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 |
Hi Art,
Thank you for the great articles. Very impressed by your replies to questions.
My daughter is a junior. She got 800 in SAT math 2, physics and bio-M, but her world history is only 720 due to lack of practice. She got 5 on her AP world history (also all other APs so far: calc BC, physics C, human geography). She hasn’t taken sat 1 or ACT yet and plan to take sat 1 in Nov or Dec.
She plans to apply for some highly selective colleges, with an interest in STEM or medicine or business. What do you recommend for the following 2 questions?
A: about taking subject test
1. Retake world history soon. We are sure that she will improve if retake, as she had little time to prepare last time. But she plans to take Sat 1 in Nov or Dec, so not sure if this will be an extra burden. But the preparation time probably is less than doing the next option.
2. Not retake world history, but take US history after she finishes it this year, so that she has a subject on humanity.
3. Not take any more subject test
B: Assuming she doesn’t retake, do we send the world history score (720) to schools? Does the 720 do a disservice to her given that she has a 5 on ap world and an A from her class?
Thank you.
Laura
Laura,
1) Do not have her retake World History. It is her fourth ST, so it’s largely irrelevant. It’s a great score for a fourth test. It’s not an easy test to prep for.
2) Having a humanities ST on her record is not essential. If the test date for U.S. History works for her, then she can take it. Given her existing scores, I don’t think I’d bother.
3) I’m tempted to go for this answer. Most students would trade a birthday to have three 800s and a 720.
B) I would still send it. Most colleges are not going to care about a fourth test, but as mentioned above, it’s a good score for a fourth exam. You won’t go wrong either way given the strength of your daughter’s scores.
Hi Art,
My daughter got a 740 on the math 2 subject test. She will be applying to several Ivy League schools as well as MIT, UVA, University of Maryland and RPI. Her goal is to become an Astrophysicist/Astronomer. Is this score competitive enough? Or should she retake it? Thanks!
Stacey,
So many factors come into play that I don’t want to be too definitive. A 740 Math 2 score is solid. My guess is that it would put her at the upper end of the pool at University of Maryland. At MIT, it would not. If she has done well on practice tests and feels that her 740 is not her best performance AND taking the test again doesn’t unreasonably interfere with her applications, I would encourage her to retest. She only needs to submit her best performance.
Hi Art:
I am a senior hoping to go into a business/computer science field. I have a 1560 on the SAT (780 and 780). I have a perfect score on the math2 subject test. Which other subject tests should I take. I was thinking of taking english. I already took physics and only got a 650, and I know that score would not help me when applying to top universities such as MIT, USC, and Harvard. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks!
Kyle,
I’m afraid that I can’t help you with that choice. My advice would be to pick up the Official Study Guide for All Subject Tests and see how you would do on Literature and any other possibilities. Given your choice in majors, the exact subject shouldn’t matter. Students often take Subject Tests in AP subjects where they have received 5s, so that might help you narrow things down.
Dear Art, thank you for your article. It was incredibly informative. A question for you -my son received a 760 Math2 and 680 US History. (He had not covered enough Physics to take the subject test as a junior. He is taking the equivalent of AP Physics this year, so is eligible to take the exam this year (though this will be too late to help in admissions). However, he received a 4 in AB Calc, 5 in US History, 4 in Spanish. He is thinking about applying to Duke ED. They do not seem to require subject tests for those that submit ACTs (his composite was a 34 (E36|M33|R35|S31)). 1. Would it harm his admissions chances to self-report only his Math2 subject test? Or should he self-report neither? Should any of the AP exam scores be reported? 2. He may end up applying Engineering to some of the other schools on his list (not Duke). For those schools that might recommend subject tests but not required, should we just send the score to the school rather than self reporting if we shouldn’t be sending those scores to his ED choice? And for those schools, should we just send the Math2 and leave out the US History? (ex. Michigan, Wisconsin, UCLA, USC, BU, GWU) Thank you so much for your help!
OEZ,
When Subject Tests are not required, I try to step back and ask, “What is accomplished by submitting them?” In your son’s case, his M2 score could help engineering programs feel comfortable with his math skills. His history score doesn’t improve his testing portfolio, so I don’t see the need to send it. I’m not as familiar with how AP scores are assessed by admission offices, so I don’t want to advise there. If he reports the M2 score to colleges, then it’s straightforward. He can self-report the score on his application and use Score Choice to only send the Math 2 results.
