While I object to the principle of standardized testing, as it can never provide a truly accurate gauge of one's aptitude or knowledge, it is no secret that to gain acceptance at virtually any college, one must take several of these tests. So, to prepare myself for the SAT Subject tests, I disbursed twenty-some odd dollars to the College Board for a copy of Real SAT Subject Tests. According to the College Board, this book contains actual, released tests, which the organization administered at one point or another.

However, after taking one of the practice tests and then proceeding to take an actual test, I discovered that the book did not accurately reflect the true nature of the current exams. All told, there was a discrepancy of about 200 points between my practice test score and actual test score.

I figured that must have been a serendipitous occurrence. So, after taking the practice World History test (and doing quite well), I bought a copy of Kaplan's SAT Subject Test World History 2006-2007 edition to make absolutely sure that I had a reasonable chance at success when I took the actual test.

After scoring the first twenty questions of the Kaplan book's "Diagnostic Test," I discovered that I had missed about half of them - not exactly stellar. For instance, compare question 19 on Kaplan's diagnostic test with question 19 from Real SAT Subject Tests.

Kaplan:

19) Lingusts would be most apt to trace all of the following EXCEPT:

a) the route of Manila galleons
b) Indo-European migrations
c) the Bantu migrations
d) the path of the Malay sailors
e) Phoenician trade connections

Real SAT Subject Tests:

19) All of the following helped make possible the establishment of European colonies in Africa EXCEPT:

a) the steamship
b) quinine
c) chemical defoliants
d) the telegraph
e) the railroad

(Works cited after the discontinuation)

Whereas I struggled with question 19 from the Kaplan book, eventually answering it incorrectly, I instantly answered question 19 from the Real SAT Subject Tests book correctly.

This has led me to believe that either the Real SAT Subject Test book has absolutely no value whatsoever, or my Math II score was an anomaly and the Kaplan book provides a skewed interpretation of the World History test. I tend to believe the former.

College Board. Real SAT Subject Tests. New York City: College Board and


     Educational Testing Service, 2000. 86.

Martin, Peggy J. SAT Subject Test World History. 1st ed. New York City:

     

     Simon and Schuster, 2006. 23.