If all you really wanted to do was pass SAT Subject tests...

[...................]

and the courses you chose for your student reflected that goal...

 

where would you look for solid courses that would teach them what they need to know, (assuming they were also studying test prep books and taking practice tests on the side.)...

 

In my situation, I have a very auto-didactic 8th grader who is also very well read and enjoys great works on his own.  He also has a lively thought life and hobbies and reads very widely of excellent literature.  I have no fear of him becoming narrow minded due to a very goal-oriented high school approach. I know he will do AOPS courses for math.

 

What courses can I find, preferably correspondence or if necessary physical textbooks ...for.. and I am hoping to spend less than 1500 per year on these subjects:...If I spend less, we can afford more tutoring for math and chemistry and physics and such...

 

English/Literature

Science

Spanish

History

 

?

 

OR:

Could he just use a regular good quality public school text for every subject (assuming I knew how to teach him and help him?) 

 

 

 

[JumpedIntoTheDeepEndFirst]

It would, IMHO, depend on what you consider passing.  The subject tests are scored like the SAT--so, while one person might be happy with scores in the 500s another wouldn't be satisfied unless they were 700+.  Do you have particular universities in mind and know what their expectations are for the tests or know what scores are needed to validate certain subjects?

[G5052]

We didn't make studying for the SAT II's a primary goal, but mine still did well on three (700's).  I just picked rigorous curriculum and had him review with the REA book for several weeks.

 

Maybe someone else knows, but I've never seen a specific curriculum or class being advertised as matching up well with a SAT II.  You do have to watch a bit though. As an example, you don't want to do a foreign language one unless you've done 3+ years, and the scope needs to match closely. For example, if you used the high school Conceptual Physics book, you wouldn't do well without quite a bit more study because the math is light.

 

HTH!

[8filltheheart]

We also have never studied for the subject tests as a goal. They have taken them at the same time as APs or when they were at an equivalent type level.

 

Only some schools even care about subject tests. Others won't even look at the scores. Bc of that scores matter. The scores are compared to other test takers. Only top,students take the tests, so the percentage scores can be tough. Typically the only scores that are going to be helpful are ones that start with a 7. Some schools might be satisfied with high 600s. But, avg scores scores like with the SAT (500s) aren't going to be helpful.

 

Have your looked at the percentage charts? http://media.collegeboard.com/digitalServices/pdf/research/SAT-Subject-Tests-Percentile-Ranks-2012.pdf A 700 only puts you in the 52, 56, 57th % for math 2, chemistry, and physics respectively.

 

My recommendation would be to take the science subject tests after an AP equivalent course and then study separately for the subject test bc they will have slightly different content. Math 2 should be taken after a solid pre-cal course. The language tests need about a yr 4 equivalent proficiency. You need to pay attention to those test dates bc with listening is only offered in Nov and Latin is only offered in Dec and June. (My kids have never taken the English tests, so I am unfamiliar with them.)

[SarahW]

I have no advice on courses. I think some of the test prep books are very thorough in content, so one of those plus some "fun" side activities may be sufficient.

 

Just wanted to mention that the college the teen I'm counseling is gunning for states that they'll accept 560 American History and 580 World History in lieu of the required 2 credits of Social Studies for admission. Certain other SAT or ACT scores also satisfy college prep requirements (530 Verbal for one of the four English credits, for example).

 

Not sure how common those rules are, but yes, posting good scores in ancillary subjects so a student can focus on a passion seems like an acceptable plan.

 

For the history tests, I'm reading that you can leave up to ten answers blank and still get a 800. So those tests may not be easy, but they don't seem to be brutally hard.

[regentrude]

What do you mean by "pass the subject tests"? The points are given on a sliding scale, and there is no "passing" grade on the SATII.

 

We have never seen the tests as a goal. DD took fours subject tests to fulfill the entrance requirements of some of her schools, with very different preparation.

 

She took the literature one after reading a lot of books, no formal English program ever, and a quick browsing through Essential Literary Terms to be familiar with the terminology.

