By Evan Bailyn

For many college admissions officers, the SAT I alone does not appropriately measure the knowledge and skills of many students. The SAT II measures a student's abilities in particular subjects.

What are the SAT IIs?

SAT IIs are one hour long multiple-choice exams in specific subjects. They test you on subjects you have been studying in high school, like literature, writing, science, history, and various foreign languages. There are two math subject tests: the Level IC, which covers principles of algebra and geometry, and the Level IIC which covers algebra, geometry, trigonometry and statistics.

When do you take them?

Most students take the SAT IIs toward the end of their junior year or at the beginning of their senior year. However, world history and science should be taken as soon as you complete the corresponding course on that subject.

How do you decide which tests to take?

First, look at the admissions requirements of the colleges you are interested in. A college's catalog, handbook or Web site admissions page should tell you which tests the college requires for admission. Even if a school does not require the SAT II they may accept its scores as further proof of your academic strengths. Which tests you take may also depend on what you are planning to study in college. If you were planning to go pre-med, it would make more sense to take the biology test than the literature test.

How are SAT IIs scored?

Questions answered correctly receive one point, and skipped questions receive no points. A fraction of a point is subtracted for questions answered incorrectly. The testing company converts your raw score to a scaled score by a statistical process called equating. The scale ranges from 200-800.

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