college apps/essays. She is planning to try again but for her Stanford RAED can she just not put the sat subjects in the self reporting part and then send what will hopefully be better scores when she gets the Nov results? Or self report her intention to sit them in Nov without putting the other scores in?

    • Art Sawyer says:

      Louise,
      I would recommend that she leave off her current Subject Test scores (so your last option). Stanford is now a “report if they are going to help” college, and I don’t think that her current scores will help. Hopefully she nails them in November.

  • MMC says:

    Hello,
    I have a question about reporting the SAT scores. I took the SAT Chemistry in June 2016 and the SAT regular test October 2016 without choosing the “free” reports. I did well enough and do not plan to retake them. I took SAT Math2 and Physics in June 2017 and did choose 2 UC and 2 other schools for the “free” reports. Do I need to pay to send in the SAT regular test scores to those 4 “free” schools? I did better in Physics than in Chemistry. Do I need to send in the Chemistry score to the schools, especially UCs? Thank you!

    • Art Sawyer says:

      MMC,
      The “free” reports include any score that you have taken up to that date (including the current test, of course!). It does not include subsequent tests. So when you sent reports when you to the M2 and Physics in June, your Chemistry test and October 2016 SAT score were also sent. If you repeat any of the tests, you will need to resend scores (either as free or paid reports). The advantage of paid reports after you receive scores is Score Choice.

  • Dorthy says:

    Hi, Art
    My D is going to apply Upenn ED major in liberart arts or undecided, but she got very bad sat subject test in math2 670, her literature is 750 and sat 1540 (math 790, englisg 750), act 33. Will sending only one subject (literature) will put her on disadvantage situation? Should she still take risk to apply upenn as her ED choice? (subject test is not required but recommended in upenn)
    thanks a lot

    • Art Sawyer says:

      Dorthy,
      It boils down to submitting 2, 1, or 0 scores. I would probably opt out of 2 — her M2 will not help her, and she is not applying to a program where it would be expected. I don’t know enough about how Penn would view 1 score (or 0) to make a recommendation. I doubt that either choice would be a negative. Her ED choice is beyond my area of expertise. I will say that her SAT and ACT scores fall in Penn’s 25th-75th range for admitted students.

  • AS says:

    Hi Art,
    If I took the Biology E/M Subject Test more than once, can I submit a score from only one date or do I have to submit all my scores for that test?
    Thank you.

    • Art Sawyer says:

      AS,
      Except in a few cases (just stop being out-of-step, Georgetown!), you can just submit the dates you choose. Even if you submit all of them, most colleges will look at the highest score.

  • Tara says:

    Hi Art,
    My SAT score was 1520 (780 in Math and 740 in Reading and Writing). If I apply ED to Stanford, do you think I should send in my subject test scores of 780 in Math 2 and 700 in Literature? I am inclined to submit only the Math 2 score, or none at all, since the Literature score is rather low. (I am a straight A student.) Would it look bad if I submitted only one subject test score?
    Thank you.

    • Art Sawyer says:

      Tara,
      Hopefully you’ve already made this decision, but I thought I would weigh in. I would go ahead and submit your Math 2 score. I don’t know of any bias that colleges have against 1 ST that they wouldn’t have against 0. Stanford has greatly weakened its consideration of Subject Test scores, so it won’t play a large role either way.

  • ANAND says:

    Hi ART, I am applying ED to UPENN business program and I have composite ACT 36 and I have good GPA and other credentials. But my SAT subject test score on Math 2 is only 720 and also My SAT History is in 720.( I took these tests later time period than my actual subject year). Since my SAT subject tests scores are not as great as other credentials, what would be better approach to get admitted in UPENN. Will it be not sending SAT score or it is still ok to send low SAT score (This should not give wrong prediction on the performance ). Thanks and your advice is highly regarded.

    • Art Sawyer says:

      Anand,
      Your Subject Test scores are not so weak that they should cause a problem. Given your ACT score, I might choose not to submit. They don’t seem to strengthen your portfolio.

  • Natalie says:

    I took only the ACT, but I also took a couple SAT subject tests last spring. Would you recommend I send my scores to UC’s, even if I wasn’t that happy with them? I don’t plan on retaking any subject tests.

    • Art Sawyer says:

      Natalie,
      If you don’t think that your Subject Test scores tell a positive story, then I would not send them to the UC’s. No program requires them, and only some recommend them (and a recommendation can be ignored if compliance means sending low scores).

  • Shania says:

    Hi Art, I took the SAT in October and my reading part was above average (610) but my math scores are low (550) my target goal is a 1200 the schools I want to go to super score and I was wondering if I could just take a math subject test instead of the whole SAT over again. Will that work, will the count my good reading score and my math subject test? And if so should I take Math 1 and 2 or just 2?

    • Art Sawyer says:

      Shania,
      It does seem a little cruel to make someone retake the whole SAT just to raise a math score, but it’s the only way that College Board can ensure test fairness (otherwise it would be like you were running a 10k and everyone else was running a marathon). Because the Math Subject Tests and Math SAT are different, schools do not superscore across the exams, I’m sorry, but it looks like you’ll want to take the full SAT again.

