SSAT Schools

Applying to a private school with SSAT exams

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It's a four-letter word that's associated with an awful lot of nervousness among many private school applicants—SSAT.

With knowledge however, comes power. So, let's demystify the SSAT for you, so you can be confident about what this means, and what it does not, as you embark on the application process.

What is the SSAT?

SSAT stands for Secondary School Admissions Test. This standardized test is a popular admission requirement for private schools. Schools rely on the SSAT to assess a student's overall abilities, rather than knowledge in specific subjects.

There are several important sections of the SSAT. The multiple choice aptitude test that evaluates:

Quantitative skills:

Tests problem-solving involving math, elementary algebra, geometry, and concepts

Reading comprehension skills:

Tests ability to understand what is read

A writing section:

Students must write an essay responding to a topic statement. Essays aren't graded. However, a copy is sent to schools along with test scores.

There are two levels of testing for the SSAT:

Lower: For students currently in Grade 5-7
Upper: For students currently in Grade 8-10.

Why do some schools require them and others don't?

SSATs are required by almost all private schools for entry into junior and senior grades—Grade 5 and up. It's up to the individual school to determine whether it is required.

Are there any advantages to attending schools that require SSAT?

The amount of weight SSAT scores are given in the application process varies from school to school, so those requiring SSATs aren't necessarily more heavily focused on academics than those who do not.

Since many schools use various criteria to evaluate its applicants, SSATs are often the most objective tool administrators have to judge their applicants. They're also helpful when a personal interview isn't possible with an applicant.

It's important to remember that the SSAT is not an achievement test. It offers a snapshot of a student's academic capabilities, regardless of his or her current grades.

Taking the SSAT provides students and their prospective schools with an important assessment of his/her academic strengths, as well as weaknesses. This information may be particularly valuable to students taking the test in Grade 7-10, since it also provides a predicted Grade 12 SAT score.

How does it work?

Students write the exam at a designated test location school.
All tests are sent to SSAT headquarters in Princeton, New Jersey where they are marked. Results are sent to schools indicated by the students.