<p>What is the purpose of having two levels of SSAT? Can you use lower level SSAT score when applying for 9th grade?</p>
<p>For those who took both, is the upper level SSAT much more difficult?</p>
<p>Thanks.</p>
<p>The lower level is used until 7th grade. If one is applying to 9th, the upper must be taken. If you compare the sample tests in the book from the ssat people, you will find that the math sections are nearly identical (and I mean identical as in the exact same problems). I think the main difference is that it is harder to get a higher percentile as a 7th grader taking the lower level than as an 8th grader taking the upper level. My son's greatest strength is verbal, so it's hard for me to say how much more difficult the reading/verbal is on the upper vs the lower. They were both easy for him. </p>
<p>But to answer your question...No. If you are applying for 9th grade, you must take the upper level. The only time you would take the lower is if you were applying to 8th grade or below.</p>
<p>What is the market out there for below 8th grade applications ? Why not using a lower cut-off line on the same test for lower graders instead? Just as those 8th graders taking SAT for summer camps.</p>
<p>Anyway, the reason I asked is that my son (7th) just took the lower level test at his school in Jan and got a good score (99%), but it seems pretty much useless other than letting us know he can do well. Had I known there were two levels， I would have asked the school to put him in the "real" test as some other parents did.</p>
<p>Chances are, if he scored in the 99th on the lower level, he will on the upper as well. It is largely an ability test. If his scores were high across the three sections, I wouldn't give the upper level a second thought - he'll be fine. I can't imagine he would drop below the 90's going from one level to the next, especially as he'll have more leniant curve on the upper.</p>
<p>As for market, the junior boarding schools sometimes ask for it, as well as many day schools. In other parts of the country, the ISEE is used for admissions, especially with day schools. </p>
<p>I agree though. Why not just have a different scale? Personally, I don't see why they don't accept the SAT. At least the highly selective schools. It has a MUCH higher ceiling than the ssat and is a heck of a lot cheaper and more widely available. Perhaps the schools aren't as interested in combing out the top ten percent as we all think they are.</p>
<p>If I had to guess, I'd say the ssat is useful to admissions for kids coming from public schools where the grades are meaningless, and the writing sample is useful for ALL applicants for a myriad of reasons.</p>
<p>Lower and upper level are completely determined by age. A 99th percentile on the lower level is great - it means he scored higher than 99% of the people his age and grade who took the lower level. It means just as much as taking the upper level - in fact, does the upper level even offer grade scaling for anyone below 8th grade? If not, then your son may end up with a percentile not reflective of his real performance because he would be compared to kids a full year older.</p>
<p>Of course, if he scored 95+ on the upper level, I'd be eating my words - better than that many kids a year older would definitely be a hook.</p>
<p>Thanks Neatoburrito.</p>
<p>Tom, I see your point. My friend's son (7th now) took the Dec SSAT upper level test and got 95%. So he is done, no more test needed for next year (any difference between 95% and 99%?). My son now wishes he had done that too and got it out of the way earlier, in stead of taking this useless lower level test.</p>
<p>FayMom,</p>
<p>He would still have to have taken the test again. The scores are only valid for one year. It's not like the SAT. I think this applies to most schools. Make sure your friend checks this with the schools for which her son will be making an application. I was originally going to have my son take the test in August to "get it out of the way" but called some schools and found that it had to be taken within the enrollement year, which is ends in August.</p>
<p>It's not a "useless lower level test." It's a test calibrated to the expected level of 4th - 7th graders. If your child scores well on the lower level test, he will score well on the upper level test, barring unexpected developments such as illness or a lack of interest in boarding school. (I mention the latter, because it's theoretically possible for a student who doesn't want to attend BS to sabotage his test results by intentionally doing poorly.)</p>
<p>My D took the lower level test in the 7th grade to give us a sense of whether she'd need to do any prep for the upper level. She'd had very little standardized testing and was definitely undone by nerves in the SSAT setting. She scored very low and we were so glad that we had that info so that she could work on test-taking strategies. She took the upper level twice in the fall and ended up in the 90s.</p>
<p>I am now confused, SSAT is score good for how long??? lower level, upper level different?</p>
<p>Neatoburrito and a friend said one year, another parent just told me he was pretty sure the score was good for two years. I just scanned through SSAT.org and couldn't find any info regarding to expiration of scores, and there is no expiration date on my son's SSAT report. Is that up to individual school to decide?</p>
<p>If the application deadline is Jan 31 and your SSAT score (1 or 2yrs) expires in Dec, can you still use that score?</p>