Are SAT Subject Tests Actually Necessary?

The SAT subject tests, also known as ‘SAT IIs’, are subject-specific tests. First, the basics: each is scored on a scale of 200 to 800, consists completely of multiple choice questions, and lasts an hour. They are offered six times per year. At any given test date, you are able to register for up to three SAT IIs, back-to-back. When to take the tests and how many to take at a time is a strategic conversation in itself--one that we will save for another day. The CollegeBoard offers 20 subject tests in 5 general subject areas: mathematics, English, history, languages, and science.

Whether or not they are ‘really’ necessary is up to you and your college application goals! There are two main circumstances in which you should complete the SAT subject tests:

First, if the college you are applying to requires or recommends taking them, then the Subject Tests are a must. In many cases, specified programs for a particular subject matter will require the applicant to submit a subject test directly relevant to it. Other schools require a certain number of subject tests in general. For example, Georgetown requires any three subject tests.

The second circumstance would be to show that you excel in a particular subject matter. Yes, the admissions officers will have your GPA and transcript. But SAT IIs provide the unique opportunity to show your ability to master specific subject matter on a standardized level. Say, you are strong at Spanish. Yes, it is excellent to ace your AP exam and get a 5 and to have an A+ for eight semesters in a row. Where the SAT II comes in is showing how strong you are at Spanish on a national scale, by giving percentiles and a more detailed score out of 800. In this regard, of showing subject-specific achievement, SAT IIs can only strengthen your application.

Additionally, you should consider the fact that unlike the SAT or ACT, these tests pertain directly to a curriculum. For example, if you are a sophomore in an Honors or AP Chemistry class containing SAT II Chemistry curriculum, it's a good idea for you to sit for the SAT II and see how you perform. Even if you have not begun your college search, this will save you the hassle of re-studying for the exam in the future (say, at the end of your junior year), when instead you could be focusing on the SAT itself.

It is smart to speak to a guidance counselor, tutor, or mentor before taking the SAT subject tests. They can provide light on what is the best choice for you, and how to create a killer strategic plan that uses SAT II's to your advantage. A special note: you should proceed with caution, as these tests might appear on your complete testing history, and you might not have a choice in whether or not you can withhold your scores from a college. Feel free to bring this up with your tutor at your next session!

Taking the SAT: How Many Times is Too Many?

*Author’s Note: While this article refers directly to the SAT, all of this advice is jointly applicable to the ACT. It merely says SAT for purposes of brevity and simplicity for readers!

There is no perfect formula for acing the SAT. Each person approaches the test differently and will have different results upon taking the test more than once. I have some friends who took the test 8 times, improving with each and other people who took the test 5 times and scored within the same 40 points each time. There are vital considerations you should think of when taking the SAT. Once acknowledging these, you must balance the pros and cons of each. If your dream school requires you to send your entire testing history (like Georgetown), you should probably avoid sending many tests.

There are different circumstances with practice exams and the real deal. However, you need to make the most of your practice exams by going into each extremely well-equipped. Before taking (or rather, signing up for) your next SAT, make sure to have taken a timed, complete test as close to testing conditions as possible and adequately grading it. With this information, you will have a better sense of how you'll do on the actual exam. It is my advice that you should never go into a test without an idea of how you will do. Not only are you spending money, valuable time, and brainpower to take the exam, but you are risking adding unnecessary (and potentially poorly scored) exams to your testing history. Perhaps this school will require your full testing history. For this reason, it's always better safe than sorry, and you should be thoughtful in the number of times you take the official exam.

I have spoken to tutors who believe that three is the maximum number of times you should take the exam. They believe that beyond three exams, there is little chance in raising your scores. This may be a good rule of thumb, but keep in mind that your circumstances play a huge role in how you do on the test. If you are taking exams during the school year on top of a demanding course load, then it's not a bad idea to take a fourth exam over the summer when you have more time.

You do not have to retake the exam if you are happy with your first score. I took the exam once and found this to be a significant reduction to my stress junior and senior year. Getting it out of the way allowed me to focus more on my extracurricular activities, AP courses, and other aspects of the college process.

It also depends on who you are as a student. If you are not willing to put in additional time to study and re-prepare yourself for the SAT, it is probably best to devote your attention elsewhere. While these exams are a part of your application, not everyone is a stellar test-takers. College admissions counselors know this; you know this. You know what the best and most efficient use of your time is and it may not be studying to take the SAT an additional time. Take this knowledge and use it to motivate yourself to do something else productive; to show admissions counselors your passion for another activity or to raise your GPA!

Choosing Between the SAT and ACT

Students often struggle to choose the "correct" standardized test for them when applying for colleges. However, with the advice contained in this post, the choice between taking the ACT or SAT can be an easier one to make. 

While there are many differentiating attributes of the two exams, arguably the most critical difference students see when beginning preparation for these tests is that of their math sections. While the ACT has more straightforward mathematics questions, sometimes as simple as an equation to be solved or a logarithm, the SAT focuses more on word problems and problem-solving. This is not to say the ACT is entirely free of word problems, but it does speak to the general composition of the math section. The ACT goes through many math concepts, but the SAT will tend to test students on similar concepts thrown at them through different wording and intentionally longer, paragraph-structured questions.

Another key difference that might be more obvious is the fact that the ACT has a Science section of its examination while the SAT does not. A common mistake is to rule out the ACT because of this, assuming it is more for students who are especially strong in or plan on further pursuing science. However, the science section can be broken down in a way that makes it more of a reading section than a science section. All answers to the questions in the ACT's science section can be found in the question and graphics provided, requiring little outside knowledge. The SAT, in contrast, does not offer a science section but does, however, test scientific concepts.

The ACT is also faster paced than the SAT, with less time to be spent on each question. For example, each question on the reading section for the ACT should take on average 53 seconds to complete while it should be in the 75-second range for this section of the SAT. This time advantage on the SAT holds for all of its sections.

Another advantage of taking the SAT is the number of answer choices offered per question. For example, ACT students are not penalized for wrong answers, so it is in your best interest to guess questions you cannot figure out. The advantage of taking the SAT, however, is that there are only four answer choices on the SAT while there are five answer choice possibilities on the ACT. This means that in the case that a guess is necessary, students have a 25% chance of getting it right on the SAT and only a 20% chance of choosing correctly on the ACT.

At Student Agencies Tutoring, our curriculum has been developed uniquely to help students maximize their scores on these exams while instructing them on specific strategies they can use, once they've taken our diagnostic quiz. While it might not seem like an important step to take in the grand scheme of the college application process, discovering early-on which test is right for you is a crucial building block in developing a robust application based on your strengths and weaknesses.