Test Prep Guide: SAT Subject Tests FAQ

by Thomas Howell and David Phelps, Founders
thomas@forumeducation.nyc | david@forumeducation.nyc

To read our takes on individual SAT Subject Tests, go here.

One of the most common topics this year is SAT subject tests (particularly the biology test that’s popular for freshman). More misconceptions abound about the subject tests than any other piece of a college portfolio, so we wanted to offer an SAT subject test FAQ about why, when, and how these tests matter.

What are the subject tests?

The College Board makes the SAT, the APs, and the subject tests. Subject tests are kind of a cross of APs with the SAT: like the APs, they test content mastery for different classes, and like the SAT, they’re multiple choice tests graded on a scale of 800. Overall, they tend to have slightly less depth than the APs but require significant breadth to master.

How important are the subject tests?

Students applying to a top 20 college should plan to take them. Still, even for those students, subject tests are the least important part of an application. We’ve repeatedly seen students get into the top Ivies without even taking them (not that we recommend that strategy!). There’s really three reasons why subject tests are less important than other pieces.

First, subject tests are usually used by colleges to verify a student’s academic achievement. If a student applies with straight As from an unknown school in Kansas, a subject test can show whether a student has legitimate command of material or just got easy grades. This is not so much of a concern for students at top high schools. Colleges know their grades are meaningful.

Second, colleges don’t publicly release their average subject test scores. That means that unlike GPA and SAT/ACT scores, subject test scores don’t affect a college’s ranking for U.S. News & World Report or anyone else.

Finally, subject tests have lost clout tremendously over the past few years since many applicants aren’t positioned to take them. Every year, fewer colleges require them. Even Princeton and Yale, for example, don’t require them (though they’re “recommended”); at Stanford, they’re fully optional.

By the time current 9th graders apply to college, we anticipate that only a couple colleges will still be requiring them.

When are subject tests important?

For students with specialized academic profiles, subject tests can be crucial. For example, if a student works in biology labs every summer and is applying to be a marine biologist, colleges will likely expect a top biology score. Students working on projects in South America can bolster their profile by demonstrating proficiency in Spanish. Subject tests are essential for engineering students, who typically will need to take Physics, Chem, and Math II (or at least two of the three).

What’s a good score?

Generally anything over a 750 is great. Typically, colleges will be looking for a perfect 800 only from applicants with specialized portfolios: those engineering majors or future biologists.

How many should we take?

Schools usually recommend 1–2 subjects, with the exception of Georgetown, which strongly recommends 3. Don’t take more than what’s recommended: that’s time better spent on extracurriculars.

Are there special strategies for the guessing penalty?

Strategic elimination of answers can help tremendously to game the guessing penalty, but overall, students shouldn’t anticipate a different approach. There’s no statistical advantage to omitting questions, and scales will be normed against other students who also had to deal with the penalty, so it affects everyone equally.

When should we take them?

Typically, students should take in the spring of junior year or the summer after (aim to wrap ACT/SAT test prep by winter of 11th grade). Why wait? Some of the strategy they’ve learned for ACT/SAT will come in handy. But more importantly, they’ll have high-level expertise in advanced courses from junior year.

But you might consider a few tests for 9th or 10th grade. Native speakers of a foreign language should plan on the November subject test dates, which include a listening section. The literature test doesn’t reward significant prep, so it might be taken sooner. And the biology test can be good for ambitious freshmen in competitive programs willing to do 4–6 months of prep to learn concepts that aren’t covered in class. (Though if they’re going to take AP Bio, they should wait.)

How do we decide which to take?

Start by considering tests that 1) match the applicant’s academic interests, 2) correspond to an AP course a student is taking, 3) match a student’s own background (Spanish-speakers should consider the Spanish test). The Math II exam is often a good one to take in 11th grade: it builds off the ACT/SAT math and has a generous scale at the top.

Then come in for an initial diagnostic to assess gaps, plan a timeline, and ensure it’s worth the time. For the bio subject test, we recommend taking a diagnostic within the next month.

Is it true certain test dates have easier scales because the students tend to be worse-performing?

Many college consultants offer “secret intel” about the subject tests to demonstrate proprietary insight. We’re very skeptical of these kinds of claims. First, there isn’t sufficient data to indicate any kind of trends about how dates affect the tests. Second, as the College Board states, easier scales are only indicative of a harder test (not a different population), so they don’t really offer an advantage. Finally, the SAT’s “equating process” means that tests are scored against a consistent population.

If there’s a final takeaway, it’s this. It’s *very* easy to overestimate the SAT subject tests because they offer hard numbers for applicants to compare themselves to each other — and because so many unfounded rumors flourish in the name of expertise. Overall, it’s far more important to spend time on those parts of the application that aren’t so quantifiable and whose processes may not be clear (like extracurriculars). A great test score will never make a student irreplaceable to a college; a profile showing consistent initiative and impact will.