  • JF says:

    Greetings Art,
    I am in a bit of a pickle. My ACT and SAT scores are quite good (33 & 1500), but I faltered on my Subject Tests for various reasons. They are as follows:
    World History: 610//Chemistry: 660//BiologyE: 710//MathII: 570.
    I especially distaste the MathII and World History scores for obvious reasons, and while my forecasted major has little relation to them (environmental science/studies), I sincerely DO NOT want to send those two scores to ANY college. They can only speak negatively, and I don’t need want some off tests to dictate my future. My first reach choice (Stanford University) is thankfully a Score-Choice college, but the UCs and many others ask me to report “all SAT scores.”
    I am unsure of the semantics of that statement. Does that mean all SAT scores, or all SAT + Subject Tests (since the latter is under the page of “SAT” on the College Board)? It is giving me considerable anxiety. What should I do? And if I sincerely must submit my Subject Tests, how badly do you think it would display me to the application readers?

    Thank you kindly,
    JF

    • Art Sawyer says:

      JF,
      There is not universal agreement on this topic. I think it is fair to say that unless a college explicitly says that all SAT *and* Subject Tests are required, then a “no Score Choice” or “all SATs” policy simply means that all non-Subject Test SATs must be submitted. Unfortunately, College Board has muddled the matter by not properly distinguishing between the tests in its policies, and most colleges are used to simply referring to the “SAT” and view Subject Tests as something different. The UCs do not require Subject Tests, and I do not see their no Score Choice policy as a back-door requirement.

  • anoushka says:

    hello sir , in my first attempt of sat i got 510 in english and 650 in math where as in second attempt i got 610 in english and 590 in math so if i send both of my scores to university . will the university consider the best score of each subject?

    • Art Sawyer says:

      Anoushka,
      If you are referring to the SAT and its Reading/Writing and Math scores, then you can look to see if a college “superscores.” We maintain a list of superscoring policies at popular colleges. In more cases than not, colleges do look at your best scores. Policies are not always as cleaerly stated when it comes to Subject Tests, but in most cases, your best scores will be used.

  • R.G says:

    My daughter got same scores in both october and november sat exams in 2 subjects Chemistry and Maths eventhough she is confident that she did better in November. We feel getting the same score in both subjects in October and November score is unlikely. Should we go for score verification. We doubt whether they have uploaded october marks again for November also. Please advise

    • Art Sawyer says:

      R.G.,
      Although it would be unusual to receive the exact same scores, it is far more unusual to have College Board mix up results. I would contact them to see if they can provide any additional insight (such as the raw scores) before you pay for score verification.

  • K says:

    If the colleges I’m applying to don’t explicitly require subject tests but I took them, do I have to send those scores along with the SAT I? For example, one of their websites say “You may submit SAT II scores if you believe they provide additional support for your application, but it is not a requirement for admission.”, so that would imply that I can choose not to send, right?

  • Mom of 3 says:

    HI Art – my daughter took ACT twice – 34 (36 Science 35 English 33 Reading 32 Math) 33(29 Science 36 English. 36 Reading 29 Math – 10 Writing). She is a national merit comment and received the following SAT subject test scores: Bio M: 800 Math 1: 740 Lit: 730. She is applying to a few Ivies and many schools right beneath. Would appreciate your advice on what to do with the Math 1 and Lit scores. Thank you so much.

    • Art Sawyer says:

      Mom of 3,
      I would recommend that your daughter include her Math 1 and Lit scores. They are far from “there is a problem” scores, and they display a nice diversity.

  • Karen says:

    hi Art –
    looking at some ivies – son has 4.0 gpa, 35 ACT (taken 3 times) 1440 SAT (taken twice) but sat subject scores of 720 (USHistory); 610 (Physics) and 600 (math 2) – i think he’s just DONE with testing

    if SAT subject are optional, suggested, or add positively, which ones do we submit? also, if 2 are mandatory – take the two highest or since the lower two are in similar range send them all?

    thanks –

    • Art Sawyer says:

      Karen,
      I would recommend sending, where allowed, the 35 rather than the 1440. If Subject Tests are treated as a “plus factor,” then I would recommend including the USHistory. Many colleges will automatically take the highest Subject Test scores, but I don’t think there is any reason to include the third score unless the college requires that all scores be submitted.

  • Lily says:

    Hi Art,
    I am a senior and I am in the process of applying to schools, some as an econ major and others as a cs major. I have a couple reaches (Cornell, CMU, UC Berkeley) and matches (Purdue, Northeastern, RPI). My GPA is 3.8 u/w, ACT is 34C (36 English 36 Reading 32 Math 32 Science) and I have gotten 5’s on both APUSH and AP Calc AB, and I have many EC’s. My SAT subject scores are as follows: Math 2 – 730; Physics – 620; US History – 610; Korean – 780. Do you recommend that I send any of these scores? Most of my schools do not require SAT subject test scores to be sent, and I was wondering if any of them would add to my overall application. Thanks!

