Good luck to all taking the SAT and SAT subject tests today!
Mine is taking Bio, Math 2, and U.S. History.
She did say something this week that put a wrench in the last few months’ planning and may make the subject tests unnecessary. I think, now that it is becoming more real, she is considering staying closer to home and in-state (FL). I have mixed feelings about this. I guess we’ll see how this unfolds. 
Wow it looks like many kids are taking more than the required two subject tests! Mine took physics, math II and US history in march. Anyone taking more than 3 subject tests? I know a kid who has taken 3 but is studying for more - probably 5-6 total when done. Isn’t that overkill?
Good luck to all with testing today! D decided against taking the SAT today, but will practice all summer for the August SAT and subject tests. Still shooting for the elusive 1420 for U. Alabama merit (from her current 1410 score). She may also give the ACT a try.
D20 is now done with her junior year. Despite twice-weekly tutoring, hours and hours of studying, and going to her teacher’s office hours daily, D still could not get the A in Calc AP AB that she wanted. She ended the class with an 86.8%. I’m proud of how hard she tried to get an A, and I think it bodes well for how she will handle challenges as an adult.
My D20 is taking the ACT test next Saturday. Hoping this is the last one. She’s hoping to bump up just one more composite point.
@Octagon - about the number of SAT subject tests - all my research led me to believe that 2 tests are enough with only one unv (Georgetown) asking for 3. For most universities that ask/recommend for subject tests, they mentioned that if a candidate submits more than 2 they will consider the best 2 scores. So more than 3 is certainly an overkill IMHO - even 3 may be too much if a student already has 2 good scores.
In our case, DS20 is not thinking about Georgetown, but still went for a third subject test - his main reason is that he is unhappy with his school grade in AP Chem class. He is thinking that a good SAT score (along with a good AP score) ‘may’ repair some of the damage - but we don’t know if this is true and if AO’s spend that much time to cross reference the class grade with AP score and SAT subject test. Also, he didn’t do any special prep - just went with his relatively fresh AP prep and hoping for best 
wishful thinker like his dad.
I have never even heard of subject tests! I looked up the list of schools that consider them and there are none we’d be applying to, so I guess it doesn’t matter. Very few people in this area even take the SAT, it’s mostly ACT.
@Octagon: Yes!
@hs2020dad Thanks for the feedback. Yes- that was my son’s reasoning for trying to get a 5 on his AP lang - the only B he got in his high school career. He hopes the AO will see that he is pretty strong in that area despite his B.
There are only a few reasons to take more than 2 subject tests. Some schools use the foreign language test for placement, some prefer Math2 plus a science for stem subjects.
I see no reason to take 4+ that is crazy.
Stupid question, but if you took 4 or 5 subject tests, can’t you just send in the ones with the highest scores? I could see this as a good strategy of say you got high 700’s on 3 of the 5, only submit those 3? Am I missing something?
My D took three tests: two sciences and one math. The reason she took two sciences was so she could pick the highest score to send (lack of confidence, really). She ended up getting the exact same score so now it looks like one test too many but whatever. She ll probably send all three. Her high school is heavy in humanity APs and she has taken many of them so she decided that taking humanity SAT subjects will not add anything to her profile.
There is quiet a debate at other threads if kids need them or not. Some say that although colleges officially do not want them anymore they are still expecting them from students with no hardship. Others say not so. We visited one highly ranked college (a Hail Mary for my D) and they insisted that they do not want them anymore because they found them not useful in evaluating students. Nothing said about hardship. I really do not know. It was relatively easy for my D to take them as she does not have ECs Saturday morning and the location is walking distance to our home but really not sure how important they are.
Yes you can send the highest two subject scores except from a very small number of schools (maybe a couple?) that require to see all SAT subject test history.
My D20 is just back from taking US History, Math 2, and Literature. Hoping for 2 of the 3 to be good!
@socaldad2002 I agree with @am9799 There are a few schools that want all scores so don’t take more unless one can do well.
What’s scary is a perfect 800 on Math II is only 79th percentile!
DS thinks the Math II is good, not so much confidence in physics! Lol. He thinks IB physics (SL) does not cover nearly as much ground as AP physics, don’t know whether that was his excuses or not since he didn’t take AP physics.
Now hope no more tests are needed after today but he is game for taking physics again if necessary!
If the tests are read by machines, why taking so long to get results back?!
So apparently Math 2 is just loaded with extra problems. Getting 32 of 50 right translates to a 690 (according to one source). So I’d guess you don’t need all 50 correct for an 800? Greater number of kids then scoring an 800? Thus the 79th percentile…
S2’s GC is pretty clear that all the conferences/talks/calls he and his staff have had with college admission personnel in the last six months confirm that schools really mean they don’t consider subject tests if they say that - no hidden caveats. If they say required, they’re required; if they say recommended, then it’s a good idea. Otherwise, just plain not necessary.
Agree with whoever said upthread (was it you, @bigmacbeth ?) that this is one of the biggest differences this time around. My older two went through this process during the years when there was a very clear rulebook: take the bio subject test the month you finish bio; take your language after language III; take your math at the end of junior year; and so on.
The only thing that still holds true, ten years later, is that you’d better get an 800 on the math or have a different test to submit.
Hope all those who tested this morning have good results ahead!
@makemesmart IB SL physics covers about what Physics 1 plus 2 covers.
It should be pretty good prep for the subject test
@VickiSoCal
Thank you! Here goes DS’ excuses! Lol. Fingers crossed is all I could do for the next 6 weeks.