Everyone talks about the SAT, but do you know if you need SAT Subject Tests? Too much the SAT seems to get all the attention while the subject specific exams are overlooked until it is too slow to adequately prepare.
What are SAT Subject Tests?
They are hour long exams that limelight on specific academic areas. Parents, you may relive these tests below their former autonym, the Achievement Tests.
Students can chose from 20 contradistinct exams:
Subject Test
English Literature
Math Level 1, Level 2
Science Biology ( Ecological or Molecular ), Coordination, Physics
History US History, World History
Language ( reading exclusive ) French, Spanish, German, Modern Hebrew, Latin, Italian
Language ( with listening ) French, Spanish, German, Chinese, Japanese, Korean
Each exam is one hour long and consists of fewer than 100 tortuous - choice questions. Like the SAT, the Subject Tests are scored on a scale of 200 - 800.
The SAT subject exams are offered six times a year on the same days the SAT is prone. Students can take up to three exams per day, but cannot take Subject Tests on the same day they take the SAT. Additionally, not all subjects are given on all days. Language tests are the most and are often offered only in November, December, or June.
Who needs SAT Subject Tests?
Colleges can require or " strongly suggest " these scores for use in admission or course placement, so you will need to ascertain the admissions requirements for every school you are considering.
Typically, Ivy League and other highly selective schools require scores of all applicants, so if you are looking at schools like Rice, Duke, MIT, Boston College, Amherst, etc., you will need to take at least two subjects.
Some colleges require homeschool applicants to submit scores to demonstrate strength in academic areas. Some schools such as Notre Dame and Vanderbilt " strongly recommend " them. Pomona College in California requires homeschool students submit scores from four exams.
Not all students will need this specialized exam. The problem is that is that most students won ' t know if they need Subject Tests until fall of their senior year when application are due. Unfortunately, this if often too late to adequately prepare.
How can one prepare?
Students should take subject exams when the material is fresh in their minds. For topics like Literature and Math, there is no best test date because these are subjects students study each year. Science and history courses contain material that is unlikely to be repeated each year, so students should take the corresponding exam when they finish the course in school. You won ' t know more US History, Biology, or Chemistry by waiting.
Students who prepare for an AP or IB tests in the spring, will have adequate preparation to take the corresponding subjects in May or June. Students should review sample test questions available on the College Board website or in the SAT subjects review book.
What type of schools require these exams?
To give you an idea of the type of schools that require these exams for admission, here is a preliminary list of schools requiring SAT Subject Tests. This IS NOT a complete list. Please check with each school you may apply to view current requirements.
The following schools require two subjects of your choice unless noted. ( Generally students may submit Math Level 1 OR Level 2, but can ' t count both toward the total of two tests. ):
Amherst
Boston College
Caltech
Duke
Harvard
MIT
Pomona
Rice
Tufts
UCLA
Yale
While this is NOT a complete list, you can get an idea of the types of schools requesting these scores.
Subject Tests give students another opportunity to show colleges strength in academics. As early as freshman or sophomore year, strong academic students may take subject tests in history or science. Juniors should set aside one test date to take two or three exams of their choice. If you plan ahead, you will not find yourself scrambling senior year, unable to meet early deadlines because you haven ' t satisfied the SAT Subject Test requirements.
