SAT Subject Tests
What are the SAT Subject Tests?
A student's high school grades, activities, and course selection are the single best indicators of how well that student will do in college. But course content and grading standards vary widely among high schools, making it difficult for colleges to compare the academic records of their applicants. How can colleges effectively and objectively assess a student's knowledge and skills?
SAT Subject Tests provide a reliable, objective assessment of students' readiness for college-level work. Designed to measure students' knowledge and skills in five major subject areas, the tests assess students' ability to apply that knowledge—independent of any particular textbook or method of instruction.
Educators trust the SAT Subject Tests as a useful part of the college application process because they are:
- Highly reliable and valid
- A recognized, accurate measure of college readiness and subject-area knowledge
- A proven method for placing and advising students based on their individual academic preparation
- A way for students to show their thorough knowledge of a certain subject, as well as their academic interest and determination to succeed
Each year, nearly 500,000 students take SAT Subject Tests to demonstrate their mastery of particular subjects. Colleges across the country use the tests as a common and objective scale for evaluating a student's learning.
Helping your students with the SAT Subject Tests
Help your students choose the Subject Tests that will best demonstrate their knowledge and skills to colleges. Help them learn about and succeed on the tests by assisting them to:
- Understand the SAT Subject Tests—what subjects are offered, how the tests are developed, and when they should take them. Help them:
- Find the best ways to prepare for SAT Subject Tests
- Access free and low-cost resources the College Board offers educators and students
- Register for the test and find:
- Policies they need to know, including test accommodations
- Dates and deadlines, and fees