Taking an SAT subject test?

Question

Does taking an SAT subject test help you at all for college applications? I know that it shows that you are more serious about school since you are taking a test that is not required.

If I should take an SAT subject test, what test should I take if I was considering going to UNC?

Answer 1

If you do well on the subject tests, it definitely shows that you have more in-depth knowledge about that particular subject. They might also help if you have low grades in certain subjects (for whatever reason) and end up doing well. It's kinda like you're replacing one bad score for a better one. If you're emphasizing life goals in your personal statement and are mentioning your intended major, having good scores shows that you are somewhat knowledgeable and serious about that area. They might especially help if you want to get into a more selective school (but only if you do well) for the reasons you mentioned. I think some schools require them, too (but very few). I don't know about UNC, but when I took them, I ended up taking literature, math II, biology (molecular), and US history.

Answer 2

UNC does not require sat 2's, but it highly suggests them. I would take Math 2 a science then like US history to show you are well rounded

Answer 3

I'm applying to UNC too and I took the Biology and Math IC SAT subject tests. Generally colleges want to see either a science or a math test and then one of your choice. Only a few require three tests unless you've been home schooled. Johns Hopkins and Georgetown want three, but other than that, just choose one you think you'll do well on. You might try looking at the average scores on each before you decide. For instance, language test averages are generally higher than biology ones because often native speakers take the tests.