I am a 10th grade applicant to some prep schools (not PA or PEA type level but still good) and I was sewing my application together when I found out my SSAT scores. 56% percentile overall, scoring between 53-55 on each section. I screwed up badly. I was pretty shocked when I saw them, since I’m usually a good student and have been studying for this test for months. Should I apply to these schools with this score or should I retake it?
A lot of schools are test optional this year. If the ones to which you want to apply are test optional, I would just not submit them and not even retake.
I wished that were the cast for the school I’m applying to.
It might be nice to know which schools you’re applying to, since some schools have an average SSAT score of around the 50s.
Can you give some examples? The schools I’m applying to aren’t really known on a national or worldwide level so finding SSAT score averages on them would be pretty hard
There’s a section on Test Innovators (SSAT Practice Test) that has the SSAT ranges for all (I think) private schools that accept the SSAT. I can’t give the link since that’s against the rules, but if you Google “ssat average scores private schools” it should be one of the results.
A few thoughts, if you are open to them.
First, know that you have options and solutions, so don’t panic. This situation is totally workable.
Are they boarding schools? If so, I would dig deep to confirm that you really do need the scores. Schools are announcing by the day that they are turning test optional.
Also – if the average scores aren’t readily available, then it may well mean that your scores are in line with their averages.
And even if you really do need to get an SSAT score – it’s barely October. You have three and a half months to bump up your score. Honestly, bumping up 20 or more points just by taking the test a second time is not unusual at all. My DD ended up not much higher than 20 points higher than where you are now last year and she got in to a number of “tip-top” schools. If you aren’t applying to the PAs and PEAs of the world, you really aren’t too far from where you need to be.
@AsianButNoIvy
You are “sewing your applciation together?” If your applications are done you are months ahead of the curve. You can relax and focus on raising your SSAT score. There are zero bonus points for turning in an application early so you don’t need to be done until the day it is due.
Many schools accept above 50 percentile if all sections individually have at least 50 percentile.