Hi Art,
My daughter who is junior now, plan to pick engineering as her career field(not sure what kind). She wrote SAT Chem last month (630) . At the end of junior year she plans to test in SAT Math 2 & SAT Physics (currently taking Physics Honors in her class). Is this right approach? Do you recommend taking SAT US history (as shes currently taking AP USH)? Thanks!
Eric,
Yes, that’s the right approach. I encourage students doing well in AP USH to take the Subject Test. It makes for a long morning, but she can knock out Math 2, Physics, and U.S. History on the same date. I recommend that she take practice Subject Tests even if she doesn’t have time for full prep. She may find herself better prepared for one subject or another. Since students can choose the order of testing, she can give priority to her strongest subject.
I have a question. My child’s ACT score is Composite: 35 English: 35, Math: 35, Reading: 32, Science: 36. Her SAT Subject tests are Math II 750 & Bio/E 730.
She is applying to some “SAT Subject test recommended” Ivy League schools. Seems to me the subject tests are not as good as the ACT and she should just submit the ACT scores regardless of the “recommendation”. Can you provide your opinion on this issue, I have been advice in both directions.
Scott,
I’m not surprised that you’ve received advice in both directions, because there is not a clearcut right and wrong given your daughter’s scores. While it’s true that your daughter’s ACT score is a bit stronger than her Subject Test scores, the latter hardly put her in a bad light. They extend her testing portfolio even if they don’t amplify it. I would opt for sending her Subject Test scores.
Hi, Art. I love your blogs and find them incredibly informative and helpful.
Our daughter is applying to selective liberal arts colleges this fall and is considering whether to submit her SAT subject test scores as part of her applications. The top schools on her list are Carleton (the only school that “recommends“ SAT subject tests), Bowdoin and Bates.
She has a 35 composite on the ACT, a 700 on the US History SAT subject test and a 700 on the English Literature SAT subject test. She’s retaking the English Literature SAT subject test this weekend.
What’s your suggestion on submitting or not submitting the scores from her SAT subject tests?
Thanks.
Stephen,
Thank you for the kind words. Bowdoin and Bates have been proudly test optional for years, so we can safely assume that they won’t mind if your daughter doesn’t submit her Subject Test scores. Carleton’s recommendation is also what I would consider a weak one. The language is almost unchanged from 20 years ago! I think your daughter’s ACT score is strong enough to stand on its own.
Good morning, Art. Our daughter received an 800 on the English Literature subject test that she took in October. We know that she should submit that score to Carleton and the other schools that consider SAT subject tests, but should she also submit her 700 US History score from May? We are not sure how schools view submitting a single SAT subject test. Thanks again for providing such sage advice.
Stephen,
Now that Subject Tests are optional at most schools, it is not unusual for students to submit a single score.
Hi Art!
If a highly selective school including Ivy League recommends subject tests do they usually want the official score report.
Most of the schools my daughter is applying to are ok with self-reported ACT/ SAT scores but it is unclear about subject tests.
I don’t want to bug the admission office of each school. We can just send one to every school but it does get expensive at 11 schools.
Do you have any idea?
Thanks.
Sarah
Sarah,
AFAIK, the self-reporting option applies to Subject Tests. The idea is to relieve students of the burden of official reports until official reports are actually needed.
This webpage is a treasure trove of helpful information. Thank you. My daughter has a composite 35 ACT, though her math is 32. She scored a 750 on the Math 2 Subject test. She also has a 770 BiologyM and a 750 US History (5 on the US AP). She is a senior and will not do further testing at this point. Should we have her submit all 3 scores if it is not required? She is applying to top 10 schools.
Rosemary,
I see no reason not to submit all of her scores. She did well, and sending all scores actually requires less thought than using Score Choice!
Hi Art,
I am a current high school senior and am deliberating whether to report these subject scores to competitive schools (including Dartmouth, Swarthmore, Amherst, Princeton, and Cornell): Math 2 (740), Literature (760), Biology – E (660). I acknowledge that my Bio score is relatively low, but should I submit it anyway? I intend to apply to the vast majority of colleges as a Neuroscience or Cognitive Science major and fear that reporting this score could undermine my application. I only took a general Biology course during my freshman year of high school and am currently taking AP Bio at my school. I have a high grade in AP Bio and wonder if this could compensate for my lousy 660?
Also, not sure if this helps, but I earned an SAT superscore of 1540 (780 EBRW/760 M). What course of action do you recommend?
Amy,
I would report only your Math 2 and Literature scores. Most colleges will look at a student’s top 2 Subject Test scores.