She took math after deep and extensive math studies with AoPS and used a specific test preparation book to prep for the SATII. The test prep book would not have been sufficient to actually master the material, and AoPS would not have been sufficient to ace the test.

She also took physics and German.

 

My advice would be to study the subject with good materials available for a course in that subject and then spend a few weeks on targeted test prep with a test prep book.

[8filltheheart]

I have no advice on courses. I think some of the test prep books are very thorough in content, so one of those plus some "fun" side activities may be sufficient.

 

Just wanted to mention that the college the teen I'm counseling is gunning for states that they'll accept 560 American History and 580 World History in lieu of the required 2 credits of Social Studies for admission. Certain other SAT or ACT scores also satisfy college prep requirements (530 Verbal for one of the four English credits, for example).

 

Not sure how common those rules are, but yes, posting good scores in ancillary subjects so a student can focus on a passion seems like an acceptable plan.

 

For the history tests, I'm reading that you can leave up to ten answers blank and still get a 800. So those tests may not be easy, but they don't seem to be brutally hard.

I am confused by your post. The university will accept the scores in lieu of courses or the university will give college credit for those scores? (They are low scores in the high 20th and low 30th percentiles. )

 

Fwiw, I don't think any of the tests are brutally hard. They test knowledge of the material. My kids have only spent a very minimal amt of time reviewing prep books. They were prepared for the tests bc they completed solid courses in those subjects,not bc they prepped via for the tests via prep books. The prep books identify what is tested but not a whole lot beyond that. Subject tests are not like the SAT. They are content tests, not reasoning tests.

[mumto2]

Dd just went through a spring filled with 6 SAT II exams and an AP. We never planned on the SAT II exams so certainly did not plan her coursework to match. Her scores were excellent.

 

Some exams like the SAT Literature were prepared for over time in our normal coursework, she has read widely. She did a practice exam and glanced at the list of terms and sat for the exam. It was an extra because she was paying to do the Latin. For a small added fee you can take up to 3 exams. Because of the distance we travel for the exams she has taken 3 each time. For her it works well.

 

Others like the Latin she went through every page of the REA book and reviewed Cambridge and Wheelocks curriculums. She had used both curriculums in her high school coursework but she seriously prepped for that exam.

 

For Math I and II the prep books really helped achieve a high score. Both dc's took the exams. Dd who was busy preparing for the AP Calculus exam the following Monday (she was going through a prep book for French also) did timed practice with her brother and a quick glance through the books. She was extremely well prepared thanks to some math competitions and she looked at what her brother was getting wrong. DS who is two years younger did a pretty extensive prep with the books and got the same scores dd did. The books can fill in bits a good math student needs to succeed. We also had other materials to use when a weak area was identified. He worked really hard. He was motivated to do as well as his sister. ;)

 

We haven't tackled a science exam yet. Ds will eventually do the physics one. We are planning to go through a good curriculum then turn to the prep books to see where he appears to stand scorewise. We will go back to other curriculum to hopefully fix any missing knowledge.

 

We don't spend a great deal on our curriculum. I buy most used online. Old University textbooks are great. I look at old threads here for recommendations. I don't think you can buy a curriculum that will teach to these exams. I now know to have the prep books in the house before we start working on a class that they might want to take a subject exam for and will do some upfront comparison.

[...................]

Thank you so much 8FIll and mumto2!  This is the kind of advice we needed.

 

I will mention that in our state there is technically no such actual thing as homeschool.  The state colleges and universities require you to have SAT Subject tests for every class you can in order to even apply to the school.  They do not accept homeschool transcripts and they do not accept even certain private school or ISP transcripts.  So, kids either have to join a charter, take 2 years of CC classes, or do the "testing route" :)

[...................]

So it looks like I could do certain subjects through good university or advanced public school textbooks, and the rest enroll in different AP options from WTM Academy, UC Scout or wherever they offer AP type courses.  

 

I like the advice of buying the test-prep books first to start looking at the Scope and Sequence of the courses, as well.  

