Harvard requires 3 SAT II tests -- do these three sound good?

Applying to College
1

<p>I’m interested in having a “pre-med” course-load during my undergraduate years, if that’s relevant. Math is my strongest subject, but during my sophomore year, I received a B- in my class (my teacher docked me a full letter-grade because I missed ‘class discussion’ when I was out with a MEDICALLY EXCUSED ABSENCE… please don’t get me started on that). Anyway, I was thinking of taking Biology E/M (haven’t decided which one), Physics, and English Lit for my SAT IIs. I threw the English Lit in there because I feel that it would add diversity to my SAT IIs, and not just Science, Science, and more Science. Physics is also supposed to be challenging and look good, right? I was going to take a Math one though (instead of the Physics… to show that I CAN be good at math), but where physics is largely based on math, would that suffice? </p>

<p>Opinions please! THANKS!!!</p>

<p>EDIT: Oh, and I DEFINITELY want to keep the bio in there because that is my main area of interest. Okay thanks!</p>

2

<p>don’t take two sciences, especially if math is your forte. </p>

<p>i reccomend taking…</p>

<p>1: bio
2: Math II
3: English lit</p>

3

<p>I think if you’re going for any math/science field you should definitely have Math IIc. Also, you’re definitely going to need to show a wide variety of ability so taking English Lit will definitely be benefitial when applying. As for the third one, do either Biology or Physics, though you’re saying you really want to have Biology, so then definitely take that one. Good luck</p>

4

<p>Honestly, take the subjects in which you are most confident you will find success. Don’t worry about matching up tests to your potential major. If you’re really good at German, take it. Harvard would much rather see a 780 on the German test than a 540 on the Physics test.</p>

5

<p>Or Italian, or Korean, or Hebrew, or US History, you get the picture :D</p>

6

<p>Harvard has no pre-med major so it really doesn’t matter what you take. Take the three that you anticipate doing the best in.</p>

7

<p>If you’re good at physics I recommend taking it, because there is a lot of slack in it.</p>

8

<p>I would take Bio-M for sure. I think it has more weight than Bio-E.</p>

<p>Are you only allowed to send in three at all colleges?</p>

9

<p>You can certainly send in more. They will theoretically look at the top three that you send in. They will all appear on one score report along with your regular SAT scores.</p>

10

<p>“They will theoretically look at the top three that you send in. They will all appear on one score report along with your regular SAT scores.”</p>

<p>I assume that means that, in practice, they actually consider all of them?</p>

11

<p>Isn’t the physics SAT2 largely theory based, i.e. little to no math? Or am I thinking of a different Physics test?</p>

12

<p>I’d try mathIIc if you consider yourself to be adept at math. I’d add biology considering you think you’re good at it. For an extremely competitive school such as Harvard I’d advise a third SAT II in the humanities…it makes you seem more well rounded. Ultimately though, you will want to score well, above all else.</p>

13

<p>Riot: It is said that the adcoms never see the reports at most schools; secretaries will copy down the top two (or three if needed) scores onto the applicant’s folder. However, I will note that when my kid applied to Harvard and checked status online, it listed all of her scores including all of the SAT IIs that she had submitted (more than three.) I can’t say whether they factored them all in. Harvard admissions officers do maintain that they look at everything that is sent, so possibly they are all reviewed.</p>