Hi Art,
Your article is so informative and so your replies to the questions. Thank you so much. My daughter got SAT 1440 (670 ERW and 770 Math), 730 in SAT Subject Test Math2 and 730 in SAT Subject Test Chemistry. Wondering whether she should submit 730 Math2 score. Will it be a disadvantage because 730 is lower than her 770 score and will it put her in bad light?
Thanks,
John
John,
There is not a big difference between her 770 and 730. I would recommend submitting both Math 2 and Chemistry, as they speak to her strength in STEM and offset her lower ERW score.
Hi Art,
My son has a score of 35 for ACT, 750 for Math 2 SAT test and 710 for Physics SAT test. He is applying to Georgia tech with a mechanical engineering major. Should he submit his SAT test scores?
Thank you for your help,
Corinne
Corinne,
While optional at Georgia Tech, your son’s Subject Tests scores support his application. I would submit them.
Hi Art,
My daughter has an SAT score of 700 Math/710 ERW and presently SAT Subject Tests of 620 Math Level 2 and 650 Biology-M. is she better of applying off not submitting Subject scores? She is looking to apply to places like Cornell and UCal and Barnard.
Venky,
Your daughter’s Subject Test scores don’t improve her testing portfolio relative to her SAT scores. I would opt not to submit them.
Hi Art!
Your blog was really helpful.
However, I am in a tough situation. I took the SAT Subject Test(s) on the same day, resulting in SAT Math II 800 and SAT Physics 630. Physics was so rushed for me on that day, considering that I focused very hard on Math II. I want to apply to competitive Computer Science / Engineering Schools, so should I avoid sending in my SAT Physics score? Most of them don’t require subject tests, but I feel like I’m at a disadvantage without a Physics Score on there (considering that I took AP Physics 1 and 2)
Tony,
While it would be great to submit strong Math 2 and Physics scores, I don’t think your 630 does you any favors. I would let your grades and APs represent your skills.
Art,
This is a great article, and I’m a year late on this thread. How important are the Math 2 percentiles? Should a student who scores 790 (74 percentile!) retake? Is it even possible to get 99 percentile with an 800? Does it depend on the type of question answered? It is all so confusing.
Alice,
Subject Test percentiles are highly misleading, and I would not recommend retesting. Even an 800 is 78th percentile. [For Subject Tests, College Board uses the definition of students scoring below a given score. This is different than on the SAT where College Board uses the definition of “at or below.” This is why a 99th percentile is impossible on Math 2.] Given the standard error on Subject Tests, an 800 and a 790 are indistinguishable. No, the type of question does not matter.
Hi Art!
Would further testing be necessary? I scored 33 ACT on the April and October tests with my max in each section being a 35 ENG, 35 MATH, 30 READ, and 35 SCI. As well, I took Math II and Physics subject test twice. The second time for both were significant improvements with a 770 math and 680 physics. Are these worth sending to the UC colleges considering it is highly recommended since my major is computer science. I already took both subject tests twice and I have to submit all scores so should I take the December test? Thanks so much!
Teddy,
In your case, I would go ahead and submit your Subject Test scores. Your Physics score is not ideal, but I would only retest if you feel that the third try would definitely make a difference. You didn’t mention whether you improved from your first attempt.
Dear Art,
My son has SAT 1520(Math 790) and Math2 730. He is a senior and applying for Finance/business . Should he submit SAT subject Math2 or skip it (none of the schools he applies required subject tests.) Or should he retake in December?
Thanks,
Bin
Since it sounds like that is his only Subject Test and since he already has a strong SAT Math score, I don’t see a need to send the Math 2 score.
Art,
We are trying to determine which of our daughter’s scores from her SAT subject tests she should submit. She has an 800 on English Literature, a 700 on US History and a 35 composite on the ACT. She’s applying top very selective liberal arts colleges. None of the schools on her list require SAT subject tests, only one school recommends them, but all of the schools will consider SAT subject tests if submitted according the schools’ common data sets.
The 800 on English Literature will bolster her testing profile, but the 700 on US History will not. So our question is whether she should submit both scores or only English Literature. Do you have a sense of how submitting only one SAT subject test will be viewed? Most everything that we’ve seen indicates that two or more subject tests are submitted if scores are submitted at all.
Thanks so much for your helpful blogs. They are the best resources on the internet!
Margaret,
Schools that “consider” scores are allowing students to send along “plus factors.” Your daughter’s Lit score qualifies. I agree that her U.S. History does not (although it’s not bad). Schools that recommend Subject Tests are usually expecting 2 tests when Subject Tests are submitted. Her average of 750 is good, so I would probably go ahead and submit both scores. It’s not uncommon for students to have one great and one good score.
