All You Need to Know About the SAT 2 Subject Tests

The SAT 2 Subject Tests are a series of about 20 exams that the CollegeBoard uses to test your aptitude on individual subjects (as opposed to the SAT which only tests your general ability in math, reading, and writing). They cover almost all the standard subjects you would take in high school: math, English, history, foreign language, and the sciences. The tests are an hour in length and are entirely multiple-choice.

Which ones should you take?

As I’ve mentioned before, getting into an Ivy League college requires more than just high test scores. The choice of the tests themselves are equally (if not more) important than the scores you get on them. If you want to portray yourself as a promising future engineer, taking the SAT 2 in Math I or II along with the SAT 2 in Physics would be considerably more effective than taking the SAT 2 in US History and Spanish – even if you would score higher on the second pair of exams. The reverse holds true if you want the opposite image.

Some of the colleges even require that you take specific exams. For example, the application to Cornell’s Engineering School requires one SAT 2 in math and one in science. Some colleges like Harvard requires three SAT 2s. Check your college’s application requirements before you take your SAT 2s. Obviously, you need to make sure that you take all of the required ones.

After you figure out which ones are required, think about which subjects you do the best in at school. Prime candidates for SAT 2 subjects are those you are taking honors or AP classes in. You can even save some time studying by taking the SAT 2 right after taking the AP exam or final exam so the information is still fresh in your mind.

Another tip to keep in mind is to spread out your SAT 2s. While you can technically take up to three exams on a given day, it is extremely exhausting and stressful to do so – and that would take its toll on your performance. Taking two exams is fine as long as you have confidence in your ability in both of those subjects. For the subjects that you are not so sure about, don’t try to pair them up with anything else. This way, you can devote your full attention to that subject in the days building up to the exam.

It is also worth pointing out that it is not worth taking an SAT 2 in a foreign language if you are native to that language. This is especially true for Chinese and Korean (which is given by their high 750+ averages and extremely low standard deviation). You’re better off saving your money and just mention somewhere else on your application that you are fluent in those languages and only take what really matters. But if you had to learn these languages (or the others) from scratch in high school, feel free to take the SAT 2 once you feel confident.


Finally, always remember to come to the test room prepared. Make sure you have taken a practice exam at least once or twice so you know all the directions and how to pace yourself during the test. Sleep well the night before and have a hearty breakfast in the morning.