Many colleges are not yet giving the new Writing element much weight, as they prefer to wait a few more years to consider these scores in the context of more students. Finally, there is a section on the new test that is only “experimental” in nature. In other words, it doesn’t count toward the student’s final score. However, since the students have no way of knowing which section is the experimental one, they must give their best effort on every section they face.

The SAT I exam costs $43 at this time, and picture IDs are required. Students choose from a selection of nearby testing sites (usually public high schools) when they complete the online registration process. (Important: the national SAT “school” code for all independent homeschoolers is 970000.) The test is usually offered seven times annually, October through June. Registration deadlines are about a month before the test dates. The best time to take the SAT I is usually in the spring of the junior year. This choice gives the option of retaking the test for improved scores in the fall of the senior year. Check with specific schools as to their admission and scholarship deadlines.

The SAT II Subject tests are now commonly required at many colleges. Schools that do not expect these tests of all applicants often do want to see them from non-traditionally educated students (read: homeschoolers). The SAT II Subject tests are quite different from the SAT I Reasoning test. Each subject test lasts just one hour and includes 60 to 90 multiple-choice questions. (Only the Writing test has an essay component.) Questions on the SAT II tests are straightforward and directly related to content knowledge. Most colleges that require these tests want applicants to submit scores for three different subjects—usually a math test and two other subjects of the student’s choice.

Colleges use these SAT II Subject exams for several purposes. Admissions committees are aware that every high school (and certainly every homeschool) teaches subjects in various ways and to various depths. They believe the SAT II tests make a fair comparison more likely. Colleges also use these scores to determine whether or not a student has adequately met an admissions requirement, such as two or three years of laboratory science. Finally, SAT II scores are sometimes used to grant advanced placement at the college in a field such as foreign language.

The SAT II Subject tests have a basic registration fee of $20, with an additional $8 fee per subject test. (Some language tests have extra fees.) A student can take one to three tests on a single Saturday. Obviously, they cannot be taken on the same day the SAT I Reasoning exam is taken.

It is best for teens to take these exams shortly after finishing their study of the subject in question. If your daughter finishes her third year of Italian study in the spring of her junior year, that is the best time to take the SAT II Italian exam. If your son completes a thorough study of Biology as a freshman, then that is the best time to take the Biology exam. There are no specific age requirements for these tests, but students must be in the 9th to 12th grade.