<p>I often hear people say that if you try to take to many tests and try to make yourself fit into the “harvard” box, it will get you rejected.</p>
<p>My question is that will taking too many SAT2s hurt your chances?
I am taking about 7 SAT2s simply because im taking the AP classes for them.
This seems to have been frowned upon by many people and apparently shows that “I have no passion.”</p>
<p>I don’t see how it can hurt you as I see it of testing our knowledge and ability in those areas, but it’s much more important to use those test dates for the SAT I if you need to retake it. That’s 3 test dates, assuming you do 3, 3, and 1 test.</p>
<p>can taking more help you?</p>
<p>If you are home schooled or otherwise do not have normal high school credentials, taking the subject tests may provide external validation of your knowledge of the subjects (this is probably most common for native or heritage speakers of a non-English language to show proficiency in the absence of high school course work in that language; AP tests are sometimes used for this purpose).</p>
<p>But few colleges ask for more than two or three, and it is unlikely that more than three or four properly chosen subject tests will be needed for any realistic number of colleges that most students will apply to. Probably the most common one asked for is Math Level 2, by STEM-focused schools or engineering divisions in large schools (these sometimes also ask for a science test).</p>
<p>what about HYPSM? Would taking many hurt/help your chances?</p>
<p>you do NOT want to look like a 1 dimensional studyaholic when applying to colleges like HYPSM. The type of students they accept are those who are very intelligent AND have extraordinary accomplishments outside of the classroom that set them apart. Taking a bunch more subject tests is not an extraordinary accomplishment, especially when those colleges ask for only 3-4 max.</p>
<p>H requires 2 SAT Subject tests: not both math, and not a non-English native language
[Harvard</a> College Admissions § Applying: Requirements](<a href=“http://www.admissions.college.harvard.edu/apply/application_process/requirements.html#scores]Harvard”>http://www.admissions.college.harvard.edu/apply/application_process/requirements.html#scores)</p>
<p>Y requires any 2 SAT Subject tests unless you take the ACT Plus Writing
[Standardized</a> Testing for Freshman Applicants | Yale College Admissions](<a href=“http://admissions.yale.edu/standardized-testing]Standardized”>Standardized Testing Requirements & Policies | Yale College Undergraduate Admissions)</p>
<p>P requires 2 SAT Subjects tests; students applying for engineering should use a math and either physics or chemistry
[Princeton</a> University | Standardized Testing](<a href=“http://www.princeton.edu/admission/applyingforadmission/standardized_testing/]Princeton”>http://www.princeton.edu/admission/applyingforadmission/standardized_testing/)</p>
<p>S does not require SAT Subject tests
[Testing</a> : Stanford University](<a href=“http://www.stanford.edu/dept/uga/application/freshman/testing.html]Testing”>http://www.stanford.edu/dept/uga/application/freshman/testing.html)</p>
<p>M requires 2 SAT Subject tests: one math and one science
[Tests</a> & Scores | MIT Admissions](<a href=“http://mitadmissions.org/apply/freshman/tests]Tests”>Tests & scores | MIT Admissions)</p>
<p>So you can cover all of the above on one test date by taking one math and either physics or chemistry (take a third of your choice if you want).</p>
<p>At some point… don’t you have something better to do with your Saturday mornings? Also, what are your scores? I would say focusing on 2-3 and getting 800s would look much better than tons of <750.</p>
<p>good point, so i’m guess focusing on 4 would be better.</p>
<p>I would say 3-4 800s is the gold standard.</p>
<p>Taking a lot won’t hurt you, but it won’t help you either (unless you are home schooled). Most schools will only look at the two highest.</p>
<p>I know someone who took like 7 or 8 SAT II’s (Idk how well she did on them) and got accepted into Harvard.</p>
<p>But I wouldn’t take more than 2 or 3, unless you want to show “well-roundedness” by getting high scores on all of them. Even then that won’t help too much. And it’s probably not worth the money.</p>
<p>Taking 7 SAT II’s is not really necessary, and that time studying could be better spent elsewhere. Getting 800s on 3 or 4 SAT II tests is more impressive than getting 750s on all 7.</p>
<p>Especially if you end up getting lower scores on a couple of the tests, it would look like you were just trying to pad your application.</p>
<p>but hypothetically if u got straight 800s on lets say 8 tests, wouldn’t that be better that 800s on 4, Or as a previous poster said would it make u look like a study-holic (which would be bad).</p>
<p>If you are taking APclasses then take the corresponding AP exams by all means as they are
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</p>
<p>It would be slightly more impressive (it certainly won’t hurt you), but, like I said, could you better spend the time required to study for those tests by improving your application in other areas (e.g., SAT I, GPA, ECs)? It may lead to more significant and noticeable improvements to your application. Just make sure you don’t study for these “extra” SAT II tests at any compromise of your grades or extracurriculars.</p>
<p>If you can get 800 without study then you should take it. For my daugther, 2 tests she did not prep at all, just took the CB tests to see where she was and got the same result when she took the tests. However, for 2 other tests, her teachers did not prepare her enough, she had to put in some effort.</p>
<p>Alright well there are a lot of mixed responses but I am guessing that the best course of action with the least risk involved (in terms of admission to the top schools) would be to just take 3-4 and get 800s.</p>
<p>Thanks for all your helpful replys!</p>
<p>Yeah, I’d agree on 3-4 (even 2 is enough). Any more would be overkill/unnecessary</p>