Say So Long to SAT Essay and Subject Tests
We’ve all changed during the COVID-19 era. Lives, organizations, and entire industries have transformed, some for the better and others, unfortunately, for the worse. Few sectors of society have been impacted as dramatically as education. Both K-12 and higher ed have been a veritable roller coaster of remote learning for students, families, educators, and administrators. These have been days we will not soon forget! Yet, not every change should be rolled back once we’ve beaten back the virus, as this singular moment has helped accelerate trends that were already gaining traction. In the sphere of education and admissions, for example, remote learning and virtual campus tours have become normalized in a way that will add tremendous convenience and access to everyone who values those qualities. College admissions testing has changed as well, as cancelled, socially-distanced, and even pop-up tests made taking the SAT and ACT more stressful than ever. No…
What Schools Still Want SAT Subject Tests?
If there’s one thing that’s certain in business, it’s uncertainty. Stephen Covey’s observation rings true, but he could just as easily have been talking about college admissions. Ambiguity, confusion, and fragmented information rule the earlier parts of application process, while opacity and anxiety attend its end. Applicants often don’t know where they’ll be matriculating until mere months before high school graduation, and perhaps even those decisions won’t be as binding in September 2020 as they have in years past. The role of college entrance exams lacks the bedrock certitude of admissions cycles past as some colleges flirt with sometimes ill-conceived ways to de-emphasize SAT and ACT scores. Nonetheless, those tests will continue to carry tremendous weight for the foreseeable future. The same cannot be said for SAT Subject Tests. We know so much about SAT Subject Tests, from how many subjects are covered to which ones matter most to the…
What to Know About SAT Subject Tests in 2019
Here we are, nearly two decades into the 21st century, and we hardly seem to be living in our best possible future. For one, we still aren’t zipping around in flying cars. Two, Roombas are not nearly as sassy or functional as the Jetson’s robot housekeeper, Rosie. Last but not least, SAT Subjects are still a thing. What have we done to deserve the uncertainty the exams formerly known as SAT IIs and, before that, Achievement Tests bring to the college admissions process? Which tests to take and when to take them are reasonable questions worth considering. Wondering whether these tests are even worth taking, however, becomes harder and harder to answer every year. What should every high schooler know about taking SAT Subject Tests in 2019? WHICH SAT SUBJECT TESTS TO TAKE College Board currently offers 20 SAT Subject Tests in five general subject areas: English, history, languages, mathematics…
Are SAT Subject Tests Still Important for Admissions?
The College Board, generous to a fault, gives society far more than just the SAT. Not only does this venerable organization offer an entire suite of SAT-related assessments including the PSAT/NMSQT, but it also deploys an arsenal of academic subject tests. The AP exams with their related honors-level courses have changed the face of American secondary education, at least in those schools able to offer a wide range of AP classes. Running along a similar track with different destinations, however, are the SAT Subject Tests. SAT Subject Tests address a variety of subjects: English, two levels of Math, two areas of History, three sciences, and lots of languages. The exams have been with us for decades in one form or another, yet they raise more questions today than ever. We know what these hour-long assessments test, when they are offered, and when students would be wise to take them. Unfortunately,…
Selecting SAT Subject Tests
When considering SAT Subject Tests, you only have a few important questions to consider: 1. Do you need to take them at all? The number of schools that require or recommend SAT Subject Tests seems to be declining, especially in light of widespread ACT adoption: many schools accept ACT scores in place of both SAT and Subject Tests. 2. When should you take your Subject Tests? We recommend May or June, based on your classes and target tests. 3. Which Subject Tests should you take? This final question deserves careful consideration, as the right subjects will enhance your application whereas the wrong ones won’t help as much. For example, the College Board offers Subject Tests in 9 different languages, none of which are likely to help a student get into a competitive engineering or physical therapy program. Choose subjects consistent with your stated major, assuming you have one in mind.…
When Should You Take SAT Subject Tests?
Everyone with college admissions on their minds knows about the SAT and ACT. Unfortunately, far fewer of us think about SAT Subject Tests when planning which tests to take and when. Considering how many colleges require, recommend, or consider Subject Tests in admissions, such an oversight can be costly. The College Board offers SAT Subject Tests across a variety of subjects: English, two levels of Math, two areas of History, three sciences, and lots of languages. Think carefully about which SAT Subject Tests are right for you. Students sitting for these tests should consider testing in the subjects they excel in and hope to pursue in college. Either Math Level 1 or Level 2 is usually expected, but students on a math or science track should sit for Level 2. The question for many students, especially those targeting competitive schools is not if they should take SAT Subject Tests, but…