<p>Hi all,</p>
<p>Been lurking for a while, and I thank all of you for the great info posted here. :) </p>
<p>I searched, but couldn't find a thread addressing SAT scores (taken in 7th grade) compared to SSAT scores (taken in 8th). I'm curious if the scores are generally equivalent, higher/lower, and how much prep factors in. My ds did not prep for the SAT, but I do expect he will be doing some prep for the SSAT.</p>
<p>Thanks,</p>
<p>I took the SATs in 7th grade and the SSATs in 8th…I scored higher on the SSAT. But I took two practice tests for the SSAT, and one half (just the math section) on the SAT. Ironically, I scored lowest in the SAT math. (I think that’s very little prep considering some people get tutors and do tens and tens of practice tests for these things.)
I found the SAT reading to be easier than SSAT reading, though I scored really high (not to brag) on both sections.<br>
SAT math was definitely harder than SSAT, but I could tell it wasn’t impossible. It was just stuff I didn’t know how to solve yet (and required logic…something I lack haha)
And SAT does not have analogies, and they have sentence fill-ins rather than definitions, so it was a lot less painful than SSAT. I did score higher on the SSAT and I think that the age and experience really did make a difference, especially in the math portion (I’m not a math genius and I need to be taught)</p>
<p>My son took both the SAT and the SSAT and though the scores were different, the percentiles were very close. That is, his SAT percentile compared to 7th graders who took it, not national. </p>
<p>And I agree that the reading on the ssat is harder than sat. SSAT reading can be overly simplistic, which in turn, confuses kids who read deeply.</p>
<p>Thanks for the replies. It’s nice to hear students and parent perspectives. @neatoburrito, do you know where I might find the national percentile avgs for 7th graders? The pamphlet sent by CTY only showed percentiles for college bound kids. :)</p>
<p><a href=“College Board - SAT, AP, College Search and Admission Tools”>College Board - SAT, AP, College Search and Admission Tools;
<p>7th and 8th graders combined</p>
<p>Both my kids took the SAT “cold-without prep” for talent searches in 7th grade and then the SSATin 8th grade. </p>
<p>For older daughter a few years ago, had a 560 Verbal SAT (good enough for the talent searches to qualify for classes- remember this is for 7th graders) and got only a 54% SSAT verbal; she did not prep for the SSAT. We were surprised the SSAT percentile was so low, we had no experience with the test prior. My D thought the analogies were confusing and vocab harder on the SSAT. </p>
<p>It may help to use one of the SSAT prep books to review approaches to analogies and take a look at recommended vocab and roots. </p>
<p>Second time around and maybe wiser, my younger daughter had about the same 7th grade SAT score on verbal, did some prep with the book, and had much better luck with the SSAT (it also brought her subsequent SAT score up significantly). Hard to know if that was “just her” or if the SSAT prep helped. PM me if you want more detail.</p>
<p>For me, all of the standardized tests I’ve taken had similar percentiles. When I took the SAT in 7th grade I got 99% on reading and writing, and 98% math (600 reading, 640 writing, 640 math). When I took the ISEE I got 99%, 98%, 95% and 95% (I don’t remember which score was for which section). So I guess the scores somewhat correlate.</p>
<p>Thanks so much!</p>
<p>He scored well enough on the SAT to take whichever type of class he chooses at CTY, but not so well that I don’t think he needs to do any thinking/prep for the SSAT. Very interesting to hear everyones feedback on the verbal/CR portion of the SSAT being more difficult than the SAT. I seem to remember analogies when I took the SAT, but that was a hundred years ago. ;)</p>
<p>Very interesting to see those national avgs, I hadn’t known there were so many 7th/8th graders taking the SATs. Then again, until my oldest was in 7th grade, I didn’t know boarding schools existed outside of juvie, Europe, and old Harold Robbins novels.</p>
<p>harold robbins? you cannot be that old!</p>
<p>Luckily, his career was long and prolific enough for me to feel I’m not dating myself too clearly. :P</p>
<p>I’d like to confess that I was a Harold Robbins reader as well :)</p>
<p>Back on topic, I would like to second 2prepmom with regard to the analogies on the SSAT. My son did very well - state recognition level- on SAT - and found the analogies on SSAT ‘odd’ to use his words. </p>
<p>He has taken the test a few times, as JBS use it for each year- maybe as a standardized test measure or maybe as practice - IDK. Anyhow, he says each test is different. Some seem easier on math and some seem easier on reading. It also depends on what reading passage you recieve. </p>
<p>It never hurts to prepare and I recommend the SSAT study guide that you can order off their webiste. It is short enough that it isn’t overwhelming, and it gives good insight into the scoring.</p>