    • Art Sawyer says:

      Lily,
      Sorry if I’m late. Your Physics and US History scores don’t do justice to your ACT and AP scores. I would probably not send them. The Math 2 and Korean are fine, although colleges won’t put much weight on language Subject Tests unless you were studying the language in school.

  • Mom from CY says:

    Hi Art,

    My son is an international student with A-Levels in Chemistry (A), Physics (B), Mathematics (A) and Modern Greek (A). He has scored a 1360 SAT (610 Reading/Writing and 750 Math). He took three Subject Tests: Math I (760), Math II (800) and Chemistry (680). He has applied to science/math programs (but not engineering schools) in the UC system. We are thinking of only sending the Math II Subject Test, since his Chemistry A-Level is much stronger (he got a high A-score) than the SAT Subject Test. But what about the ‘Report all scores’ policy for UCs? What would you recommend?

    • Art Sawyer says:

      Mom from CY,
      Because the UCs do not require Subject Tests, I and others interpret the “report all scores” to only include the SAT.

  • Lauren says:

    Dear Mr. Sawyer:

    Thank you for offering your recommendations! My daughter has a 1440 SAT (770 Verbal; 670 Math); AP Language (5), AP USHistory (4), French (4). We are trying to figure out what we should do with regard to her SAT IIs. She is applying to multiple schools that “recommend but do not require) SATIIs” (Havard, Brown, Duke, Northwestern, Penn, Yale). Her Literature score is 770 but her History score is 680. Her college counselor told her that “unless a score is above 700, don’t send,” and that “it won’t look weird if you only send one subject matter test.” On the other hand, it does seem odd to us to send just one. Do you have thoughts on this scenario? Thank you very much.

    • Art Sawyer says:

      Lauren,
      I agree with your counselor on this. Sure, it would be better to have two strong ST scores, but sending 1 is better than sending 0.

  • KEMI says:

    My D scored very well on the ACT . However the Sat Subject Test scores are as follows: 670 in Maths 2 and 660 in Physics
    He will be majoring in Electrical/ Computer Engineering. Is it compulsory that he report his Sat Subject Test scores to Rice?
    Will he be seen as withholding information if he doesn’t?

    • Art Sawyer says:

      KEMI,
      Rice does not require Subject Tests and states that “Applicants who do not take the SAT Subject Tests will not be disadvantaged in the review process.” I would not bother submitting them.

  • Sarah says:

    Hi Art,
    I am a senior looking to apply regular decision to ivy leagues where two subject tests are “recommended but not required”. I have a 34 AC and a 4.0 (my school does not give weighted gpas). I have a 770 on my Lit subject test and a 690 on my Bio M (I got a 4 on APBio but 5s on all other APs). Would it be worse to submit both scores and show the 690, or just to submit 770 lit and not fulfill their “recommendation” of two subject tests? Thank you in advance!

    • Art Sawyer says:

      Sarah,
      Your 690 is at the borderline of scores that I would submit in your case. I’d probably lean toward submitting, but I think that either way is fine.

  • Karolina says:

    Hi Art,

    I am a high school senior applying to the top liberal arts colleges, many of whom do not require scores at all, but I am planning on sending in my 1370 SAT score because I have been told it will not raise red flags in my application. In 10th grade, I took the American History subject test and got a 630. Should I send this score in with my other one as well? Will it raise eyebrows or will they simply check it off as okay, and focus on the other things they say they care more about in my application (like personal essays and activities)?

    • Art Sawyer says:

      Karolina,
      Your U.S. History score is far enough below your SAT scores that I don’t think it will benefit you and could be a negative. I would submit only your 1370.

  • Helen says:

    Hi, I recently took the Bio Subject Test again to see if I could get a better score. I did, but it was still not the score I wanted, is it worth it for me to take the test a third time?

    • Art Sawyer says:

      Helen,
      That’s one that I can better answer through a set of questions. I will say that Score Choice means that you will be able to use your best performance.

      Do you have good reason to think that you will improve? By a significant amount (30-50 points)?
      Do you have the time and desire to do further preparation?
      Will hitting your target score be important? For example, will it improve your testing portfolio? Do the schools are programs to which you are applying require Subject Tests? Do you have other ST scores that can take the place of Bio?

      I’m not generally a fan of taking a Subject Test three times, but I’m not the one taking the test or getting ready for it. If you’re just frustrated that you haven’t done better, it may be best to pass. If you think it can impact your admission chances and you are up for it, then you have my encouragement!

  • Katie says:

    Hi there!
    I’ve seen a lot of information about SAT subject tests, but I still can’t find information about whether or not SAT subject tests can be used in superscoring. I’m planning on applying to Chapel Hill next year and would like to know whether or not the SAT subject tests I take will be factored into my superscore.
    Thanks!
    Katie

    • Art Sawyer says:

      Katie,
      Superscore generally refers to the total SAT (1600) or composite ACT score. Subject Tests do not factor into those scores. Instead, Chapel Hill will look at them independently. You can submit your highest scores.

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