What You Need to Know About SAT II Subject Tests
- March 22, 2019
- College Admissions, College Choice, College Selection, SAT
- Posted by James Maroney
- Comments Off on What You Need to Know About SAT II Subject Tests
Spring of junior year is prime time for standardized testing. Most students hope to get all of their testing done before the start of senior year. In order to make the most of the time available, students should make a plan for how they are going to tackle the tests. The tests aren’t offered every week – so a lack of planning can lead to a lot of stress. No one needs to add more stress to the college application process! Doing a little research now can save you big headaches in the future.
As students look at the application requirements for various colleges, they may come across something known as the SAT IIs, or the SAT Subject Tests. What are they? Do you need to take them? How do you sign up for them? All of this is information you want to know.
First, what are the SAT Subject Tests? They are one hour, multiple choice tests that are focused on a specific academic subject such as chemistry, biology, US history, etc. They are offered through Collegeboard.org – the same company that runs the SAT I, which is what is typically being referred to when you hear someone talking about “the SAT”.
Do you need to take them? The answer to this depends. Some schools may not require the SAT IIs, while others may require you to take several. The most SAT IIs required by any schools are three tests. Most schools that do require them want you to take one or two of them. For some schools, taking the ACT acts as the equivalent to taking the SAT and the needed SAT IIs. For some schools, the SAT IIs may not be a requirement of the application but they may be used in place of a placement assessment.
When should you take them? The SAT IIs are offered on the same days as the regular SAT. However, not every SAT II subject is offered on every test date, so you should go to CollegeBoard’s website to double check when your desired subject is offered. Typically, we suggest that students plan to take the SAT IIs in either May or June. If students are taking any AP classes, the May SAT test date lines up well with the AP test dates (so students can study the same material for both types of tests at the same time, and get the most out of their work). Students should take the SAT IIs at the end of the school year where they are taking the subject in school, so that the material is freshest in their memory.
When planning out your standardized testing schedule, it’s important to keep in mind that you cannot take the SAT I (the regular test) on the same day as any SAT II Subject tests. You can take up to three subject tests on the same date. That means that students who need to take subject tests need to be on top of their scheduling, especially if they want to finish all of their standardized testing before the beginning of senior year.
When it comes to standardized testing, a little advance planning can help you avoid a lot of stress later on. If you have any questions about how to set up the best plan for success, we’re here to help!
