All About the SSAT
SSATB Membership
A non-profit educational organization
1033 Members
900 Schools
24 Access Organizations
109 Educational Consultants
About SSATB
Mission
SSATB provides
unparalleled leadership
and service in meeting
the admission
assessment and
enrollment needs of
schools, students, and
families.
Core Values
SSAT Test Centers
• 2013-2014 Test Year
– 594 Test Centers
– 76 Countries
• Most up-to-date list on www.ssat.org
What is the SSAT?
• The SSAT an admission test. It measures
broad academic skills necessary for success
in a college/university-prep independent
school.
• Its purpose is to help predict first year
academic success.
• Since schools vary widely, the SSAT is used
to provide a common measure of all
applicants.
Middle & Upper Level SSAT
• 8 Standard Tests / Year
– Scheduled Saturdays + Sunday Sabbath Testing
• 1 Flex Test / Year (on-demand testing)
– Can be administered by member schools & authorized member
consultants
• Students can take the SSAT as many times as they wish
• Score Choice Policy
• No charge to send scores & no limit
• Test Fee:
$124 domestic
$239 international
A “good” admission test
question is only answered
correctly 50% of the time.
Which Test Level
Should My Child Take?
• Middle Level (ML SSAT)
for students applying to Grades 6 to 8
• Upper Level (UL SSAT)
for students applying to Grades 9 to 12
Middle/Upper Level SSAT
Length & Sequence
•Writing Sample
25 minutes
•Break
5 minutes
•Quantitative
30 minutes
•Reading
40 minutes
•Break
10 minutes
•Verbal
30 minutes
•Quantitative
30 minutes
•Experimental
15 minutes
TOTAL TIME = 3 Hours, 5 Minutes
Ready, Set, Go!
The Writing Section
25 Minutes, unscored
2 prompt choices:
• 2 Creative (ML SSAT)
• 1 Creative, 1 Essay (UL SSAT)
Students select and answer ONE
of the two choices.
ML Writing Prompt Examples
All Creative
• I decided to call home because…
• I had never seen a bigger mess.
• I was walking down the street
when I saw a…
UL Writing Prompt Examples
Essay
• What book has had a significant
impact on you and why?
• If you could go anywhere in the
world, where would you go and
why?
Creative
• It all started in the kitchen.
• His hands shook as he tried to
untie it.
Writing Sample Advice
•
•
•
•
•
•
Organize!
Write, write, write!
Grammar counts
Appropriateness
Be aware – they do compare!
Purchase to review
Ready, Set, Go!
The Quantitative Sections
30 Minutes, 25 Questions
2 sections that measure:
• Algebra
• Geometry
• Other quantitative concepts
Ready, Set, Go!
The Reading Comprehension Section
40 Minutes, 40 Questions
Measures your ability to understand what you read.
• Questions are on:
• Content
• Author’s style
• Intent
• Point of view
Ready, Set, Go!
The Verbal Section
30 Minutes, 60 Questions
Synonyms: Test the strength of your vocabulary.
Analogies: Measure your ability to relate ideas to each
other logically.
Important things to keep in mind:
 Understand the directions for each section!
 Some questions will be very easy and others will be
difficult. Work quickly without rushing.
 If you skip a question, put a “?” next to it in the test
book. Make sure you also skip that question’s
answer bubble on your answer sheet!
 Be wary of apparently “easy” answers and take your
time. If you are rushing you may be lured into
selecting incorrect but right-seeming choices.
Carefully read through all of the possible answers
before selecting one.
Test Day Essentials
• Get Plenty of Rest
BRING
• A Water Bottle and Snack
(must leave outside test room or give to proctor before testing)
• 3 Pencils (At Least! Not Mechanical)
• Your SSAT Admission Ticket
• A Passport or Photo ID
(If you live outside of the US or Canada you are
REQUIRED to bring a photo ID to the test)
When Will I Receive my
SSAT Scores?
Standard Test Date:
Approximately 2 weeks after you
take the test!
Can I see my scores before I
send them to schools?
YES!
Scores can be sent to schools
1. At the time of test registration
2. After the test
3. After you receive and review the scores
Scores are FREE to send and can be sent to as
MANY schools as you wish
Questions We Cannot Answer…
• What Score Will Get Me Into (Insert
School Name Here)?
• What is a “Good” SSAT Score?
• Should I Take the Test More Than Once?
How is the SSAT Scored?
Scoring:
• 1 point for every correct answer
• 0 points for omitted questions
• Minus ¼ point for each incorrect
Score Reports include:
• # correct/incorrect answers
• # questions omitted
Guessing…
• Formula Scoring: Points are subtracted for
wrong answers, but no points are subtracted if
you skip a question.
• If you don’t know the answer, try to make an
educated guess.
• If you can’t make an educated guess, leave the
question blank and move onto the next
question, so you won’t lose points.
What will my Score Report Look Like?
• Narrative
explanation of scores
• Writing sample
available *
• Score Reports
Available online
only*
SUPER SCORING?
What if I need Special
Accommodations on the test?
If you regularly receive special test taking
accommodations in your current school, you
may be eligible to receive them on the SSAT.
A complete listing of accommodations can
be found online at www.ssat.org
Applying For Special Accommodations
Applying For Special Accommodations
Applying For Special Accommodations
Applying For Special Accommodations
When a student requests Special
Accommodations, the School Official will
get an email from SSATB asking them to
review and approve the accommodation…
CLICK THE LINK IN THIS EMAIL TO VIEW AND APPROVE
REQUESTED ACCOMMODATIONS
Families will receive an email once the
request has been Reviewed and
Approved/Denied
Once reviewed a
you can view the
accommodations
on the “Register
for Special
Accommodations”
tab of your portal
Only now may you register for testing
with any approved accommodations
Can I take the SSAT more
than one time?
There are 9 versions of the
SSAT each year:
• Eight standard test date
administrations
• One flexible date
administration (FLEX test)
How Can I Prepare for the SSAT?
The Official Guide to the
ML/UL SSAT
-
$35 USD
Contains 2 full-length practice
tests
Scoring instructions and
explanations
Descriptions and exercises for
each question type
Test taking strategies
Order online at www.ssat.org
How Can I Prepare for the SSAT?
Visit www.SSAT.org
to review the Test
Prep page. It has
helpful hints and
more information
about what to
expect on the test,
including sample
questions.
Test Prep Companies
• See official statement on www.ssat.org under “Test Prep”
tab
• SSATB does not partner with any test prep company
• Beware that incorrect information is often communicated
about the SSAT via prep books and classes
• “Predicted scores” for practice tests administered by test
prep companies are not endorsed/approved by SSATB
• Examples of INCORRECT information being shared by
test prep companies:
– Schools see ALL scores (NO, families must send scores to
schools)
– Test questions get progressively harder (NO)
What statement holds
true at 100% of
independent schools?
Your SSAT score is NOT the only
factor in determining admission
decisions, and students with a
RANGE
of SSAT scores are admitted.
Questions?
Call:
609-683-4440
Email: info@ssat.org
Chat: www.ssat.org