For solving the difficulties in evaluation of the pile tip embedded depth for a long pile and depth of a deep embedded defect, the parallel seismic test is proposed in this paper. A simplified theoretical model of pile-soil system is established to determinate embedded depths of the pile tip and defect. Three-dimensional (3-D) axisymmetric finite element models were established for comparison of the parallel seismic (PS) and the reflected wave (RW) tests for piles. It was found that the RW test was suitable for determination tip embedded depth of a non-long pile and a non-deep embedded defect of a pile. Exponential amplification could be employed to deal with such difficulties, but still there were uncertainties existing in practical application. Compared to RW test, PS test is much less affected by pile length and depth-to-diameter ratio, and has advantages in identifying the embedded depth and degree of a defect as well as the embedded depth of the pile tip.