Lit Subject Test Scores - How High is Good?

[wassermelone]

For schools like NYU, which recommend but do not require the Lit Subject Test, how high should the score be to be worth sending along? NYU's website states, "Scoring well on the Subject Test may strengthen your application, but not taking the Subject Test will not adversely affect your application." I scored just above the 75th percentile. And while it's not atrocious, I don't think that it would necessarily help my application. Since I'm not sure if it could be viewed negatively, I worry about sending the score at all. Should I just send the General Test scores? Thoughts?

[HunkyDory]

I was talking to my buddy's GF, who is a PhD at UT-Austin, and she said if you're above 600, you're golden on the test.

[lyonessrampant]

A friend of mine who is in UT-Austin's Ph.D. program got below the 20th percentile on the subject test. . . Some places it matters, and some places it doesn't. I would recommend contacting a program and asking if you're concerned.

[Timshel]

I am still waiting for my scores, but I am just wondering, if your scores are below 600, should you even both spending the money to send them to schools that don't require it? I could see the advantage of sending it to schools that don't require it if you did exceptionally well, but if they don't require it, it seems stupid to spend money to send the scores to them, right?

[wassermelone]

Well, my score is above 600 (not much). I still have to send the General Test scores anyway, so it's going to cost me an extra $23 regardless. Just don't want the test score to hurt my application when it's not even required.

[takethiswaltz]

If all the elements of your application are rock-solid and you're worried that your score might weaken your overall packet , I wouldn't bother sending in the subject scores unless they were stellar (85th percentile and above). In any case, some of the programs for which the subject exam is optional have explicitly said that, while a high score may give you a boost in the selection process, an average or low score will not hurt your application (UPenn comes to mind).

Also, when I ordered my ASRs a few days ago, I was able to send in my general and subject scores on the same report without having to pay an extra $23 for the subject exam. You might want to look into that, too.

Edited November 18, 2011 by takethiswaltz

[lyonessrampant]

If I recall correctly from last year, when you order ASR's they automatically put all test reports on the form, including subject and multiple test attempts. There may be a way to say you don't want the subject test sent, but you'll have to look into that.