<p>My daughter applied to one prep school, that both my father and I attended. SSAT verbal was 98%. Overall scores were 95%. Had pretty good EC's and had won a national science fiction writing contest.</p>
<p>Ended up being waitlisted. (We don't have our names on any bldgs. though).</p>
<p>Just goes to show you that it's something of a crap shoot.</p>
<p>One other observation, while very high SSAT's are no guarantee of admission, I do think low SSAT scores definitely hurt you, particularly if you're applying out of public school. SSAT scores are one of the few objective, "apples" to "apples" comparison a school can make of prospective applicants.</p>
<p>While grades and teacher recs. are obviously very important, academic rigor of grade schools can vary wildly and straight A's and great recs from a public school in rural West Virginia are not necessarily a reliable predictor of how well you will do at an uber competative prep school.</p>
<p>prpdd: That waitlist was your invitation to call the school and discuss how much you could contribute as a loyal alum.... just kidding but some truth.... Hope it all worked out for your D... it's a crazy world in ind. school admissions these days!</p>
<p>boarder 940, are you sure this person got 40? Thats really crazy, because choate's average is 90 and when accepting somone like that, choate knows that it will lower their average ssat.</p>
<p>boarder940 wrote: "i know someone who went to choate.. no legacy needed 100% FA, had b's and a 40 percentile on the ssat. so you never know really."</p>
<p>That makes me feel sad for the person that Choate thought they were admitting.</p>
<p>I would just like to make a point about SSAT scores at these schools. All these people who are saying averages, their not, the scores are reported in MEDIANS. If you look at the boarding school review.com, the are averages but that is icorrect. If you look at the schools oficial facts on their website or in there view books it is in medians. For instance, SPS has a MEDIAN of 88 SSAT percentile. In other words, their average is probably much, much lower considering how many genious kids bomb the SSAT, legacies and athletes and just others they let in. SO be careful the facts you read, they can trick you. The same is true with Deerfield, Choate, Hothckiss, and that's all I decided to look up, but I'm sue their is more. </p>
<p>This is why schools with high SSAT's can except some really low, because it does not effect their median, unless their are half or more with that low score.</p>
<p>there are medians and averages.
averages are on boardingschoolreview.com.
medians are often reported in borchures and FAQ's.
schools don't have to just choose one stat and stick w/ it.</p>
<p>That's the point blairt, the averages and medians reported are the same number. In other words boardingschoolreview.com is quite incorrect. We all know that averages and medians are almost always different numbers, and this is definetly true with schools SSAT scores.</p>
<p>I do know what you mean though, but the numbers are still the same.</p>
<p>yes im sure he had a 43 percentile, and he's caucasian, it just shows you... everyone here is asking all of these questions/chances if they will get in. but you never know. and i think schools care more about the individual rather than keeping their ssat scores up.</p>
<p>actually no, sorry for not being as specific the first time... caucasian, needed 100% FA, no legacy, did play sports but was not recruited. 43rd percentile..</p>