Help

Daughter has extremely low SSAT scores, decent grades and excellent references. I am not sure if we should even turn application in. She is smart and such a great kid but a terrible tester. Is it worth it to try??

Yes - submit the application (due pretty soon I imagine).

My daughter had awful SSAT scores too; she took it several times and her anxiety actually made the scores get worse with each sitting! But she was a good student and interviewed well, and she was admitted to a handful of fine schools. It is but one piece of the application. Be realistic (don’t bother with the very selective schools) and cast as wide a net as you can. There are lots of great schools and there are schools out there for every type of student. Good luck!

@hmr2000
What are the scores, what are her grades, where are you and she considering?

Not often said here, but many schools do not put weight on standardized tests. So kids who ace them have been painfully surprised when they discover it doesn’t gain them admittance and students who score low get accepted. You have to just pursue your interests.

I have a feeling (so no one has told me) that SSAT is being used “selectively” to help AO validate an applicant’s academic profile. If AO’s are convinced through other means that the applicant is academically capable, SSAT might be overlooked. That said, in selective schools, you’d expect to see many who have both excellent grades and stellar test scores plus more, so an academically qualified applicant may be declined just because they are “ranked” lower among the applicant pool. I think in general it takes something non-academic (e.g. an athlete, a strong connection with the school, etc.) to overcome a very low SSAT. In not so selective schools, it depends. Full paying might be all it takes for a kid with an otherwise strong academic profile to get in. My 2c.

At most of the highly selective schools, there are lots of applicants with high test scores AND good grades. As such, if the scores are very low compared to school average, it may be difficult to compete unless a candidate has a very impressive resume and convinces AO that he/she is academically competent. Otherwise, cast a wider net. The point here is while the scores alone don’t guarantee acceptance they can always push you out in the early stage at the top schools.

How low is “extremely low?”

There are many schools that will look at the whole student, not just test scores for the “first elimination round”. I can say from experience that Mercersburg is one of those schools. My DS has ADHD and is a TERRIBLE test taker. His SSAT scores were quite low, but he submitted excellent references (Mburg allows you to submit more than the required ones) and his grades were fine/good. His interview went well, and he gave personable, articulate answers. We were honest in the application process about his deficits, without trying to explain away the test scores but at the same time focusing on his strengths. Now that he’s there, they can see his strengths and weaknesses in person, and we agree that the school is a good fit for him. He gets support from the learning center and is thriving. My $.02. Good luck!

I’m curious, too, about how low extremely low is.