Taking one exam that will weigh in your college admissions is stressful, but trying to take two is pure torture. Taking two or more standardized tests and prepare for them simultaneously is not an easy task by any means. Furthermore, it is not necessary to take the SAT, SAT II, and AP tests to have a good chance of getting into the college of your choice. But student trends imply that it would not be a bad idea to take more of these standardized tests if possible. So, applicants should reconsider their decision.
What are these tests and how will they help?
SAT II is not a code for some tougher versions of the existing SATs. It is just a term for the SAT subject tests, and most students know the SAT II tests by that other name. It is common knowledge that not all institutions consider SAT and SAT II score necessary for their application; many colleges consider both exams to different degrees. When you compare the SAT with SAT II, you will get to know that SAT is used more for testing the critical reasoning skills along with the general knowledge of the students. SAT II, on the other hand, concentrates more on determining the applicant’s grasp on the topics on specific areas of subjects like biology or math, etc.
You will get to hear of many hard-working students opting to take both SAT II and AP tests to increase their chances of getting an excellent school. SAT II is necessary to get into some of the competitive colleges, and schools like Stanford and Harvard advise their applicants to take the SAT II tests as well as send the score while applying.
The fact of the matter is, it is not that hard, and it might even be practical to prepare for the SAT, SAT II, and the AP tests together. Some of the subject materials overlap, and it is beneficial for the students is they are ready to take these standardized tests. There are choices for opting out of these tests, but SAT, SAT II, and AP coaching will not be tough to handle if you plan accordingly. Furthermore, if these tests are not an option for you due to financial barriers, you can always contact your admissions officer and take suitable steps.
Everyone is going to take the SATs to get admissions, but it is also a good idea to get ready for SAT II and AP. Now, the preparation of AP and SAT II is not going to cost you double the time at all.
Why should we do it?
Everyone knows that the College Board is responsible for both the AP and SAT II exams. The majority of the institutions want you to give SAT exams, and the question is should you work more to get another score on more exams? The data about the applicants tell you that it is indeed a good idea. No one wants to work harder but instead, it is advisable to work smarter. Because many materials available at SAT Coaching for SAT II and AP tests intertwine, it is logical to prepare for one of these exams and stay prepared for the other. AT this rate, preparation for SAT, SAT II, and AP exams together are not an unachievable goal when you look at it this way.
Aren’t AP tests harder than SAT II?
The AP Test is indeed a bit more difficult when you compare them to your SAT II tests because they are intended for college level students. As a result, AP tests demand more understanding of the material and offer more complex questions. But it is also true that SAT II questions are incredibly similar to the AP test practice questions and preparing for them is like following the same process.
Below, in this article of EduQuest we discuss a bit on how to plan if you want to take these tests.
The Time
The timing for the AP tests is usually in May. In contrast, SAT II exams are offered several months, typically once each month. SAT II can be held in June, May, October, November, and December as well. Students will notice that there is a common point in May, but taking the tests in that month is not recommended because after all these are important exams that will decide your admissions to college. It is better to take them seriously as taking the SAT II in May might result in distractions for your preparation for AP tests.
The psychological effect of exams is crucial enough to be considered, and rushing through tests is a way to get negative outcomes on both of your exams.
Significant advantage
Your AP Coaching mentors will drill through the right process of preparation for the AP tests and diligent students will follow. But as the cliché saying goes there is no alternative to the actual thing and on the day of the AP test, you might be unprepared for some odd questions. The experience from the AP tests can be used again for the SAT II tests. It will be like getting two chances. To plan like this also means you cannot take the SAT II in May, the ideal time to implement this strategy is in June.
What is the similar stuff?
They are a whole lot similar but that doesn’t mean that there will be no scope for extra preparation. It is a great approach to use the SAT II preparation books for this purpose.
The similar topics for AP and SAT II are-
- AP Biology – Biology (Molecular)
- AP Chemistry – Chemistry
- AP French – French (no listening)
- AP German- German
- AP Italian – Italian
- AP U.S History – U.S History
- A.P World History- World History
End comments
As mentioned before, many colleges will require SAT II scores even they are not necessary for other schools. If your dream college has this requirement, then better to start planning. What better way to show your competence than by self-reporting the AP test scores for those subjects which you want to study further in your college application? In addition to SAT and SAT II, AP scores will showcase your academic prowess with the first-year college material. It is efficient to preparation for these together.