Ask Sallie: When Should I Take the SAT Chemistry Test?

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.

Dear Sallie,

I am taking Chemistry as a sophomore and am trying to determine the best time to sit for the Chemistry SAT Subject Test. Is it advisable to take the subject test after my sophomore year or wait until my junior year? Is there any preference between the May or June exam? My final question then becomes, when would you recommend beginning tutoring given the timing of those exams?

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Hello!

In general, no matter what grade you are in, I recommend taking the SAT Subject Test on a test date that falls at or around the end of the academic course that relates to the topic. So, if class ends in May/June then you should take one of those test dates. As for which test date is better, May or June, you should consider:

• 1. Are you taking AP tests? If so, the two weeks of AP exams usually happen at the start of May, which means the SAT will fall on the weekend BEFORE, MIDDLE, or AFTER. It's rough studying for AP exams and SAT Subject Tests at the same time, so keep that in mind about May.
• 2. When are your final exams? If they are in late June, then it is not bad to take an SAT Subject Test in June because the test date falls at the beginning of the month. But, if finals for all classes happen in the first two weeks of June, be mindful of prepping for finals and SAT Subject Tests.

Note: The above applies to students attending American schools that follow an American style curriculum. IB students need to be mindful that important IB exams often happen in May/June (as do other important papers and exams for A-levels, GCSE, etc).

Recommended Preparation: For the SAT Subject Test, I recommend that preparation begin about 1.5 to 2 months in advance of the test date (depending on schedule availability, target scores, etc). Most students complete 10-20 hours of preparation per Subject Test.

For more information about ArborBridge SAT Subject Test prep programs, Click here

Happy Studying,

Sallie