<p>I Took my SSAT exam on 5th Jan. I'm generally really good in standardized tests, but this time I have no idea what happened. I was really nervous (I kept thinking about what's at stake) and I panicked and I believe I really messed up. </p>
<p>I'm applying to Santa Catalina High School, California That school is perfect for me. It just IS the right fit for me. I really really really really need to get admission in that school. I'm not sure what their average SSAT score is. (It's not written anywhere :/ ) But this school has a really low acceptance rate. (somewhere in early 50s) . I had always been an above average student. I also have loads of extra curricular activities.
However, I had low grades last year due to some very personal problems. I've tried my best to overcome them and succeeded to a great extent. But my grades are still not back to how they used to be.
I practically have no chance of getting admission, do I?</p>
<p>Okay let me tell you since no one after 226 views replied.</p>
<p>Your score is certainly not the best, but maybe you shouldn’t fret over it. The admission officers, I believe, are not only looking at your test scores. My interviewer at Stevenson said (or implied) so. It’s about being a well rounded student and being an asset to the community, than being a super smart kid who doesn’t participate in anything.</p>
<p>By the way, 50’s is not a low acceptance rate. It’s pretty high for a boarding/private school. For obvious reasons, many higher than average schools cannot accept all of the kids who apply.</p>
<p>However, you should know, a person with the similar extracurricular activities as you but with a better test score is more likely to get into the school when compared to you.</p>
<p>AND what do you think about my PSAT scores?
Again, NOT too good But still, do you think I should submit them instead of the SSAT ones?
(Score in percentile)
CRITICAL READING : 97
MATHEMATICS : 66
WRITING SKILLS : 85</p>
<p>I am applying to Stevenson for 10th grade, but I am repeating 10th grade. </p>
<p>Your PSAT scores are much better than your SSAT scores, I believe. 97 and 85 are certainly better than what you got previously on the SSAT. </p>
<p>By the way, I think the January SSAT was far more difficult than other SSAT’s from what I hear from my friends who took the previous ones. I even got around 10 questions wrong on the verbal section but still managed to get in the 97th percentile. </p>
<p>Good luck to you on your schools. Feel free to say/ask anything else in this thread.</p>
<p>@Eecacee : I’m applying for 11th And thank you so much for taking time out to reply to me again. The SSAT test was really really difficult, and even I’ve read it in many places that it was more difficult than the ones administered previously. But I don’t think the admission officers will look at the scores from that point of view
97 PERCENTILE? YOU ARE TOTALLY IN.
Are you only applying to Stevenson?</p>
<p>@Katch22 : LOL that actually did help me feel a bit better Thank you :)</p>
<p>I only know about the SSAT score. Math should always be stronger since it is so logical, so it’s not too good, but an overall 69 percent is okay. For my friend, verbal was what gave him his 96 percentage. You can always retake it. I can only say that all your scores would average, except math. Being under 50 percent is not good. Retake the whole test, and if you sharpen you math skills, you’ll do better overall. At least now you know how it is to take the test.</p>
<p>Can’t retake it The admission deadline is 1st February. And plus, in my country, the test is only held once a year in January. Thank you for your reply though :)</p>
<p>Also, I’m from a country in Asia which is not China, Singapore, Hong Kong, South/North Korea.
There’s no one else from my nationality in this school. Will that work against me?</p>
<p>I do not know much about the school you mentioned. But 69 percent is not really a bad score unless you want to apply to the top schools. And as other have already mentioned, schools do not only look at the scores but other things as well. </p>
<p>Probably by now you have finished application. What should be helpful to you is show your eagerness to the school very actively. I am not suggesting you make up the story or brag about how much you want to go to that school. I guess you have a lot of reasons why you want to go there. State those in your essay or in a separate note. Explain why your score is not as good as other standardized tests in the past. Ypu may give them whatever scores you have even they are not official and up-to-date and support your point. Since your deadline is Feb 1, you have time to do that.</p>
<p>The school would want a student who really wants to be a part of them. And if you have a compelling reason why you think so, you will have no problem. I hope and guess you will get there, as I believe in the saying that if you really want it and do your best, your wish will come true.</p>
<p>Can you do the flex test? Or ask the admissions office if you can submit a later ssat. Some schools let recs and scores come in later even after the app is submitted.</p>
good luck to both of us. 
But still, do you think I should submit them instead of the SSAT ones?
YOU ARE TOTALLY IN.