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        general >> wanted >> When to take the SAt ect
        
(Message started by: apsurf on May 16^th, 2005, 10:26pm)

Title: When to take the SAt ect
Post by apsurf on May 16^th, 2005, 10:26pm

Two cheers for Wu forums!

Are waiting to take the, Sat, SAT11c math, and the Sat II Physics test until my senior year a bad idea?

I’m hoping to get into Caltech
Alternatively, should I take them my junior year for breathing room if I want to retake any test?

I am currently a sophomore and I am going to take the past junior year
what do you guys think i should do

Title: Re: When to take the SAt ect
Post by Michael_Dagg on May 16^th, 2005, 10:37pm

on 05/16/05 at 22:26:15, apsurf wrote:

....what do you guys think i should do

Differential equations.

Title: Re: When to take the SAt ect
Post by apsurf on May 17^th, 2005, 4:01pm

Besides differential eqns

Title: Re: When to take the SAt ect
Post by Deedlit on May 17^th, 2005, 8:19pm

It doesn't seem to me like there is any disadvantage to taking these tests more than once, other than some extra time, and a little money. After all, colleges will take your highest performance, right? So if you care about your test scores - and you probably should - I say, go ahead and take them early, and take them at least one more time unless you do phenomenally well the first time.

Title: Re: When to take the SAt ect
Post by Michael_Dagg on May 18^th, 2005, 12:10am

on 05/17/05 at 16:01:57, apsurf wrote:

Besides differential eqns

I am sorry and should have said more. I am not sure how advise you about the testing but I think that you are likely the best person to make that decision in conjunction with the appropriate collegiate advisement.

If you like physics and have interest in differential equations beyond simply course requirements, combining this with some courses in operator theory would give you working abilities in quantum mechanics.

In fact, with some knowledge of differential equations you can take on one of my favorite books which offers a very nice introduction to operator theory - with little pain as well and is wonderful reading. The book is entitled An Introduction to Linear Spaces, G.E. Shilov, Dover Pub. Inc., 1960's or so. It is a Russian translation but very good.

That might sound suprising about linear spaces but you will discover that all most all the operators in quantum mechanics are linear operators and, of course, there are exceptions.

Title: Re: When to take the SAt ect
Post by apsurf on May 18^th, 2005, 6:17am

Thanks all - once I finish all the Feynman volumes I will check out An Introduction to Linear Spaces

-I was going to wait due to my lackadaisicalness, but now I'm going to take them my junior year, after studding my brains out this summer.

Title: Re: When to take the SAt ect
Post by william wu on May 23^rd, 2005, 2:40am

on 05/16/05 at 22:26:15, apsurf wrote:

Two cheers for Wu forums!

Are waiting to take the, Sat, SAT11c math, and the Sat II Physics test until my senior year a bad idea?

I’m hoping to get into Caltech

In my opinion, that is definitely a bad idea. Although these tests are very easy, it is also very easy to make dumb mistakes, and if you're shooting for top-tier tech schools like Caltech, all your serious competitors will have scores close to perfect. You should take them early so you can retake them if necessary. If the repeated examination fees are a problem economically, you can see your counselor for fee waivers (assuming such things still exist nowadays). Furthermore, various scholarships you can apply for while in high school will ask for SAT scores if you have them.

The exams mentioned don't require anything nearly as heavy duty as Michael suggested -- SAT IIc math is just precalculus. So you're probably already prepared enough right now to take a shot at it.

But feel free to also pursue such things as quantum mech and what not, since aside from test scores, you should also be interesting :)

Title: Re: When to take the SAt ect
Post by BNC on May 30^th, 2005, 1:51pm

Not living in the states, I'm not sure about the SATs, but if they are anything like the equivalent exam here (and I do think they are), then it's probably a good idea to have them more than once. It's not uncommon to improve the score the scond time.