What are the SAT (II) Subject Tests?
The SAT Subject Tests are a group of tests designed to test you on your knowledge of different subjects. Previously, they were called the SAT II Tests because the original SAT was called the SAT I. Now, they are referred to as the SAT Subject Tests. Unlike the SAT, the tests are only 1 hour long (each) and do not have essays.
There are 17 different tests:
- Literature
- U.S. History
- World History
- Mathematics Level 1 (Math IC)
- Mathematics Level 2 (Math IIC)
- Biology
- Chemistry
- Physics
- 9 Language tests (Chinese, German, French, Hebrew, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Latin, Spanish)
Which SAT Subject Test do I need to take?
The school you are applying to should specify which test you need to take. For example, math IIC is a common test requirement for schools in the U.S. and Canada. Several local schools, including the University of Sharjah, give credit or course exemptions for high scores on the Math IIC test. In addition, some schools require you to take the Math I or IIC tests as well as a science subject test of your choosing. Therefore, decide which colleges and universities you want to apply to and then double-check their requirements before registering for a test.
Who makes them?
ETS, the same people that make the SAT (I), make the subject tests. The College Board administers them. The registration process for an SAT Subject Test is just like that of the SAT and the tests run on the same schedule.
What’s on the SAT Subject Tests?
Unlike the SAT, which tests critical thinking and analytical abilities, the SAT Subject Tests are supposed to be tests of what you should have actually learned in high school. As knowledge-based tests, the tests care more about what you know (content) rather than how good you are at tips and tricks. The content of each test is based on a particular subject. For example, the U.S. History test will test you on various aspects of U.S. history from the pre-Columbian period (before European settlement of the U.S.) to the present.
The number of questions on the test depends on the test. For example, the chemistry test has 85 questions. However, the literature test only has 60 questions. Check out the College Board’s website for more information on your specific test and sample questions.
How are they scored?
All of the tests are scored from 200 to 800.
What is a good score?
As with the SAT, a good score depends on the requirements of the college or university you want to attend. In general, 600 is a good score.
How do I prepare for the SAT Subject Tests?
The best way to prepare is to review your lessons in school for that particular subject and do lots of practice tests. Book World by Kinokuniya in Dubai Mall has many SAT Subject Test guides from which you can choose. Since it’s a content-based test, there is not really a guide that offers a better “technique.” You need a good review and plenty of practice problems.
