Overview of the Secondary School Admission Test

Trying to read through the scores for standardized testing? Percentile Ranks determine where your child’s scores are in comparison with the rest of the test takers in the nation.

The SSAT consists of three sections: quantitative or math, verbal, and reading comprehension. This is a total of 800 points for a perfect score, theoretically allowing 2400 points total. There is also a writing sample or essay.

Standardized testing is not just useful for seeing how a school is performing in comparison to other schools in the country; it also allows private schools to assess students on an individual level. A student that scores in the upper percentile on standardized testing is considered a more likely candidate for private education than a student that scores average. On the flip-side, students with deficiencies in standardized testing scores at the private school level are perceived as needing to “step it up” in order to keep with a prestigious school’s reputation.

Think of standardized testing like the pre-qualifiers for SATs. The SAT allows colleges to assess the educational potential of students; the standardized testing at the K-12 level similarly assesses a student’s potential. This kind of assessment is different from grades in that it demonstrates a student’s raw knowledge, versus dedication in long-term academic performance.