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SAT II Subject Test Preparation

The SAT IIs are what many of us remember as "Achievement Tests."  Twenty years ago the Achievement tests had little or no relevance on college admission decisions — they were primarily used for advanced placement purposes.  Now, several top tier and Ivy League colleges expect to see strong scores on at least two SAT IIs tests.

Discipline & Focus

The SAT II is a set of 20 different tests focusing on specific disciplines or subjects, such as math, science, English, history and languages.  Each subject test lasts one hour and is offered in October, December, January, May and June.

These tests are designed to measure what you know about specific disciplines.  Sure, critical reading and thinking skills play a part, but the main purpose of the SAT II subject tests is to determine exactly what you know about algebra, biology, literature, U.S. History, Spanish, etc.

Test Scheduling

The tutoring is going well.  (Tutor) explains it in a way that (student) understands and his grades are much improved.  He is currently passing the class and has done well on the AP test practice questions.
Calculus BC Student

On SAT II subjects that require lots of memorization, it is often good to schedule them to coincide with the end of a semester.  This is especially important for students enrolled in WCPSS block courses.

At BrainTrust, we will help you differentiate between careless mistakes and topics you have not mastered.  Often, teachers have simply not had the time to prepare you for the specific test questions in various subjects.  We will also go through actual SAT subject test questions published by the College Board.

STRATEGIC APPROACH

For those who are serious, preparation is crucial.  The SAT II subject tests are given during four months of the year.  At BrainTrust, we never recommend you take more than two on a given day.

When in doubt as to which tests to take, we think many students should consider spending time preparing for the US History, foreign language and Math Level One subject tests.  Different subjects require different approaches.


True Learning vs. Memorization Skills

The most effective way to learn math is very different from the way to learn history or Spanish, yet most students study all subjects in pretty much the same way: by reading and rereading their textbooks and notes.  All subjects can be divided into four primary categories: those in which one is acquiring facts (like biology or history), those in which one is learning how to solve problems (like geometry, calculus or physics), those in which one is learning to interpret and respond to material (like literature or art history), and those in which one is learning to communicate in a new way (like languages or even painting).

Many times to adequately prepare for a specific subject, there are only a few basic questions which require answers.  Many types of questions appear repeatedly.  Our SAT subject test tutors, who have scored in the top 10 percentile of all SAT takers in the given subject, know what is necessary to succeed.  They will help you comprehend not only the subject matter, but anticipate the questions which might appear on the exam itself.

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Contact BrainTrust today to discover how our unique SAT subject test preparation approach can help maximize your SAT score.