Part 1: Colleges That Recommend SAT Subject Tests

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In continuation of yesterday's blog of all colleges that require the SAT Subject exams as part of their application process, 7EDU brings you today with the complete and easily-accessible list of colleges (alphabetically from A-G) that recommend or consider the SAT Subject Tests.

To give a short recap of yesterday's key points, here is the general definition of what colleges may have in terms of their standardizations for the SAT Subject Tests:


  • Required: indicates that the student will have to take the SAT Subject Tests. For other colleges, you will see other policies such as:

  • Recommended: students are given the option to submit or to not send their SAT Subject exam scores. If you are a student that is capable of achieving high scores on your SAT Subject Tests or if you are attempting to make up for a low SAT exam score, the SAT Subject exams may be beneficial to you as a candidate. However, if your SAT Subject Test scores are low and appear as an outlier on your overall application, 7EDU advises against sending the test results to the college.

  • Considered: the college or university does not expect a student to submit their SAT Subject Test results, but will ultimately assess them if submitted by the candidate. If there is a particular subject you are interested in or is related to your future/professional goals, a strong SAT Subject Test score will be beneficial in this case.

  • Alternative: the college or university has specific guidelines and policies regarding test flexibility.

  • ACT in place of the Subject Tests: students must submit their SAT exam scores alongside their two SAT Subject Tests OR applicants must send in their ACT results along with the writing portion.


Do you want more information on what competitive universities are looking for in terms of the SAT Subject Test? You can learn more here.



As we have already reviewed the list of universities that absolutely require the SAT Subject Tests, let us get started with the compilation of schools that consider or recommend the examinations when assessing student applicants.

  • Amherst College | Considers SAT Subject Tests | Requires SAT or ACT.

  • Babson College | Considers SAT Subject Tests | Requires SAT or ACT (no requirement on the optional writing section on either of the exams).

  • Bates College | Considers SAT Subject Tests | Alternative, test-optional for the SAT and ACT.

  • Boston College | Considers SAT Subject Tests | Requires SAT or ACT (no requirement on the optional writing section on either of the exams).

  • Boston University | Considers SAT Subject Tests | Students attending secondary school in the US require the SAT or ACT (no requirement on the optional writing section on either of the exams) | Students applying for any of BU’s full-tuition scholarships must submit SAT or ACT test results | Seven-Year Liberal Arts/Medical Education Program requires SAT Subject Tests in Chemistry and Math 2. No substitutes for the required tests will be accepted. The SAT Subject Test in Foreign Language is also recommended | Exception: Any student attending a secondary school outside of the US and who is enrolled in a full International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma program are not required to submit the SAT or ACT.

  • Bowdoin College | Considers SAT Subject Tests | Alternative, test-optional for the SAT and ACT | Exception: home-schooled applicants and candidates applying from secondary schools that provide written evaluations rather than grades are required to submit either the ACT test results OR the SAT test results, as well as two or more SAT Subject Tests. 

  • Brown University | Recommends SAT Subject Tests | Requires SAT or ACT (no requirement on the optional writing section on either of the exams) | Applicants of the Liberal Medical Education Program are strongly advised to submit one Subject Test in either biology, chemistry or physics. 

  • Bucknell University | Considers SAT Subject Tests | Alternative, test-optional for the SAT and ACT | Exception: home-schooled, international (those who do not hold U.S. citizenship or permanent residency) and recruited athletic (due to Patriot League guidelines) applicants are required to submit either an SAT or ACT score.

  • Carleton College | Considers SAT Subject Tests | Requires SAT or ACT.

  • Carnegie Mellon University | Recommends SAT Subject Tests only from 11th or 12th grade | Requires SAT or ACT | Applicants of College of Engineering are strongly advised to submit two SAT Subject Tests: Math Level II and Physics or Chemistry | Applicants of DC: Dietrich College of the Humanities and Social Science are strongly advised to submit two SAT Subject Tests: Math Level I or II and one additional test of their choosing | Applicants of IS: Information Systems are strongly advised to submit two SAT Subject Tests: Math Level I or I and one additional test of their choosing | Applicants of MCS: Mellon College of Science are strongly advised to submit two SAT Subject Tests: Math Level II and Physics, Chemistry or Biology | Applicants of SCS: School of Computer Science are strongly advised to submit two SAT Subject Tests: Math Level II and Physics, Chemistry or Biology | Applicants of Tepper School of Business are strongly advised to submit two SAT Subject Tests: Math Level II and any second test but preferably a science.

  • Case Western Reserve University | Considers SAT Subject Tests | Requires SAT or ACT (no requirement on the optional writing section on either of the exams).

  • Claremont McKenna | Considers SAT Subject Tests | Requires SAT or ACT (no requirement on the optional writing section on either of the exams) for domestic students or for students whose primary language of high school instruction is English | Exception: homeschooled students, however, are required to submit scores from two exams. One of the scores submitted must be from a math Subject Test.

  • Colby College | Considers SAT Subject Tests | Alternative, test-optional for the SAT and ACT.

  • College of William & Mary | Considers SAT Subject Tests | Requires SAT or ACT (no requirement on the optional writing section on either of the exams) | Home-schooled students are highly advised to submit at least two test scores in core subject areas.

  • Colorado College | Considers SAT Subject Tests | Alternative, test-optional for the SAT and ACT.

  • Columbia University | Considers SAT Subject Tests | Requires SAT or ACT (no requirement on the optional writing section on either of the exams)

  • Connecticut College | Considers SAT Subject Tests | Alternative, test-optional for the SAT and ACT.

  • Cornell University | Considers SAT Subject Tests, in particular for Engineering | Requires SAT or ACT

  • Dartmouth College | Recommends SAT Subject Tests | Requires SAT or ACT

  • Davidson College | Recommends SAT Subject Tests | Requires SAT or ACT

  • Drexel University | Alternative | Submit results from one of the following: (1) SAT, writing section not required (2) ACT, writing section not required (3) 2 SAT Subject Test scores, where applicants are "required to present scores from one test that measures quantitative reasoning skills (math or science) and one test that measures verbal/writing skills (humanities or literature)" (4) 2 AP scores (5) IB Diploma or 2 IB Higher Level Exam scores (6) GCE Advanced-Level Exams or (7) National Exam Results.

  • Duke University | Recommends SAT Subject Tests alongside the SAT | Requires SAT or ACT (writing section not required on either exam but highly advised) | Applicants to the Pratt School of Engineering are strongly recommended to take one SAT Subject Test in Mathematics (level 1 or level 2) in addition to the SAT | Applicants to the Trinity College of Arts & Sciences may take any two SAT Subject Tests in addition to the SAT.

  • Emory University | Recommends SAT Subject Tests | Requires SAT or ACT (no requirement on the optional writing section on either of the exams) | Homeschooled applicants are strongly advised to submit scores from 3 AP or SAT II Subject Tests in the subjects of the student's choosing.

  • Franklin Olin College of Engineering | Considers SAT Subject Tests | Requires SAT or ACT (no requirement on the optional writing section on either of the exams)

  • George Washington University | Considers SAT Subject Tests | Alternative, test-optional for the SAT and ACT | Exception: required SAT or ACT for the following (1) B.A./M.D. program, (2) homeschooled applicants, (3) applicants who attend secondary schools that provide only narrative evaluations rather than some form of grading scale, and (3) recruited NCAA Division I athletes.

  • Georgetown University | Recommends 3 SAT Subject Tests | Requires SAT or ACT (no requirement on the optional writing section on either of the exams)

Top 100 Colleges And Ivy League Acceptance Rates