Good SSAT, Not So Good Grades. Which is more important?

Prep School Admissions Prep School Chances
1

Hi guys! I have a question regarding my grades and the SSAT.

So first off I would like to tell you all that I am applying to schools such as Andover and Lawrenceville as a 9th grader and I’m Chinese.

SSAT: I got a 99 percentile on the SSAT, with 800 on math, 796 on reading, and 785 on verbal. I got 99% on all of these except verbal, of which I got a 97% for grades and a 98% for gender.

GRADES: I have all A’s besides 2 B’s in math and science for 7th grade during the 4 marking periods and all A’s but straight B’s in math for 6th grade. Right now I have straight A’s. I think since I scored 800 on math on the SSAT, it says that my math’s ok, but I’m not so sure about science.

My main question is: do schools such as Andover value school grades more than SSAT grades or vice versa?

Thanks for the help!

2

They dont value any one part more than another. Everything will be assessed. However, excellent grades with a somewhat lower SSAT is probably more attractive than poor grades and a top SSAT score. But I am referring to say a B student with a 99%, which MIGHT be indicative of work ethic or seriousness of student. On the other hand a B student who is a star athlete and spends 25 hours a week playing lacrosse with a B average and a 95% SSAT might be very attractive to these schools. So you are a perfectly competitive candidate re grades/scores. However like so many top students if all you have is great scores and grades your chances are low.

3

It’s all important. As are your essays and recs and ECs. There is no mathematical equation that will equal admission to any highly selective school. Good luck.

4

@Center @skieurope thanks for replying! It really means a lot to me! I have good ECs too. I’m a good debater, writer, leader, and I play squash.

5

I posted some of that in an earlier post (I believe it’s on the 2nd page of Prep School Chances)

6

You should be viewed as a very competitive candidate for admission.

To which other schools did you apply ?

7

@Publisher just Andover, Exeter, and Lawrenceville… maybe Middlesex. Do you have any advice on how to write the essays?

8

Too narrow–you may be very disappointed on March 10th.

9

I agree wtih Center’s assertion that “excellent grades with a somewhat lower SSAT is probably more attractive than poor grades and a top SSAT score”.

As for your squash EC, IMO it’s only going to matter if you are very good/will be able to contribute significantly to the team.