UPDATE: As of June 2021, the SAT Subject Tests are no longer administered. For more on the cancellation of all Subject Tests, see our post here.
What Do the Language Subject Tests Look Like?
The Language Subject Tests are multiple-choice exams with 80-85 questions to be completed in 60 minutes. There are nine modern and ancient languages to choose from, and here they are listed by number of test-takers in 2015:
- Spanish
- French
- Chinese with Listening
- Spanish with Listening
- Latin
- Korean with Listening
- French with Listening
- Japanese with Listening
- German
- Italian
- German with Listening
- Modern Hebrew
As you can see, some languages include a listening component, others do not, and in select cases a student can choose the version.
While Spanish and French are available during every Subject Test date, other languages are not. For instance, the listening tests are only administered in November, and Modern Hebrew and Italian are only administered in June, so preparing for certain languages requires careful planning.
If you are taking a listening test, the audio portion lasts approximately 20 minutes, and you must provide your own CD player and headphones. The non-listening components are generally divided into three parts: sentence completions, paragraph completions, and reading comprehension.
Sample Reading Question:
- Como _____ me da miedo, he estado corriendo todos los días para ponerme en forma.
(A) nado
(B) él nada
(C) nadando
(D) el nadar
Sample Listening Question:
1. ¿Qué piensa hacer la mujer para entender mejor la obra?
(A) Discutirla con una amiga.
(B) Leer un libro sobre el tema.
(C) Verla de nuevo.
(D) Entrevistar a un experto.
How Is the Exam Scored?
The Language Subject Tests are unique because they have four answer choices rather than five, which unfortunately increases the penalty per incorrect answer. Correct answers are worth +1 point, incorrect answers subtract -0.333 points, and omitted answers do not count toward a student's raw score. The total number of earned points minus penalties is then converted to a scaled score from 200 to 800.
When determining what counts as a “good” score, it is essential to study the data for each exam. For instance, the mean score on Korean with Listening last year was 768, while the mean score on Modern Hebrew was only 608. As a result, an 800 is only the 60th percentile on Korean with Listening, which means that 40% of the students who took this exam scored 800, while an 800 on Modern Hebrew is the 87th percentile, which means that only 13% of test-takers earned an 800.
What Skills from School Will Help Me on the Test?
For most languages, the College Board recommends at least two years of study and in many cases three to four. Since many of the languages are only offered in November and June, many students take the Language Subject Tests at the end of their junior year or the beginning of their senior year to maximize their exposure to the language. Many of the tests tend to be highly dependent on vocabulary, so you will need to know more than the bare minimum to succeed. Expanding your vocabulary is a cumulative process, so start early and read as much as possible in the target language (change your computer and phone settings, read translations of your favorite books, browse news articles and opinion pieces, watch films starring native speakers and activate subtitles in the original language, etc.).
Are There Any Tricks I Can Use to Immediately Improve My Score?
Yes! Familiarize yourself with the format of the Language Subject Test you are taking so that you know exactly what to expect on test day. Many students find that they perform better on reading comprehension questions than on ones testing pure grammar, but since the reading comprehension section is last, they often run out of time on the questions that can provide the strongest boost to their score. On a related note, the sentence completions section is generally organized by order of difficulty, so students can use this knowledge to their advantage when deciding how much time to spend on a question and whether to omit it.
Since there are both listening and non-listening versions of the Spanish, French, and German Subject Tests, students should take diagnostic exams of both versions to determine which is their strength. Students who have spent time in a country where the target language is spoken may find the listening component to be quite straightforward, whereas students who have a solid understanding of grammatical structures but have not been exposed to everyday conversation may want to opt for the reading-only test. Fortunately, diagnostic exams are available for every version, so ArborBridge can easily match you to the one that will best showcase your knowledge and abilities.
I’m an International Student. Any Tips for Me?
Depending on your native language, you may have an advantage since the traps in the answer choices are geared towards English speakers. For example, the test writers know that American students have immense difficulty with the subjunctive mood in Spanish, but a native French speaker would probably not find this concept particularly challenging.
Some international students think that scoring an 800 in their native language is an easy way to flesh out their college applications, but this practice is generally frowned upon. The Language Subject Tests are designed for non-native speakers with three to four years of exposure to the language in question, so if you are from Austria, an 800 on the German Subject Test will probably not impress admissions officers.
Finally, remember that many languages are only offered once or twice per year, so these seats tend to go quickly at international test centers. Register early to avoid disappointment, and if you are taking a listening test, make sure to bring a CD player, headphones, and extra batteries!
Main Takeaways:
- Get to know the format of the exam inside and out so that you can budget your time accordingly.
- The Language Subject Tests are based on years of cumulative knowledge, so cramming the week before is not likely to yield results. Instead, develop a plan with a tutor who specializes in the language and allow for plenty of time to review grammatical concepts and take practice tests.
- There is not a universal “good” score for the Language Subject Tests. You must look at the data and percentiles for each language to determine the competitive threshold.
- If you are considering Spanish, French, or German, take both the listening and non-listening versions to identify which is your strength.
- Some languages are only offered once per academic year, so plan ahead! These include Chinese, Italian, Japanese, Korean, and Modern Hebrew.
- If you speak a language natively, try to find another subject test to highlight your academic skills. There are exams available in every major subject, including mathematics, science, history, and literature.
