The Subject Test. Yet another way for universities to gain a more complete image of who you are as an applicant.
Here are the subjects the tests are offered in followed by a few words of wisdom (all the bolded ones are actual options):
Literature- if you thought the ACT reading was hard, think again…
US History- a curriculum barely touched in Indian schools
World History- a very good option for all non-science students
Math I- pointless (you did this math on the ACT)
Math II- everyone needs to take this
Chemistry- great, if Chemistry is one of your subjects
Biology- great, if Biology is one of your subjects (or you can really mug up)
Physics- great, if Physics is one of your subjects
Languages- no Hindi!
As you may notice, there isn’t an economics or commerce subject test, so for all non-science students, the options become a little limited.
Lucky for you, there is the World History test- a 1-hour test, with 95 multiple choice questions. While it is a long, extensive and fast test, thankfully College Board is aware of this and even getting up to 20 questions wrong will earn you a perfect 800 (35 wrong will get you a 700)! The test covers all historical themes (political and diplomatic, intellectual and cultural, social and economic) from prehistoric times to the present.
The content is not only interesting, but the knowledge is something that transcends beyond just the test and can truly build on your critical reading and comprehension skills. The New York Times just did a study explaining that while comprehension does require a broad vocabulary, equally important is the role of factual knowledge. In addition to being great dinner party conversation (you will surely impress all the Auntie’s), this factual knowledge builds context allowing for comprehension to be much easier!
While the facts may seem daunting (and too many), you should know that this is not only a test of memorisation, but also a test of your ability to think historically and reasonably deduce answers- a key tool for many economists or business leaders.
If Physics, Bio and Chemistry are not your thing, just remember that the World History test is the perfect, and necessary, answer to your SAT Subject Test woes. And it’s an added plus that we teach it here at essai!
Get in touch for more information on the World History test!