SAT's are
standardized tests/exams (they
are exams), which mean that, on the 6 designated days of the year where the tests are released (the first weekend of Sept, Oct, Mar, May, June, and maybe another month that I forget), all students taking them take the same test (maybe there's a few versions of the test, but all versions are the same difficulty). This is how colleges distinguish between someone from New York with a 3.5 GPA and someone from Arkansas with a 4.0 GPA (highest possible) since in general New York's education is of better quality and more rigorous (thus, justifying the lower GPA). GPA = Grade Point Average. If the New York student got a 2200 on his SAT I but the Arkansas student got a 1900, it's pretty clear that the New York student is brighter despite his lower GPA which may result from a harder curriculum, etc., and the Arkansas student probably goes to a very bad school where teachers just give 100s all the time for no reason.
The vast majority of high schoolers take the regular SAT (called the SAT I) in May of their junior year.
SAT II (a.k.a. SAT Subject Tests) are different in that they cover a broad range of topics. However, SAT II's are ALL 1 hour long and are COMPLETELY multiple-choice. There's no essay like there is on the SAT I. All SAT II's have a maximum score of 800 and a minimum score of 200 (I think you get 200 just for showing up). Oh, and SAT II's are also standardized and given on the same day as the regular SAT I is.
PS: Josh, what did you get on the SAT I and II's?
I got 710 on Bio and 750 on Chem so far.