@Fmap66 I’m sorry it did not work out but there seems to be a lot if sound advise thrown in here- junior year is a tough transition- I’m sure the situation would have been different in 9th grade with a wider net. I would be looking ahead to college-
question? If she is doing well in her current High school why not continue on the same path? She’s halfway done- does she want to move for a sport? academic challenge? There are other options for academics like dual degree programs where you get your high school diploma while attending a local college. Maybe some online courses? have you applied for any academic summer programs? many of them will have need based FA-
The shortfalls of solely relaying on GPA is that, not only the grade inflation, but also the ever increasing practice of heavily rewarding effort and not result. At an average public school, it is possible to not really understand the material, barely pass midterm, yet still receive an A by doing all the assignment and extra credits. Even the final exam is sometimes converted to a project that requires more of grunt work than knowledge.
I believe the strong correlation between high school GPA and college performance is partially because the colleges also looked into test scores and selected those with high enough scores, in addition to decent grade, to actually learn the materials at their teaching level.
@SculptorDad Great minds think alike! But not with me but with the Harvard dean of admissions! 
^^ I have a small mind though
I totally understand as a self employed person for 20 years, she not that happy with what her school offers, and yes she is taking dual enrollment classes next year and a summer college class as well…i meant she took the “psat’s”. I just find it hard to comprehend that a 3 hour test shouldn’t weigh nearly as much as what you’ve accumulated the past 3 years…
Test scores do not necessarily weigh “nearly as much” as grades, but they do matter. And in a highly competitive selection process, low test scores could weigh heavily on the admission outcomes.
Regarding the 70 percent SSAT, this is the Upper Level SSAT that grades 8-11 take…is it the SAME test for all, so a 70 score is vis-a-vis 8th graders? In that case, 70 would be very low for 11th…you’d expect a student with more grades under his/her belt would have a higher SSAT than an 8th or 9th grader. [Note, my son was 11th applicant, but we used PSAT as is allowed by most schools; he did well so no reason to take another test].
Also, as others have said, 11th grade is difficult because there are few openings. And I do think it helps if the applicant is Full Pay, vs needing FA. (Though it sounds like OP daughter just applied to need blind schools with huge budgets; but still, I think FP is likely to yield better results on M10 than FA-need, for 11th and 9th/10th.)
If she was willing to repeat, you could try again next year for 11th or 12th. Or you could just proceed on with her current school, where she is doing well, and save the $ for college.
Good luck!
As far as grades + test scores, I think for BS/prep schools AND college that both are important.
MANY schools have grade inflation. I remember reading a thread on another website where HS teachers were "told to give all As and a few B’s and nothing lower…that a C meant THEY failed as teachers, because the students then did not “master the standards”. The teachers were then discussing re-take policies and it seems in some schools, kids can keep re-taking tests until they get an A.
The fact is, the world needs NASA engineers and Mathematicans, and Doctors. Do you want to drive over the bridge that the Engineer had to re-do 5 times? Or have the Dr botch your surgery because he can’t remember something important? I think you’d want the smart guy that gets it right the first time. Test taking is a skill and smart kids do usually test well. There are lots of excuses for a “bad day” or “test anxiety” but the fact is, tests are mostly fair and put the applicants, from all over the country and world, on a level playing field. The Admissions officer can compare test scores, but cannot accurately compare grades from different schools. That is why the whole package is very important.
As far as the SSAT test goes, you are compared to students in your grade and gender, however the OP came back to correct and said his daughter actually took the PSAT.
Oh…OK…re PSAT.
But SSAT for 11th - wouldn’t there be a very small sample size? Maybe they are grouped with 10th?
If taking the PSAT - keep in mind that it is a percentile vs. a broader mix of students, vs SSAT which is for private school students - a higher achieving group.
70 on SSAT is actually better than 70 on PSAT - IMO.
The other 11th grade applicants on here (about 6 that shared scores) were all in the 90+ (several 99 with nearly perfect scores) percentile on PSAT.
@sunnyschool you are absolutely correct. 70% on SSAT is much better than on PSAT. The SSAT is only taken by a self selecting group of 50,000 high achieving students interested in attending boarding school or highly selective days schools. The PSAT is taken by 3.5 million kids including the same ones who take the PSAT as well as many, many more lower performing kids. The 70th percentile on the PSAT is an 1100/1600.
@Korab1 Thanks for the clarification. But note the top score possible on PSAT is 1520 (I think that is because a couple advanced topics are not covered on PSAT so the top score is different than the 1600 for SAT).
ETA:
Link didn’t work so just google it.
It’s a ONE day test…I get it! I know kids who get into these schools with a 3.5 GPA…These tests shouldn’t even be counted…It’s bogus
I agree somewhat…I’m certain many of the students being accepted aren’t athletes, yet the percentage that are most likely wouldn’t have the impact my Daughter would to the schools Athletics as a top state runner…So what’s really more valuable to the school…Someone who takes a one day test, or a superior athlete?? Kind of a no brainier if you ask most
It was the SSAT she took…And the Pre ACT
Question: What’s the Pre ACT Fmap66?
Look, the SSAT has some tricky parts. The verbal content is (SSAT word coming) Hackneyed and the reading passages are (SSAT word coming) lugubrious ;)… Make up your own for tonight’s stress buster!
Although I don’t believe that standardized testing is a good way to measure intellect, that doesn’t change the fact that it is still used. My sister got all A’s throughout high school, and is very smart. Sadly, she isn’t a great test taker, and didn’t do as well as she is capable of on the SAT. That’s just a sad reality check that there’s always going to be a losing party. It’s unfair, but that’s the way that it is for now.
Different kids have different strengths and weaknesses, that is why they look at the big picture.
Are you sure XC is an important sport to the schools? Some schools view XC as an “inclusive” sport but not a scholarship sport (though if your DD is top in the state, she is probably scholarship material). Maybe they just have too many runners. 11th grade applicant is a factor.
It’s important to apply to a range of schools. Many of the applicants are top in their sport, have a unique interest, AND have top grades and test scores. There is also the interview, the essays, and LUCK.And again, it’s harder to get in for 11th grade, much harder. And I think they expect higher test scores for 11th because the “real thing” (SAT, ACT) is right around the corner.
Finally, did you say you needed FA or are you Full Pay? Even if a school is “need blind”, they still may not choose to apply FA to 11th and will have a total FA budget to comply with. You applied to VERY competitive schools. Those are not the only excellent schools out there, especially in the Northeast region.
Standardized tests are and should be as important as grades and any other metric. As much as is possible they are not influenced by human behavior: hard teacher, hard school, easy teacher, easy school. grade inflation, grade deflation and so on. A score tells the school that they do or do not have the aptitude to do the work; that there may or may not have been grade inflation. It doesnt mean a 99 or 1500 will get you in but the scores can keep you out. It is true some people arent good test takers, they need more time, they get nervous etc. Allowances are made when other factors about a candidate justify it to the school. When a school lets in 90s and up they know that in the rat race of college applications that is one less thing to work about. College matriculations have defined boarding school, particularly the top schools, for many many years. Performance on the SSAT correlates very highly with future performance on the SAT and even the ACT. That means something to a BS. If you have a student with a hook the school can afford to let the score be less important if they so choose because often the hook is the same for college: lacrosse, URM, legacy, development. Lastly 11th grade is very very tough! Few spots anywhere.