High school history/lit sequence & SAT testing

[Jean in Newcastle]

I was talking to a fellow homeschooler today. She said that it would be unwise to do a 4 year history cycle in high school because SAT testing follows the curriculum content of a typical high school history sequence. What do you think of what she said?

[Leanna Tomlinson]

There is no history on the SAT or ACT. Doing a 4 year cycle won't matter in the least.

[Beth in TN]

There is no history on the SAT or ACT. Doing a 4 year cycle won't matter in the least.

 

I didn't realize this myself until I looked it up on Wiki.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SAT

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ACT_(test)

[Teachin'Mine]

She may have been referring to the SAT II's (8 lives left) - the subject tests. There is one for US history, for example, and maybe she was saying that if you complete US history in 12th grade, then it would be too late to take the SAT II US History test and have it matter for college admissions.

[Jean in Newcastle]

She may have been referring to the SAT II's (8 lives left) - the subject tests. There is one for US history' date=' for example, and maybe she was saying that if you complete US history in 12th grade, then it would be too late to take the SAT II US History test and have it matter for college admissions.[/quote']

 

I think this is what she was referring to. Pardon my ignorance (my oldest is still in 7th grade) but what do you need for college admissions? Do you need both the SAT or ACT scores and SAT IIs? Or is it for only certain colleges?

[Leanna Tomlinson]

All of the colleges we investigated took both the ACT and SAT. Some majors (science oriented) requested the ACT, but did not require it.

 

College requirements regarding the SAT II tests vary widely. The colleges my daughters applied to do not require them at all. Ohio State required them for any student to get into the honors program. Some colleges require them to earn a certain scholarship. Other colleges require them to gain admittance into certain programs. Some more competitive colleges require them for admission. My nephew got a 100% scholarship with books and allowance to a state school (AL) and didn't take any SAT II tests.

 

My 2nd dd, who will attend college in the fall, just took the US History CLEP two weeks ago and earned 3 college credits. Her university won't accept a CLEP credit that is more than 1 year old, so it served her well to follow our history cycle and take the CLEP at the end of her senior year.

 

My ds will complete our 4 year history cycle at the end of junior year. His senior year he will take government online for college credit.

 

The history cycle you follow, and the college admissions tests your dc take will really depend on personal goals and college requirements. I would not change my history cycle just to be ready for the SAT II, unless I knew my dc was trying to go to a very competitive school that required SAT II for their intended major.

[Jean in Newcastle]

Thank you, Leanna. I really feel like keeping with the 4 year cycle fits our educational goals the best. I felt a bit broadsided when my friend (who has older kids) said that doing it that way would be jeopardizing their college chances.

[April in CA]

Hi Jean,

WE are using TOG, which covers history and literature in a 4-year cycle. Indeed, there is no history on the SAT, but there are SAT IIs for world history, American history, and literature (along with many other subjects) Some universities, such as the University of CA, which require SAT IIs for admission. My older son took the literature SAT 2 in November of his senior year (he is graduating in June) because he needed 2 SAT IIs to apply to the UC system. After all the literature and poetry and close reading of non-fiction he has done with TOG, he scored 800 (perfect) on the lit test. He reviewed a test prep book for about a week to get familiar with the content. My younger son is planning to take the Am history SAT 2 either in June or September/October this year- we are finishing TOG year 4 (20th C history). He needs to brush up on early Am history since he hasn't covered it in high school, but he will nail the 19th and 20th C questions!

 

All this to say that you can be very successful on the SAT IIs using a 4-year history cycle - just consider the timing.

Another thing to consider - some colleges like to see SAT 2s from homeschoolers as a way to validate a transcript.

Hope this helps,

Blessings,

April

[AngieW in Texas]

If you're looking for a prep book for the US History SAT-II, don't use Barron's. The tests in that book are much more difficult than the actual test.

 

My dd is using the Spark Notes study guide for the test and the College Board book for the practice tests. We started off using the Barron's study guide and my dd was a nervous wreck because she was only getting 30-35 correct out of about 90 questions.

 

This is the one you want for practice tests.

http://www.amazon.com/Official-Subject-Tests-World-History/dp/0874477697/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1273872816&sr=1-11

 

Or you can use this book that has one practice test for each SAT-II.

http://www.amazon.com/Official-Study-Guide-Subject-Tests/dp/0874477565/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1273872886&sr=1-1

[Jean in Newcastle]

If you're looking for a prep book for the US History SAT-II, don't use Barron's. The tests in that book are much more difficult than the actual test.

 

My dd is using the Spark Notes study guide for the test and the College Board book for the practice tests. We started off using the Barron's study guide and my dd was a nervous wreck because she was only getting 30-35 correct out of about 90 questions.

 

This is the one you want for practice tests.

http://www.amazon.com/Official-Subject-Tests-World-History/dp/0874477697/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1273872816&sr=1-11

 

Or you can use this book that has one practice test for each SAT-II.

http://www.amazon.com/Official-Study-Guide-Subject-Tests/dp/0874477565/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1273872886&sr=1-1

 

April - you make me feel better:)

 

Angie - this is great information, thank you!

[Cinder]

Maybe your friend was thinking of the Stanford Achievement Test, which is also commonly known as the SAT.

 

 

Cinder

[merylvdm]

Some colleges like to see up to 3 SAT subject tests - but most of them will accept any 3 ie you don't have to take US History! The only specific subject some ask for (that I noticed when my oldest was applying for colleges) was the Math.

My kids do many SAT subject tests and AP exams BUT I fit them into our schedule rather than vice versa. I hate the idea of 'teaching to the test'.

[Jean in Newcastle]

Some colleges like to see up to 3 SAT subject tests - but most of them will accept any 3 ie you don't have to take US History! The only specific subject some ask for (that I noticed when my oldest was applying for colleges) was the Math.

My kids do many SAT subject tests and AP exams BUT I fit them into our schedule rather than vice versa. I hate the idea of 'teaching to the test'.

 

I hate the idea of 'teaching to the test' too.

[Kareni]

The only specific subject some ask for (that I noticed when my oldest was applying for colleges) was the Math.

 

 

A couple of the colleges to which my daughter applied also required a Math SAT subject test. One college which she considered required a science SAT subject test. Since she had not taken a science subject test (she had taken three other subjects), she chose not to apply to that college.

 

Regards,

Kareni