<p>Let's say I took three SSAT tests.
Test 1:
Verbal:99
Math:70
Reading:70</p>
<p>Test 2:
Verbal: 70
Math: 99
Reading: 70</p>
<p>Test 3:
Verbal: 70
Math: 70
Reading: 99</p>
<p>Do highschools such as Andover, Middlesex, Milton, etc. take the best scores from each test and combine them? In this case, if the highschools did that, it would be
Verbal: 99
Math: 99
Reading: 99</p>
<p>It’s called superscoring and some schools do, while others don’t. The best thing to do is to ask the admissions office. Often, the person who answers the phone can answer that question. Just ask if they superscore.</p>
<p>Another sort of related question: in January our son (then in the 7th grade) took the Lower Level SSAT as practice for and familiarization with the Upper Level SSAT he’ll be taking in December. Will his Lower Level scores be reported and be assessed along with his Upper Level scores?</p>
<p>Two more SSAT questions: 1) Are roots and exponents on the exam? Our McGraw Hill book says yes but the SSAT Guide makes no reference to it. 2) Aside from the super scoring question addressed above, I have assumed that the schools use only the results from the best test. In other words, if you take the test 3 times and your total scores are 75th percentile, 85th percentile and 95th percentile, the school will only use the 95th percentile in its evaluation process. Is that so? Thanks.</p>
<p>@Mainer, No, they won’t. Nothing from the previous year’s testing will be reported. As a matter of fact, I don’t even think you could get them if you wanted them; that is, I don’t even think they are retained on file. </p>
<p>If a student takes the test twice WITHIN THE SAME TESTING YEAR and elects to send only one score, there will be something on the report sent that says they have taken the test more than once, but nothing about the score. Since your son took it last year, it won’t even say that. The only way a school will see the other scores is if you send them, and many schools will “superscore.”</p>
<p>(I’m not using all caps to “raise my voice.” I’m just too lazy to look up the code for italics or underlining. 
)</p>
<p>My son took the lower level in 7th grade as well and the upper last month. In case you are wondering about the difference between the two levels, he actually did better on the upper level (percentile wise) than on the lower. It may have to do with being in the youngest group on the upper as opposed to the highest on the lower. Or maybe he’s just a better test taker this year. It’s not preparation, because he did none of that. :(</p>
<p>I tell you this because some people wonder about the difference in difficulty between the two levels. My son said that the math was about the same, verbal had more of what his friends would call “hard words” so most people would say it was a lot harder than the lower level, and reading was a little more difficult.</p>
<p>@Comus, it depends on the school. Some of them will take the best section score of the tests you send and create a new overall scaled score and percentile like jasony’s hypothetical in post one. That is what a “superscore” is.</p>
<p>Neatoburrito, thank you very much! That’s very helpful information and surprisingly difficult to find anyplace else. We are pretty unseasoned at this. However, we think our son did pretty well on the Lower Level (97% composite) so maybe we can relax a little about how he’ll do on the Upper Level in December.</p>