What are the SAT (II) Subject Tests?
The SAT Subject Tests are a group of tests designed to test you on your knowledge of different subjects. They used to be called the SAT II Tests because the original SAT was called the SAT I. Now they are referred to as the SAT Subject Tests. Unlike the SAT, they are only 1 hour long (each) and do not have essays.

There are 17 different SAT Subject Tests:

* Literature
* U.S. History
* World History
* Mathematics Level 1 (Math IC)
* Mathematics Level 2 (Math IIC)
* Biology
* Chemistry
* Physics
* 9 Language tests (Chinese, German, French, Hebrew, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Latin, Spanish)

Which SAT Subject Test do I need to take?
The school you are applying to should specify which SAT Subject Test you need to take. Math IIC is a common test requirement for schools in the U.S. and Canada. Several local schools, including the University of Sharjah, give credit or course exemptions for high scores on the Math IIC test. Some schools require you to take the Math I or IIC tests as well as a science subject test of your choosing. So, decide which colleges and universities you want to apply to and then double check their requirements before registering for a test.

Who makes them?
The SAT Subject Tests are made by ETS, the same people that make the SAT (I) and administered by the College Board. The registration process for an SAT Subject Test is just like that of the SAT and the tests run on the same schedule.

What's on the SAT Subject Tests?
Unlike the SAT, which tests critical thinking and analytical abilities, the SAT Subject Tests are supposed to be tests of what you should have actually learned in high school. As knowledge based test, the SAT Subject Tests care more about what you know (content) rather than how good you are at tips and tricks. The content of each test is based on the particular subject. For example, the U.S. History Subject Test will test you on various aspects of U.S. history from the pre-Columbian period (before European settlement of the U.S.) to the present.

The number of questions on the test depends on the test. The Chemistry Subject Test has 85 questions, for example, while the Literature Subject Test only has 60. Check out the College Board's website for more information on your specific test and sample questions.

How are they scored?
All of the subject tests are scored from 200 to 800.

What is a good score?
As with the SAT, a good score depends on the requirements of the college or university you want to attend. In general, though, 600 is a good score.

How do I prepare the SAT Subject Tests?
The best way to prepare for the SAT Subject Tests is to review your lessons in school for that particular subject and do lots of practice tests. Book World by Kinokuniya in Dubai Mall has many SAT Subject Test guides from which you can choose. Since it's a content based test, there is not really a guide that offers a better "technique." You just need a good review and plenty of practice problem. Local education institutes can also help prepare you for the SAT Subject Tests. If you need help with the Literature, Math (IC and IIC), U.S. History, World History, or Chemistry, email the Dubai Tutor.