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How Many SAT II Subject Tests Should You Take?
Some students have never heard of the SAT Subject Tests and others take five or six in an effort to impress college admissions officers. In reality, most students need to take two to three SAT Subject Tests. Having helped thousands of students get into college, we find this is one of the top 5 questions students ask, especially high school juniors and seniors.
What are SAT II Subject Tests?
Subject Tests are 1 hour long multiple-choice tests that focus on a specific subject. They are more academic than the SAT I and usually we recommend students to take them after an AP/IB/Honors course in that respective field. The timing is often in May or June of that year. We highly recommend June because students have finished studying for finals and the AP or IB tests by then, and just have to retain the knowledge.
What Do the Colleges Require?
Many schools actually do not require the tests - but because so many students take them, we always recommend students to take these. Even if you are a high school senior, we recommend taking at least one SAT II Subject Test to show academic proficiency.
If you are taking the ACT, some colleges like Yale require the SAT II. Many schools like to see proficiency on a "SAT like" exam so they can standardize their academic weighting internally. Students are at no disadvantage of taking the ACT test because of this.
Some schools like Northeastern require 2 Subject Tests for homeschooled children, and we often send these to all schools for those cases. Others like Stanford recommend them, but from anecdotal experience every colleague had taken them during our time there.
How Many?
Take two tests and a third as a backup. Very few programs actually consider a third Subject Test, and even if they do, it is for a few moments. Most admissions counselors can get a sense of academic strength from the unweighted GPA, SAT/ACT, and school difficulty. A fourth or fifth test will not help your chances. We often see high-achievers try to take more in an effort to gain an edge. We say: spend that time building on a passion or activity you already have. At that point, your story and essays are what matter, so start introspectively reflecting.
Note:
Another point to consider is that some schools want to see all attempts. Unlike SAT I, we can select which tests are sent to different colleges. Yale is infamous for wanting to see all attempts.
Conclusion
The Subject Tests are important and often recommended. We require all of our 9th through 11th grade students to take at least 2 Subject Tests. For homeschooled students, it is a must to show proficiency. With high achievers, there is no case where you need more than 3 Subject Tests above 750 - you have proven your point there. For those with middling SAT/ACT or GPA, have two strong SAT II Subject Test scores, they can make up a lot. Especially at schools like Duke which strongly consider test scores, they can help you. Below is a chart with many universities, their SAT II requirements, and links to their official website.
Final Notes
P.S. If you liked this article, please read this one on how GPA affects college admissions.
| Require SAT subject tests? | Require essay/writing in SAT/ACT? | |
|---|---|---|
| American University | Not required, test optional plan, does not require SAT/ACT scores | No |
| Amherst College | No, but we will consider these scores if you submit them. | Yes, recommended |
| Babson College | No | Optional |
| Barnard College | No longer requires SAT II Subject Tests but will consider them if submitted | Optional |
| Boston University | Optional | No |
| Bowdoin College | No, SAT I and II and/or ACT is optional | No |
| Brandeis University | Optional. Brandeis test-optional policy: Option 1: Submit SAT or ACT Option 2: Submit three exams from the approved list. One exam must be from a Science or Math discipline, one exam must be from an English or Social Science discipline, and the third exam may be from a discipline of the student's choice. Option 3: Submit an academic portfolio through the Common Application or Brandeis Application. | No |
| Brown University | Recommends submitting two SAT subject tests | Yes |
| California Institute of Technology | Yes, must submit SAT Subject Test in Mathematics Level 2 (official scores from testing agency) AND 1 SAT science subject test: biology (ecological), biology (molecular), chemistry, or physics (official scores from testing agency) | Yes |
| California Polytechnic State University (San Luis Obispo) | Optional | Not mentioned |
| Carnegie Mellon University | Subject Test results are recommended for various programs, see the chart in the link for details | Not mentioned |
| Case Western Reserve University | Not required | Optional |
| Chapman University | Not required | Recommended |
| Claremont McKenna College | Not required | Yes |
| Columbia University | Not required | No |
| Cornell University | No, unless applying to Arts and Sciences: Two subjects of your choice OR Engineering: Mathematics (any level) and a science of your choice | No |
| Dartmouth University | Recommends submitting two SAT subject tests | Yes |
| Duke University | Recommends submitting two SAT subject tests | Yes |
| Emory University | Not required | Optional |
| Fordham University | Not required | No |
| George Washington University | Optional | No |
| Georgetown University | Yes, strongly recommended that all candidates submit three SAT Subject Tests scores. | No |
| Georgia Institute of Technology | Optional | Yes |
| Harvard College | Normally require two SAT Subject Tests | Yes |
| Harvey Mudd College | Two SAT Subject Tests.* One must be in Math Level 2; the other can be in any subject the student chooses | No |
| Johns Hopkins University | No, although applicants interested in an engineering major are encouraged to submit scores from the Mathematics Level 2 SAT Subject Test and at least one science SAT Subject Test | Optional |
| Lehigh University | Optional | Not mentioned |
| Maryland, University of | Not required | No |
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