So, you've finished taking the SAT (or the ACT), have received the scores you want'at least you're not planning to take it again'and now you're ready to go through the rest of the application process without worrying any more about tests. Right! Well, maybe. Before you relax, let's talk about Subject Tests.
WHAT ARE SUBJECT TESTS?
Subject Tests are exactly as they sound; tests that focus on a specific subject. The College Board offers twenty of these tests that are broken down into five different content areas: English, History, Social Studies, Mathematics, Science, and Languages. There are twelve tests covering the French, German, Modern Hebrew, Italian, Latin and Spanish languages. You can also take "listening" tests for Chinese, French, German, Japanese, Spanish and Korean. Like the SAT's, the scores for each subject test are reported on a scale from 200 to 800.
HOW DO YOU KNOW IF YOU HAVE TO TAKE THEM?
How do you know if you have to take Subject Tests? Well, that depends on the test requirements of the colleges and universities to which you are applying. Some colleges require no Subject Tests, others require two, and a couple require three.
So how do you know whether or not to take one, two, three or none at all? There are a number of ways: individual college admission websites are one source and The Common Application website (if the school uses The Common App) is another. Two other websites that offer that information are:
Ivy West
http://test-prep.ivywest.com/sat-subject-test-score.aspx
Compass Education Group
http://www.compassprep.com/admissionsreqsubjects.aspx
WHEN SHOULD YOU TAKEN SUBJECT TESTS?
So if I find out that I have to take Subject Tests for some of the universities I'm applying to, when should I take them? Here are a couple of tips: If you are taking an AP class whose content matches a Subject Test, then take the Subject Test during the College Board May or June test date, after you have taken the AP Test. For example, if you've taken an AP World History class, then take the Subject Test in History. You'll be at the top of your form and will probably need very little additional preparation. Otherwise, take Subject Tests in course areas in which you have excelled.
INFO ABOUT SUBJECT TEST
You can find a lot of very useful information about Subject Tests on the College Board website at
http://professionals.collegeboard.com/testing/sat-subject/about
Here are some generally useful pieces of advice:
1. November is the only date when Language with Listening Tests are offered
2. If you're a senior and plan to apply Early Decision or Early Action, you need to take any required Subject Tests by October test date.
3. To avoid getting overwhelmed during first semester of your senior year, try to get all of your Subject Testing completed by the end of your junior year.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS RE SUBJECT TESTS
Can I take a subject test and not report it?
It used to be that you determined which schools, if any, got the results of your Subject Tests, but as of fall 2002, all Subject Test scores are automatically displayed on your College Board test report with your SAT scores. That's the bad news. The good news is that you can retake a Subject Test if you don't feel you've done as well as you like.
How well do I have to do on the subject tests?
Well, the distribution of scores is similar to the regular SAT's. If you're applying to an Ivy League or other very selective schools, they like to see test scores in the 700's. Less selective schools look for scores in the 600's, and even moderately selective schools want to see test scores in the 500 range.
Should I prepare for the subject tests
Absolutely! Among college admissions professionals, there is general consensus that preparing for Subject Tests is a good idea. Since these tests are based on specific content, you really can study for them. More importantly, there is a positive correlation between how much you study and how well you do on the test.
Knowing what to do, when and how makes it more likely that you are going to hit a homerun with Subject Tests! And that can only help you with your college admissions.
Copyright (c) 2010 Marjorie Hansen Shaevitz