snowy

Is a 700 on Physics SAT and a 740 on Math2 Subject tests considered low? Should I have higher to get into selective schools?

Drought

Those aren't particularly good scores, no.

limabeans

You do the best you can...that's how to view your test scores. If a selective school finds them deemable, then so be it. They don't just look at scores anyway. Could they go up to 800? yeah, but are they high enough? You'll only know when you send in your application.

ncm2012

For top schools, is this bad?

740 Bio M

snowy

If a 740 on Math reasoning test is good, why isn't it so good on the subject tests? Can you explain the difference in the scoring or why aren't these particularly good scores? In my AP Calculus and Physics I have a 97 and 100 average respectively. WHich do colleges put more weight on test scores or performance in classes? Thanks for any clarification on this.

Drought

I forget the exact number, but the average score on the Math II test the time I took it (May 2009) was something like 700. Whereas a 740 on the Math reasoning is significantly above average, a 740 on the Math II is only slightly above average. Colleges care more about your classes then your test scores, but keep in mind test scores are a good way for colleges to take people from different high schools and compare them. Also, I'm surprised you're doing so well in those classes and didn't score higher - maybe you were nervous or something? Try taking them again, I'm sure you'll do better.

NavyBlueNinja

The Subject Tests are taken by people who are genuinely interested in the subject, so they will typically score higher and raise the average score. So a 720 on the Math portion on the SAT is different from a 720 on the Math I test with regards to percentile, but they probably have the same raw score.

Different tests have different average scores. Some, like Literature, are as low as 580, whereas anything below an 800 on the Chinese test is below average (look up the stats for other tests on college board's website, there's a complete list for all tests in the "Professionals" section"). In my opinion (which isn't an expert opinion and shouldn't be taken 100% seriously), for a highly selective school you want to be in the 70-75 percentile or higher in order to have a solid score.

Some schools don't use subject tests as part of your application. Some require subject tests just to see that you took them, while others use them for class placement.

worried_mom

The distribution (percentiles) of scores on the SAT subject tests is generally much higher than the SAT reasoning test scores -- i.e., the average score on a subject test will be much higher than the average test score on each section of the Reasoning Test (which is around 500). The primary reason for this is that the test pool for each subject test is self-selective; people generally choose to take the subject tests on which they feel they will score best (vs. the Reasoning Test where you have to take all 3 parts, regardless of your interests or abilities).

The average test scores are especially high for foreign language subject tests as there will be many native speakers or bilingual Hispanics, Koreans, Chinese, etc. taking those tests. Similarly, the Math 2 subject test is generally taken by students planning to go into engineering, math, or physical sciences -- in other words, students who are already good in math and interested in taking more math classes -- so it has a higher distribution curve as well.

snowy

tHANK YOU ALL FOR EXPLAINING THIS!

joefrommiami

I have a friend who got a 430 on a language test. Is that low?

cdld2008

damnnnnnn
i got a 740 on chem, 760 on physics and 800 on math 2...
really sucky chem and physics scoreeeee then
ahhhhhh this sucks...
tons of people around me got 800s on those subs

yodastreet

joefrommiami: That's funny, I got a 430 on my French w/Listening test as well. I was in the 4th percentile, so yes that is very low.

iamdarockstar

i got a 700/800 in math IC and 660/800 in physics......are they bad scores??? and wat r my chances of getting into a gud university?? im in my senior year... should i give sat 2 again?? or shud i give sat 1 nd go to a midiocre university??

and what are da differences b/w early decision ,early action , regular deadlines??

lemming101

does a high Literature score make up for a bad CR SAT I score??