Hello all, I’m a senior (international) looking into majoring in art.
I was just wondering if having no SAT II scores will affect my chances of getting into some good schools.
I’m thinking of Yale, CMU, WUSTL for sure and liberal arts colleges like Swarthmore, Vassar, Bard, etc.
I’m pretty confident of my portfolio and I’m planning to hold a solo exhibition in October.
My SAT scores:
1st SAT - CR 770, M 670, W 740
2nd SAT - CR 680, M 800, W 670
Superscore: 2310
I’ve taken whatever Honors classes there are since freshman year.
Took AP Macro (4) and APUSH (5) in Junior year.
Currently taking AP Lit, AP Gov, APES, AP Calc AB, AP French.
Did and am doing Choir for all 4 years, with HN Choir since sophomore year.
GPA is 3.59, top 5%.
Yeah no SAT 2s will be a disadvantage, only because everyone else you are coming against will have them. Also, for CMU 2 subject tests are required. You will not be considered with out them.
I’m pretty sure the same is with yale, but i’m not positive.
For CMU, I’m applying for School of Art or School of Design and it says that “no SAT subject tests are required”. Yale doesn’t require it but recommends it. But I should probably take the SAT IIs - better safe than sorry.
@Erin’sDad well most decent schools require/recommend/ or appreciate SAT Subjects tests. Even if they don’t say they are required/recommended they still benefit the applicants profile.
SAT Subject Tests are recommended but not required. Applicants who do not take SAT Subject Tests will not be disadvantaged in the application process. We will consider your application on the basis of the other testing, and all the other information, that we receive with your application. You may wish to consider whether there are particular areas of academic strength you would like to demonstrate to the Admissions Committee. Subject Tests can be one way to convey that strength.
From WUSTL:
Washington University does not require SAT Subject Tests (formerly SAT II: College Board Achievement Tests). However, if you do take them and submit your scores, we will only consider them if they strengthen your application.
For CMU, Swarthmore there is no question: you need SAT IIs.
For Vassar, there is a roundabout if you have taken and will/have submit(ted) the ACT. Otherwise, you MUST submit the SAT IIs if you have taken the SATs.
Bard is really vague. They haven’t addressed the issue, so presumably you don’t need SAT IIs.
@Erin’s Dad Not sure what your hinting at. Yes, the top 100 schools all see subject tests as a great addition to a students profile if there decent. Ik there are a handful of schools that use a formula and therefor don’t use them in admission. For elite schools (where most people on college confidential) want to go, subject tests are beneficial and often recommended/required.
Colleges that consider subject tests from applicants break down to those that require subject tests, recommend them, or neither require nor recommend them but will consider them if provided. The total number of colleges in the “require” group is 18 of which 11 accept the ACT in lieu of both the SAT and subject tests (in other words, because of the alternative, subject tests are actually required of most applicants at only 7 colleges). The number of colleges in the “recommend” group is about 20, and the total number in the “consider” group is about another 40.
As to the tooblue’s list: Yale recommends them and before this year required them. You should considewr taking them for Yale including because it is likely most applicants will submit them and good scores could help when you consider Yale’s extremely low admission rate. Though CMU requires them for majority of applicants, the particular school you want to apply to does not use them so you are fine there. WUSTL is in the consider group and you can probably forego them for WUSTL since it gets and admits many applicants who do not submit them.
Swarthmore went radical and not only recently dropped its subject test requirement but does not even recommend them. It has joined the considered group and for art it is probably not needed but good scores might help.
Vassar requires two subject tests unless you submit ACT. Thus, for it you either must take two subject tests or the ACT.
Bard is not even in the consider group for subject tests and does not even require the SAT or ACT although it will consider one of those if submitted.