Im a sophomore should can i take the sat? or is it better to take the psat?

Question

i'm so confused.. and should i be studying sat or psat? and what are the some subject tests?

Answer 1

As a sophomore, you should definitely take the PSAT but you can only take it if your school offers it this fall.  You will take it again in the fall of your junior year and at that time it will count towards the National Merit Scholarships.  In your sophomore year it's pure practice.

Now the SAT is a tricky subject.  The score reporting for the SAT is changing in March 2009 which will allow students who take it after that to choose which scores to send to a school.  What this means for you is that you can take it as a sophomore and choose to not send it to a college if your score is way lower than when you take it as a junior or senior.  That means, if you don't care about the $40+ and the 4+ hours on a Saturday morning, you can take the test risk-free and see what it's like.

SAT Subject tests are tests in particular subjects - some colleges ask for them, some don't.  It all depends on the college, but as a general rule you should take them because it will expand your search of schools.

The bottom line is that you should prepare for the PSAT in the fallof your junior year.  Right now, you can take it to see how you'd score.  Personally, I wouldn't worry about the SAT until the spring of your junior year.

If you want to prepare, here's a free website:  www.mystudentedge.com.  You need the access code: XULGFRAD

Good luck!

Answer 2

You might as well start studying for the SAT, since some colleges are becoming more and more stingy and competitive about it. By studying for the SAT, you'll be ready  for the PSAT- if you do well you'll get scholarships.  But remember, colleges don't really see PSAT scores-the SAT counts even though you can get scholarships for the PSAT your sophomore year. some colleges may give scholarships for the SAT also.  Start of the SAT you won't go crazy your junior when you take loads of APs, the actual SAT, and begin to look at colleges.  Start now.

For the subject tests some of them are:

Biology

Spanish

Math 1

Math 2

these are the most common, but I'm sure there are more

Answer 3

In your second year of high school you can take the psat, but it will not count. Its best that you take it for the practice. My daughter took it last year too. This year she will take the psat and sat. The psat score qualifies you for the national scholarships available, but it will not count in your second year.

Answer 4

As a sophomore, you can take both the psat and sat, but I'd reserve the SAT s until your junior year. You need the extra math and reading practice. PSATs don't matter for national merit as a a sophomore so there isn't really any pressure. Also, if you want to take both of them...study for the SAT b/c the PSAT is the SAT but smaller and w/o the essay- but I'd advise against taking them both as a sophomore. Subject tests you definitely want to delay until probably after your junior year or when you finish the highest level course for that subject at your school.

Subject tests include:

Literature

U.S. History (formerly American History and Social Studies)

World History

Mathematics Level 1 (formerly Mathematics IC)

Mathematics Level 2 (formerly Mathematics IIC)

Biology E/M

Chemistry

Physics

Chinese with Listening

French

French with Listening

German

German with Listening

Spanish

Spanish with Listening

Modern Hebrew

Italian

Latin

Japanese with Listening

Korean with Listening

You have to check out the different tests that are offered at different times in the year also...like some language tests (w/ listening) are only offered in November.

Don't worry about this though until you're fully prepared.

Hope this helps.