The SSAT is a very tough test for admission into different grades in ‌schools in the US. There are different levels: Elementary, Middle and Upper. The Elementary Level SSAT is for students who are currently in 3-4 grades, the Middle Level is for students in 5-7 grades, and the Upper Level is for students in 8-11 grades. The test is for students seeking admission in grades 4–12 in premier private schools in the US.
The Secondary School Admission Test is the SSAT exam in full form that consists of four sections with a total of 170 questions and one essay prompt without a score. With a few brief breaks factored in, the test will be finished in around 2 hours and 55 minutes.
The exam is administered on three levels:
Current Grade | Appropriate Test Level |
Grades 3-4 | SSAT Elementary Level Test |
Grades 5-7 | SSAT Middle-Level Test |
Grades 8-11 | SSAT Upper-Level Test |
Section | Number of Questions | Question Types | Times |
Writing Sample | 1 (unscored) prompt | Topic statement which you will be asked to respond to (support or argue), using specific examples from personal experience, current events, history or literature | 25 minutes |
Breaak | - | - | 5 minutes |
Quantitative (Math) | 25 multiple choice | Number Concepts and Operations, Algebra, Geometry, Measurement, Data Analysis, Probability | 30 minutes |
Reading | 40 multiple choice (7 passages) | Main Ideas, Details, Inferences, Word Meanings, Author’s Purpose and Tone, Opinions and Arguments, Predictions | 40 minutes |
Breaak | - | - | 10 minutes |
Verbal | 60 multiple choice (30 synonyms and 30 analogies) | Vocabulary, Verbal Reasoning, Ability to Relate Ideas Logically | 30 minutes |
Quantitative (Math) | 25 multiple-choice | Number Concepts and Operations, Algebra, Geometry, Measurement, Data Analysis, Probability | 30 minutes |
Experimental | 16 multiple-choice | Verbal, Reading, and Quantitative-style questions | 15 minutes |
Total | 167 Questions | 3 hours, 5 minutes |
Usually, tests start at 9:00 am and end by 12:30–1:00 pm. Make sure you have reached the exam centre around 30 minutes early.
The cost of the middle/upper-level SSAT exam is $127 ($45 for lateness and $35 for a change). $247 is the international fee (outside the US, Canada, Am. Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, Saipan, and USVI). If you are unable to pay the charge, you might be qualified for a waiver, but these are extremely rare and only granted in exceptional circumstances. If you have any additional queries about test fees or waivers, contact your admissions office.
The value of each question on the SSAT is the same across all sections, including verbal, mathematics, and writing. The number of questions that are correctly answered is divided by the number of questions that are mistakenly answered, and the result is the raw score
The SSAT score report contains several sets of scores and percentiles, including,
Scaled ScoresThe scaled score for each section of the test that are (Verbal, Quantitative, Reading, and Total)
SSAT Percentile Ranks for each category (1-99%)
Your SSAT scores will be compared to those of other students who took the test within the past three years, using percentile ranks. Keep yourself informed that while the essay portion is not graded, a copy of the same will be forwarded to the school or consultant.
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Our tutors and guides are well-versed in the SSAT and can provide your child with lessons that will help them achieve their best score. Each of our high-quality SSAT exam preparation study packages comes with a study guide that is designed to help you understand each question and answer it correctly, as well as hundreds of questions that are tailored to help you understand the material and improve your score. Moreover, you and your child can practice online whenever and wherever you want.
A: Here is what you can do:
A: Usually, it takes six to four months to prepare for the SSAT thoroughly. However, depending on your adeptness and skill level, you may take a lesser or longer time.
A: The SSAT is harder than a school exam. Many sincere students get upset if they fail to get 90% or more of the SSAT questions correct, which is quite common. Usually, all students come across several problems on the SSAT test that are too tough for them.
A: There will be questions you are familiar with and very confident of answering, and then some questions you may know but not very sure of knowing completely, and some questions you do not know at all. Your strategy should be to first answer questions that you are confident you know, and then guess answers for questions you do not. And finally, answer the questions you know but are not very confident of knowing completely.
A: We recommend, you start your SSAT test preparation six to four months ahead of the test date. It will take you some time to prepare yourself thoroughly.
A: Here is what you can do to prepare for the SSAT exam in just one week
A: The Elementary Level SSAT is for students who are currently in 3-4 grades, the Middle Level is for students in 5-7 grades, and the Upper Level is for students in 8-11 grades.