<p>Never thought about it but I guess it makes sense. It's like colleges, the Vanderbilts and USCs using merit awards to steal away kids who get into ivies.</p>
<p>hsmomstef: I think that even schools that are reticent about posting the mean or median score -- pegging it to a number -- are open to responding to inquiries as to the range of SSAT scores of the middle 50% of students enrolled. The upper number, of course, is the 25% figure that you're interested in. I'd consider asking for that middle range from schools on you're lists.</p>
<p>My nephew applied to a number of prep schools last year. An excellent student with straight A's and a 94% SSAT, good but not great at baseball, underrepresented state (Alaska), he was rejected by all the top schools, given aid with huge loans at the next tier and only offered admission with aid they could afford at schools with average SSATs below 65%. When my sister concluded her research, she believed this is the norm.</p>
<p>I'm surprised that someone from Alaska with that good stats would be rejected from the top schools. It's quite underrepsented.</p>
<p>It's a myth that they'll take far lower scores from lesser represented states.</p>
<p>I know, but his scores weren't far lower--they were at or above the top schools' averages. I would have thought that they would have lept at the opportunity to take a well-qualified applicant from a state that would 'add diversity'.</p>
<p>I don't think you can really take someone's ssat score and then estimate how they would be ranked in a specific school. I know many people who have scored 99's, 98's, and 97's on the ssats, yet are now struggling at my very strong, academically challenging school. That being said, several people also scored in the low 80's and are now in the top tier at my school. The ssat might help you get a slight idea of where your son will be at his school, but it's important to also take things such as determination and study ethic into account.</p>