Low SAT II, high AP score

existentialism · 03-13-2009, 10:11 PM

This isn't the best time to be asking this, but I guess the curiosity has been eating my brain out for a while now. So...I took the Biology M SAT II last May and got a 600 (ouch!) and around a week later, I took the AP Bio test and got a 5. Now, my question is, would the SAT II score really hurt my chances? Obviously the AP test is more rigorous and reflects me as a student better than the SAT II, but I'm pretty much worrying my pants off because the SAT IIs seem more important in the application process. Thanks.

AnbuItachi · 03-14-2009, 12:53 AM

worrying wont do much. i believe the 5 in ap will help but the sat II is more important. a friend of mine was admitted with under 600 on bio and no bio ap grade so i dont think it will hurt you that much for you to be worrying that much.

PKWsurf21 · 03-14-2009, 10:40 AM

I think that colleges know that they are different tests. The AP questions are more rigorous which is why there is such a large curve, especially the one from last May. Also, the AP has a free response section that you don't need to worry about for the SAT II. The SAT II has more miscellaneous information questions and the curve is much harsher as well. Perhaps if you had received a 3 or lower and a 600, you should be a little bit worried but a 5, which was very difficult this year to receive so congrats on that, would show that you are strong in Bio and that perhaps the SAT II was just a bad day for you. Just try to relax and Good Luck!

dococtopi · 03-14-2009, 11:48 AM

I kinda have a similar question about my SAT and ACT scores... I took the SAT three times and my average was around 2000, but I took the ACT once and I got a 34, which when converted is a whole lot better than a 2000. Do you think they'll value the 34 more or my lower SAT scores?

x3xkimiex3x · 03-14-2009, 02:49 PM

well i applied ED, and i got in with a 640 in bio without taking AP bio or anything. the other sat2 i took was history and i got a 720 s my sat 2 grades werent that great....

existentialism · 03-14-2009, 05:56 PM

Thanks a lot. Your comments gave me a bit of a moral boost

To dococtopi: I believe they will value your ACT score better. I think people tend to believe that colleges don't look as favorably towards the ACTs, but I don't think that's true. It's becoming a popular test and colleges know that. So don't worry about it.