Sat Ii

zoosermom · 03-08-2008, 01:36 PM

I need a little help, please. ZS is a sophomore and is in AP Euro and will take that exam in May. Fine, no problem there. We got a notice from the school that said she should also take the SAT II for World History. Is that the normal timing of this? Are the two similar? I looked at the college board website and am in no position to be able to compare the two and am now completely paralyzed with indecision. My older one never took SAT II exams and I am at a loss. also, when is the appropriate time for a person to take the SAT II in Literature? She scored 74 on the CR portion of the PSAT this year. If anyone is feeling patient and generous and would explain this stuff to me, I'd be very grateful.

Oh, SAT II math? How does that relate to math A and math B?

doubleplay · 03-08-2008, 01:44 PM

Some colleges require 2-3 SAT II Subject tests, if the student does not take the ACT. The best time to take the subject test is right after you've taken the subject itself. So if you're taking, say APUSH, advisors recommend taking the SAT II US History test that spring as well.

If a student already knows he or she is not going to apply to ANY schools requiring SAT IIs or the ACT, there's no need to waste time taking those tests. However, many students don't know in their sophomore/junior year, so just in case, it might be worthwhile take the tests while the subject is fresh.

zoosermom · 03-08-2008, 01:48 PM

But how do you translate AP Euro to SAT II World, or Math A/B to SAT II Math? What does the SAT II Literature compare to?

menloparkmom · 03-08-2008, 01:52 PM

Yes she should take the SAT II in world history if she has already had some sort of world history class in her Freshman year. SAT Language is a closer correlation to the CR score than SAT Literature. One is about the English language, the other is more related to books that have been read.
She should take the Language test by the end of her Jr year .The Math SAT II should be taken when she has as much math under her belt as possible, but no later than Oct of her Sr year. If she has taken Calc by her Jr year then have her take the Sat II in May or June as well. Remember, she cannot take both an SAT test and a subject [SAT II] test on the sme test date, so she needs to spread out her test dates over a couple of months in the Spring of her Jr year. She should not plan on taking tests in the fall of her Sr year unless she want to retest in order to improve a score.

Marian · 03-08-2008, 01:54 PM

You don't translate from one subject to the other.

You get review books with practice tests in them and suggest that your daughter try a few. That will give her a good idea of whether she's well prepared for a particular test.

My daughter got one of those books the year she was taking chemistry, a course in which she was doing exceedingly well. She took a sample test and discovered that her chemistry course had omitted large chunks of the curriculum on which the SAT Subject Test is based. She chose to take other Subject Tests instead of chemistry.

In general, the SAT Math II Subject Test is best taken at the end of whatever math course immediately precedes calculus at your school (the names of such courses vary from state to state and school to school). The SAT U.S. History Subject Test is phenomenally similar to the multiple choice portion of the AP U.S. History test, so anyone who takes AP U.S. History in grade 10 or 11 should probably take this subject test. The SAT Subject Test in Spanish is graded very harshly, presumably because native speakers wreck the curve. Beyond that, I don't know many specifics.

menloparkmom · 03-08-2008, 01:55 PM

"Math A/B to SAT II Math"
Do you mean AP Calc A/B?

menloparkmom · 03-08-2008, 01:57 PM

what did she score on the other part of the PSAT?

Marian · 03-08-2008, 01:59 PM

I thought she meant New York State Regents Math A and B -- terminology that is beyond the comprehension of those of us from the other 49 states.

menloparkmom · 03-08-2008, 02:01 PM

^^Oh! thanks.

doubleplay · 03-08-2008, 02:01 PM

I see what your saying. I don't know the exact comparisons between all the AP/SAT subject tests. My kids took AP Physics and the Physics subject test, AP Bio and the Bio subject test, and took the SAT Math II test after taking Pre-Calc. They scored 5s on the AP exams and in the 700's on the subject tests (except younger son left his calculator at home the day of his math test, so he didn't do too great). Sorry can't be of more help.

Here's a suggestion- If your bookstore carries them, your daughter can grab the study guides for the SAT Subject tests she's thinking about taking, sit down in the coffee bar or in a comfortable chair, and peruse the chapter topics. She'd probably be able to tell fairly quickly if the topics line up with what she's been studying.

zoosermom · 03-08-2008, 02:04 PM

""Math A/B to SAT II Math""

No, it's not advanced math, it's what's required in NY State, but it's never been completely clear to me how math A/B relates to anything else.

zoosermom · 03-08-2008, 02:06 PM

"what did she score on the other part of the PSAT?"

74 CR, 77 W, 66 M, but I think the math was out of line for reasons other than testing that day.

Marian · 03-08-2008, 02:06 PM

You don't have to relate NY State terminology to anything else (mercifully).

There is a certain body of knowledge that needs to be mastered before the student takes calculus. That body of knowledge is also, more or less, what's on the SAT Math II Subject Test. So if the student has completed whatever courses are the prerequisites for calculus, the student is ready for that Subject Test. Waiting and taking the SAT Subject Test during the calculus course is not a good idea. There is no calculus on the Subject Test, and kids tend to forget material that was taught in previous years.

zoosermom · 03-08-2008, 02:07 PM

I'm printing out some of this stuff so she and I can talk about it. I'm clueless and most of the kids in her class aren't taking these tests.

zoosermom · 03-08-2008, 02:08 PM

"There is a certain body of knowledge that needs to be mastered before the student takes calculus. That body of knowledge is also, more or less, what's on the SAT Math II Subject Test. So if the student has completed whatever courses are the prerequisites for calculus, the student is ready for that Subject Test."

Bless you. This is exactly what I needed to know. I can completely understand now.