Thank you for the kind words!
Hi Art,
My brother scored ERW 730/ M 670 on his SAT. He did 3 subject tests on the same day and scored as follows: Chem 730, Math level 2 680 and Bio-M 690. He’s very passionate about chemistry and wants to major in biochem or equivalent in top schools (hoping to get a PharmD) in the future. We feel like his Math level 2 and Bio-M scores are too low and may disadvantage his applications at Ivys and top schools. Any thoughts on if we should submit them or not? Thank you!
Nada,
There is not a clearcut answer here, because his SAT scores are also a bit weak for the most selective schools. His Math 2 and Bio scores are actually higher than his SAT Math. If he has the opportunity, I would recommend an SAT retest. I think you are that his Subject Test scores don’t improve his testing portfolio.
Hi,
I got a 36 ACT, 1550 SAT (750 english and 800 math), a 730 on SAT Chemistry and a 800 on SAT Math. I was wondering if I should submit both my ACT and SAT I or just my ACT since it is higher? Also, should I send the SAT Chemistry only to schools that require/recommend it, or should I go ahead and send it to all my schools? I am aiming for top schools such as Hopkins, Brown, UVA, WashU, etc. Also, I got a 3 on my SAT Chemistry if that affects anything
Shay,
I would send ACT, Math, and Chem. I don’t see a reason to submit your SAT score, although in tandem with your ACT, it is not going to hurt you at all. Your Subject Test scores are string enough to send to all schools.
Dear Art, I am wondering what to do with subject test scores ( Math II-710, Bio-M-710, Chem-720) not good enough to help my daughter’s admission to selective colleges. I hear ” subject tests recommend ” is more like “subject tests required” if there is no financial hardship . It is better not to report them if they don’t require them? Or what I hear is true and better reporting them if they recommend them? Her ACT is 35.
Aki,
There is no easy answer here. Your interpretation is correct that, at some schools, “recommended” means “pretty much expected.” Your daughter’s scores are a little lower than what the most selective colleges will see among accepted students, but they are not bad. It’s a bit of a toss-up. I would probably not report them, but I don’t think it will be a significant factor.
Hello. I have a plan to apply University of Oregon, which does not require even SAT general from international students. I have 1270(ERW:540;MATH:730) in SAT and 700 in Subject test Math Lvl 2. Would you recommend to submit my Subject Test result also?
For international students, I recommend as much positive testing information as possible, since it admissions officers benefit from having a standardized evaluation. So go ahead and send the Subject Test.
Art,
My son has a perfect score on ACT (all sections perfect). His subject test scores are Math II – 790 and Biology – M – 790. While applying for Vanderbilt we read that they do not require Subject test scores. However, if we send them the scores they would consider them in the application process. Please suggest whether submitting the subject test scores is beneficial or does it hurt the application.
Mahesh,
Even in your son’s case, I think the 790s extend his amazing testing portfolio. I would submit them. Most, but not all, schools will at least consider scores as “additional material.”
Hello, I recently retook the Korean Subject test and got a 790. Should I keep this with my Spanish? (790). I was born in South Korea but lived across the world under a diplomat family and am applying as a liberal arts major with a minor in CS. Since Scholastic/Torrance Legacy awards prove my competency in English (at least writing poetry) should I let this Korean be? I’m not sure since I got a 42nd percentile and am technically a “native speaker”
Chaemin,
Colleges will generally discount a Subject Test in a native language. I would not, however, be concerned that you got a 790 versus an 800. I think you should go ahead and submit both scores.
Dear Art,
I am a senior and I am applying to top universities, such as Brown, Yale, Duke, etc. Most of these Ivy league schools recommend 2 SAT subject tests. For Math 2, I got a 720 and for chemistry I got a 710. At this point I do not plan to retake. Should I send these scores?
Other things to consider: my ACT composite is 33 (math as 32); I have gotten a 4 on the ap chem exam, 5 on ap psychology, 5 in ap world, 4 in ap language and composition, etc.
Should I send my ap scores as well? Would that help me?
What would serve me best as a whole when sending standardized testing?
Thank you, Art!
Taylor,
Your composite is concordant with a 1460 SAT, so your 720/710 are roughly in line. However, at the schools you list, your 33 is at the lower end of their 25th-75th percentile ranges for admitted students. I don’t think your Subject Test scores improve your testing portfolio. I would go ahead and submit your AP scores.