[SarahW]

I am confused by your post. The university will accept the scores in lieu of courses or the university will give college credit for those scores? (They are low scores in the high 20th and low 30th percentiles. )

 

Fwiw, I don't think any of the tests are brutally hard. They test knowledge of the material. My kids have only spent a very minimal amt of time reviewing prep books. They were prepared for the tests bc they completed solid courses in those subjects,not bc they prepped via for the tests via prep books. The prep books identify what is tested but not a whole lot beyond that. Subject tests are not like the SAT. They are content tests, not reasoning tests.

 

The SAT/SAT2 scores are in lieu of courses on the high school transcript, and would count into the required 4/4/3/2/2/1 for admission. They say homeschoolers only need to submit a transcript, but there's a matter of meeting minimum requirements and exceeding them. And since the teen I'm working with says "I've studied US History way too much already!" but has an uneven high school transcript I'm advising she take some SAT2's (and hopefully well exceed the minimum score).

 

I'm sorting through prep books for her so she can review the required info, and I'm finding that some (like Barron's) are poorly reviewed because they contain too much information. Prep books are a less-than-exciting format, but a book containing a lot of content still imparts a great deal of knowledge, whatever title it carries on the cover.

[GoodGrief]

My daughter took 4 SAT subject tests in 9th and 10th grade.  Like others have said, there is no passing score per se, though generally you want to get above a 700 for consideration for more selective schools.  I do think they provide nice validation for homeschool grades, and it's generally easier to find testing facilities than it is for the AP exams.

 

My daughter always prepped from a prep book prior to each exam.  As far as curricula:  she took physics, scored a 730, after a year of Apologia with labs conducted by an outside teacher; chemistry (740), same plan as physics; World History (750), audited an AP World History class via APHomeschoolers (which was a cheaper option offered for this course).  Original plan was to take AP exam, but couldn't find a location, so SAT it was!; Mathematics 2 (750, as a 9th grader), you really just need a solid math background through pre-calc.  She used Teaching Textbooks through Alg 2, then Derek Owens for the pre-calc year.

 

In the end, I think the prep books and sample tests are very important for good scores in most subjects.

[Bristayl]

What prep books do you all recommend? I have the official College Board book of practice tests, but are there others that would be useful?

[mumto2]

My daughter took 4 SAT subject tests in 9th and 10th grade. Like others have said, there is no passing score per se, though generally you want to get above a 700 for consideration for more selective schools. I do think they provide nice validation for homeschool grades, and it's generally easier to find testing facilities than it is for the AP exams.

 

My daughter always prepped from a prep book prior to each exam. As far as curricula: she took physics, scored a 730, after a year of Apologia with labs conducted by an outside teacher; chemistry (740), same plan as physics; World History (750), audited an AP World History class via APHomeschoolers (which was a cheaper option offered for this course). Original plan was to take AP exam, but couldn't find a location, so SAT it was!; Mathematics 2 (750, as a 9th grader), you really just need a solid math background through pre-calc. She used Teaching Textbooks through Alg 2, then Derek Owens for the pre-calc year.

 

In the end, I think the prep books and sample tests are very important for good scores in most subjects.

Since science is what we plan to tackle next...Did she get her good scores in Physics and Chemistry after completing the main first year Apologia or did she do the advanced courses also? Trying to figure out if dd could do both exams if she reveiwed her Apologia. I had thought she would need to do the advanced text also or something else (I have a wide assortment ;) ). Time is her issue at this point.

[mumto2]

 

What prep books do you all recommend? I have the official College Board book of practice tests, but are there others that would be useful?[/quote

]

 

Barron's is my first choice followed by Princeton. I buy both if inexpensive used and want the extra practice exams. Barron's practice exams tend to be harder than the actual exams in our experience. So prepares well.

 

We used the REA for Latin. It is the only one available and it was good. Would consider it for other subjects.

[GoodGrief]

She only did the basic Apologia physics and chemistry.  I *think her prep book was the College Board one, but don't hold me to that!  Might have been Barrons.