Step 2: Know what your goals are
If you plan to attend your local state university, chances are taking 5 SAT II Subject tests and acing all of them will not be necessary for admission. On the other hand, SAT II subject tests are a required and important part of admissions into elite universities.| College Aspiration | You Should Set Your SAT II Goals to |
| The elite schools (Ivy League, Stanford, Duke, etc.) | Take 3+ SAT II Subject Tests and aim for an average score of 770+ |
| 2nd Tier Schools (University of California Schools, NYU, Notre Dame, etc.) | Take 2+ SAT II Subject Tests and aim for an average score of 740+ |
| Most Local State Universities (Excluding the top public schools such as University of California Schools and University of Michigan – Ann Arbor etc.) | None necessary |
SAT II scores are also a factor for many merit-based scholarships that are offered by colleges and outside sources. Strong SAT II scores can translate into tens of thousands of dollars in scholarships. That means, even if you are not aiming for the most selective universities, you should still aim high on your SAT II tests. On the other hand, SAT II subject tests are generally less important in merit scholarship decisions than SAT Reasoning test scores and AP scores.
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