SSAT

SSAT information including SSAT test prep help.

Preparing For Your SSAT

The SSAT, or Secondary School Admission Test, is an assessment test frequently used to select students among many candidates vying for positions in elite private high schools. The tests are divided between lower level (students currently attending fifth through seventh grades) and upper level (students currently enrolled in eighth through eleventh grades) and consist of several parts. The test is timed, and SSAT questions are divided into five separate testing categories in two parts, the first requiring a writing sample and the second being administered entirely in multiple choice format.

The SSAT scores are configured similarly to the college SAT entrance exam, with a scale that is equivalent (though the lower level exam for younger students is graded on a different scale). This also means that wrong answers reduce scores by more than blank answers, so testers should be careful about guessing. The items that are assessed in the test include writing, math and quantitative ability, verbal and communication skills, and reading comprehension. In order to do well, it is recommended that candidates obtain an SSAT study guide and review as much of the information that will be included on the examination as possible.

Good SSAT scores are hard to define, as there is no clear "pass" or "fail", and judgment is subjective to a number of variables, including the number of students applying to the candidate's school of interest, the scores of competitors for the position at the school, and the assessment of each individual school as to what is a "good" score. The SSAT is graded on a scale ranging from 1320 to 2130 for the lower level examination and 1500 to 2400 for the upper level test. The test is administered eight times a year throughout the country, and the high school of interest will have information on location and dates. The cost of taking the SSAT exam at the time of this article is $96, and the test cannot be retaken for six months after an exam is completed. Many editions of the test are created so that there is no risk of a student receiving the same test in multiple sittings.

The reason for the creation of such testing is that school systems are so very different that basing admission to prestigious private schools on GPA is no longer viable. One school district may be extremely harsh on students, while another is quite lax and will pass almost anyone. An "A" in the latter could be equivalent to a "C" or even a "D" performance in the former. The SSAT exams are standardized to test students equally across the board for their own knowledge and skills, not taking into account the school system from which they would be transferring to enter the private high school of interest.

How is the SSAT scored? There are five separate sections of the test in three categories, and all areas of the test are timed. The first section is the written portion. A test taker will be given 25 minutes to write an essay supporting an opinion of a given topic. While this section of the test is not scored, it is submitted to any schools listed by the student and his or her parents as requested to receive a copy of the test score. The second portion of the test is quantitative, assessing mathematical skills. This is divided into two timed sections, containing 25 questions each and receiving 30 minutes for each part to be completed. SSAT practice should include finding samples of these questions online to help prepare candidates for the formatting and general types of information to be evaluated. One section of the math portion tests basic quantitative skills, while the second delves into more advanced mathematical abilities.

The third and final portion of the test assesses reading, verbal, language, and comprehension skills. This is also divided into two parts. The first is a reading comprehension test, containing six to seven sample paragraphs and passages, each followed by a few questions to determine a tester's ability to derive information from such a passage. The section contains a total of 30 questions and is allotted 40 minutes for completion, also helping to determine the speed at which a student can read and comprehend. The other portion of this area is configured with analogies and synonyms to test knowledge of vocabulary and speaking ability. Again, there will be 30 questions to answer in a 40-minute time slot. As with the math portion, it is crucial that SSAT prep materials include sample questions and passages so that potential candidates know what to expect from the test and can be ready for the formatting of the exam.

With the exception of the essay portion, the entire test is configured of multiple choice questions with four possible answer choices. An SSAT lower level practice test should probably be found and administered to a child prior to paying to take the licensed exam. This will help to evaluate several aspects of the student's eligibility. First, it will achieve a better assessment of the actual intellectual qualifications of the student so that parents and student both know the reality of being accepted into the school of choice. Remember, the GPA cannot be used as a means of assessment, since a child's school could be coddling several less fortunate children who are unable to keep up with the standards of other school districts. A child's grades in public school are subject to the format of the school district, the demographics of the classroom, and sometimes even the partiality of the teacher. Also, taking the exam will lead a child to the final decision of whether or not such an education as allotted in a private high school is something that he or she wishes to pursue further.

All individuals looking to get into private high schools should assess their own abilities with sample SSAT exams and questions that can be found for free on the internet to determine not only if they are capable of the required terms but also if they desire such an education after all.