SSAT Schools
Applying to a private school with SSAT exams
It's a four-letter word that's associated with an awful lot of nervousness among many private school applicants—SSAT. Read more
It's a four-letter word that's associated with an awful lot of nervousness among many private school applicants—SSAT. Read more
![]() Maple, Ontario — Balanced Academics, Arts, Athletics & Student Wellness. We value best practices & evidence-based approaches. University preparatory & 21st Century Tech-Rich & Future Proof school. Enriched and rigorous curriculum. View School Profile.
Grades:
PS to 12 (Coed)
Type:
Liberal Arts, International Baccalaureate
Tuition:
$16,700 to $20,700
Living:
Day
Enrollment:
200
Avg. Class:
16 to 18
|
![]() Toronto, Ontario — Havergal has been preparing young women to make a difference since 1894 through its innovative curriculum and future-ready programming with a focus on wellness and student agency. View School Profile.
Grades:
JK to 12 (Girls)
Type:
Liberal Arts
Tuition:
$36,950 to $68,540
Living:
Boarding/Day
Enrollment:
1000
Avg. Class:
18 to 22
|
![]() Toronto, Ontario — Branksome Hall is Toronto’s only all-girls, all-years International Baccalaureate (IB) World School developing the leaders of tomorrow through the nurturing of curiosity and critical thinking at every age. View School Profile.
Grades:
JK to 12 (Girls)
Type:
Liberal Arts, International Baccalaureate
Tuition:
$37,130 to $75,020
Living:
Boarding/Day
Enrollment:
960
Avg. Class:
16 to 22
|
featured
TFS - Canada's International School offers an exceptional bilingual education from age 2 to Grade 12. Average class size is 12 to 22 students. Entrance Scholarship to Grade 7 is available.
|
featured
Stratford Hall takes learning beyond IB with its IDEA Lab, OEE and partner schools, where students strive to develop harmony between the urban and natural world through activities like camping, music, and orienteering.
|
featured
Southpointe Academy is one of the few schools in Canada delivering the full IB Continuum Programme from Kindergarten to Grade 12, Moving from AP to the IB Diploma Programme for Grades 11-12 in 2023.
|
featured
TMS is a leading, accredited independent school that offers a unique design of Montessori and International Baccalaureate programmes. Our students thrive in academics while building a foundation of Significance for life.
|
featured
Villanova College is York Region's only independent Catholic school offering Grades 4 to 12 in King City, Ontario. Average class size is 18 students. Specialty programs include STEM and AP.
|
University of Toronto Schools (UTS) offers a transformative education to high-achieving students in Grades 7 to 12 from all backgrounds. UTS graduates take initiative and innovate as socially responsible global citizens.
|
Rundle students enter their post-secondary schools of choice thanks to our enriched academics and character, leadership, and wellness pillars. We proudly live by our values, Together: Be Kind, Be Curious, Be Well.
|
With 100% post-secondary acceptance, WIC empowers students to follow their passions, be creative and embrace challenges. A rigorous curriculum along with hands-on learning ensures a well-rounded experience for students.
|
Our practices in teaching and learning are exemplified by our outstanding academic results and are achieved through the active engagement of the head, heart, and hands.
|
Building on internationally acclaimed preschool reading success, SLI has grown into a hub for ground-breaking student achievement in literary, STEM, and artistic achievement across Pre-K - Gr 6 (offered on site/ online)
|
De La Salle College is a Catholic, co-educational, university preparatory school in Toronto from Grade 5 to 12, with an average class size of 20 students and tuition at $16,300 - $16,900.
|
With over 120 years of excellence in all-girls’ education, our rigorous academic program is complemented by strong arts, design technology and athletic programs. Financial assistance is available.
|
TFS - Canada's International School (West Campus) offers the Ontario, France and IB programs from Pre-Kindergarten to Grade 7 in Mississauga.
|
Collingwood creates opportunities for our JK to Grade 12 students to excel. Our four strand approach is delivered through a comprehensive educational experience that is collaborative, interdisciplinary and relevant.
|
Providence Academy is the only Private French Catholic School offering a trilingual program of study in Ontario with classes from nursery to grade eight. Tuition: $8,800-10,300. Extracurricular activities: $600-$650.
|
With a tradition dating back to 1899, St. Andrew's remains the single largest all-boys boarding school in Canada. Our 126-acre campus provides our students with an ideal setting for learning and growth.
|
Strathcona-Tweedsmuir School is an independent, private coeducational, full IB (primary, middle, and diploma programme) day school for Kindergarten - Grade 12 close to Calgary, AB.
|
A private Christian college prep school with students from 60 countries, providing students with a unique opportunity to learn high academics, faith education and multicultural immersion.
|
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.
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:
Tests problem-solving involving math, elementary algebra, geometry, and concepts
Tests the ability to understand what is read
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.
Middle: For students currently in Grade 5-7
Upper: For students currently in Grade 8-11.
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.
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.
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.
Sustainability, responsibility, and accessibility (in service of student success)
(May 15, 2023)
Vancouver Island private schools
Find the best private and independent schools on Vancouver Island (May 11, 2023)
Sudbury private schools
Find the top independent schools in Sudbury here (February 22, 2023)
Fredericton private schools
Find the top independent schools in Fredericton here (February 22, 2023)
Preparing for the future
Learn about your U.S. college and university choices (February 21, 2023)