<p>I’ve realized that people who take the subject tests have totally different class levels. Some have been in AP, honors, and/or college prep. People have also only gone up to Algebra 2, some Calculus… class levels are very varied with these tests, but only 1 test type is administered. When colleges look at subject test scores do they take into perspective the class level you’ve gone up to? Because clearly the person who, for example, has taken up to AP Biology or Calc will do significantly better in the Math and Bio than those who have gone up to Regular Biology or Regular Algebra 2.</p>
<p>I imagine colleges expect that you’ve taken the recommended prerequisites before taking the Subject Tests…if you take a test and get a low score because you weren’t sufficiently prepared, you probably shouldn’t have taken that test. You don’t have to take them extremely early in high school.
Someone who applies to selective colleges with only regular biology and regular Algebra II is going to be at a disadvantage for reasons other than Subject Test scores, though.</p>
<p>I totally understand all of that (although it’s different for every school which actually need specific prerequisites before taking an AP course), but my question was will colleges take scores into perspective based on transcripts?</p>
<p>The whole point of standardized tests is to see how your achievement compares to the achievement of students in other schools. For this reason, I think the answer to your question is, mostly not. </p>
<p>College admissions officers are trying to figure out whether you’re a better French student (or math student, or chemistry student, or what have you) than 90% of your age mates nationwide; they’re significantly less interested, I suspect, in why you might not be.</p>
<p>No, they would not adjust the scores or look at them differently because you have taken different level of classes. You should pick the subjects that you expect to score the best and fulfill the requirement of the school. They would only look at your GPA differently if you are taking lower level classes, and it would not be in your favor.</p>
<p>For what its worth, there are two math tests. Math II covers more advanced math so a high score on that would be looked upon more favorably than a high score on Math I.</p>