Click here to go to the NEW College Discussion Forum

Do colleges consider the SAT II more important than the SAT, or vice-versa?

By George Meany on Monday, November 12, 2001 - 08:14 pm: Edit

The SAT I seems to have the edge in overall importance. Some colleges will accept the ACT instead of three SAT IIs.

By Ed Norton on Tuesday, December 11, 2001 - 12:22 pm: Edit

How many colleges accept applications without requiring an SAT or ACT score?

By college-mom on Thursday, December 13, 2001 - 10:48 am: Edit

You can visit a site called 'Fair Test' where they have a list of colleges that don't require the SAT or ACT. Some colleges, while not requiring either of those two, may require three SAT II subject tests, however. Here's the URL: http://www.fairtest.org/optinit.htm

Increasing numbers of schools, by the way, are attaching at least equal if not more importance to the SAT II test results as they do to the SAT I or ACT.

By Lauren on Wednesday, March 13, 2002 - 09:55 pm: Edit

So, if you're already in college, is it too late to take the SATII? For instance, if you have a certain score on the writing portion, it satisfies a course requirement...or is it too late?

By Rhonda on Thursday, March 14, 2002 - 12:29 pm: Edit

Question -- do colleges prefer a "balance" in the SAT IIs you take? For example, for a student not planning to pursue math or science, is it a good idea to take a math or sci SAT II anyway, rather than (say) Writing, History, and a foreign language? Or do they really mean "any three" when they say that?

By Dave Berry on Friday, March 15, 2002 - 12:21 pm: Edit

Take them at their word, Rhonda. However, if the prospective applicant has the ability to score highly in a grouping that can reinforce his or her expressed program of interest, then that might add a gram or two for the good on the scales of decision. As you probably already know, the infamous Academic Index (AI) uses the IIs as a calculating element.

By D Fisher on Tuesday, July 09, 2002 - 01:36 pm: Edit

For student going into the eleventh, will a SATII math prepartation book be sufficient to prepare for the math portion on SAT. Purchased this in error.

By sgandhi on Tuesday, July 09, 2002 - 02:04 pm: Edit

In terms of the material covered in the SAT II book, D Fisher, the book you bought will be sufficient to prepare you for the SAT I math section. However, the SAT II book may not present tricks and shortcuts that one can take on the SAT I because those tricks are not on the SAT II.