<p>Advice on scores…simply don’t add schools to your “send scores to” list until you know what your scores are.</p>
<p>Oh, that is a really good point, SevenDad! If you take the SSATs more than once, can you select some schools to get the first scores, and others to get the second, or will the SSAT send both sets?</p>
<p>@paobs12: I don’t know for sure…been too long since I had to deal with SSAT. I do recall putting schools on the list before the test, then taking them off the day after she took the test…as I didn’t know how she’d do. She did fine on both test sittings, and I’m pretty sure I was able to send the higher set of scores.</p>
<p>@7Dad, paobs12: Just after reading your posts, I felt dumb… since I added all the schools my DD had applied at the time of test registration. Then, I thought I couldn’t be that dumb:D, so looked up the SSAT web page again. This is what it states:</p>
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<p>So my logic was, if the schools would find out how many tests my D had taken after all, then wonder why she would report one test but not another, I thought why not just report whatever that comes out regardless of score? If AO ever asks how good/bad the other test was, it would be hard not to answer anyway. If one withholds scores, then I guess the AO would be entitled to imagine whichever way s/he wants, probably not favorable thoughts…</p>
<p>Another good point. Perhaps it would be better if our children took their tests, got their scores, and then selected the schools that they wanted their results sent to. Any guess as to how many schools get scores that never result in applications? The paper (or digital) trail for this whole process must be mind-numbing. At the same time, it makes sense that you would want schools to see your child’s best scores. If there are weaker scores out there, and the school wants to find out what they are, they are welcome to add that extra step to the trail.</p>
<p>My son took the SSAT flex test at his school (K-8) this fall, and many performed below what they had tested on the lower level test. The “word” is that they changed the test, and it is now harder with many new questions. The 5th section was an experimental section, and does not count toward the final score. The concern is that the test is normed against a rolling 3-yr average, so that percentiles may be deflated, but raw scores will be comparable. Most kids retook the test on Nov.10th, and I think many are signed up for the December date as well.</p>
<p>if this website alone is any indication, the 3-year average will be pretty high. So many smart kids here!</p>
<p>Good that all applicants have to use test scores from the current academic year… which should make comparison quite fair.</p>
<p>DS took the SSAT in October and got the scores back in about a week. We just checked the website from time to time. I think fewer students take in October, so it might take a little longer. I think the website gives a target date to get scores back. </p>
<p>There was another thread recently about 8th grade math scores. <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/prep-school-admissions/1406595-understanding-ssat-scores.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/prep-school-admissions/1406595-understanding-ssat-scores.html</a></p>
<p>Just got an email. November 10th test scores are in. Good luck to everyone!</p>
<p>Just got the scores from the Nov 10 test:</p>
<p>Verbal: 764 (90%)
Math: 767 (81%)
Reading: 782 (99%)
Total: 2313 (97%)</p>
<p>Math was weird, only a couple questions wrong and score was pulled down to 81%. Any thoughts on this? Would you consider this a good score for top schools? Total is above avg for those schools but I’m not sure what to think of Math.</p>
<p>@Glanbia: Note the post in this thread about scaling. If you took a Math form that was on the “easy” side, then any questions wrong will hurt you worse in terms of scores/percentiles.</p>
<p>thanks. in that case, reading and verbal must have been on the “harder” side for the average to come out of this with a relatively good total. at least making more mistakes on the “easy” section and fewer on the "hard"one should count for something! do you think it’s a good enough score overall?</p>
<p>I would say that for the most selective schools, your math is borderline. We were told at two of the CHADES schools something like “Anything from the high 80s up makes the scores a non-issue.”</p>
<p>But then again, keep in mind that scores are just one part of the equation and your overall -ile is strong. If you were my kid, I’d say “Don’t stress.”</p>
<p>Percentile scores are affected by your grade and gender group. Are you 9th grade?</p>
<p>9th grade boy, trying to decided if to take it again in December.
I got only a few questions wrong so it may be the same situation on another test</p>
<p>I just checked my scores and I got a 66%. 
My math really brought me down…</p>
<p>This was a freaky Math section, I had 4 wrongs and 3 omits out of 50 questions, and was brought down to 81%. Either easy test or super smart test takers this time 
I wonder if the schools pay attention to such particular test dynamics?</p>
<p>@Glanbia,
According the official prep book, math raw score-to-percentile conversion is like this: 50-99%; 45-96%; 40-87%; 35-75%; 30-61%; 25-45%; etc. Since you had a raw score of 42, you could have gotten a percentile score between 87 and 96%, most likely ~90%. </p>
<p>The reason your percentile score was lower than 90% might be your grade. By 9th grade, many more students are familiar with algebra and geometry questions, which count for two thirds of SSAT math. So the percentile mean for the 9th grade might be significantly skewed toward 700 than 650. If you believe you had a bad day, then by answering a few more questions correctly, you might be able to achieve >90%.</p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>so looked at my score. and i did worse than i thought. what do you think is considered a bad score? and i had already picked what school its going to so, do they automatically get the score? or can i take the december test?</p>