I wanted to reach out to the experienced parents on the Prep School Forum. My DC is applying to BS in late Fall 2018 for Grade 9. DC’s intention is to repeat Grade 9 at BS, for various reasons (age, size for DC’s sport, maturity). DC is currently in Grade 7 and will be writing the Upper exam.
DC has just begun SSAT preparations and we are wondering when DC should first consider writing the SSAT. Write it early in the process (this June or Fall?) to get feedback on areas of weakness that need to be covered? Or wait until early next year?
The debate is, if DC takes the test too early and doesn’t score well, does that low score always weigh down DC’s SSAT record, even if subsequent testing improves? Is it reasonable to have a plan to take it 3 times between now and Fall 2018, but if exams #1 or #2 are really good, not to bother with #3?
I also have read that some applicants write both the ISEE (easier Verbal?) and SSAT (easier Math?) and will forward whichever has the better result.
Lastly, how will schools see past SSAT scores, since the SSAT website says score reports do not list the number of times the SSAT was taken? From the SSAT website: “We will send official score reports only to those schools you designate with each exam. Score reports do not list the number of times the SSAT was taken or the number of score reports on file.”
You can take register for test in June to get a baseline of where your child is. If he does well however, he may have to retake the test at a later date because all schools will not accept the June scores. The schools will only see the scores you send. If the child does not do well, don’t sent that score and sit for a later exam.
My son started studying in June and took practice tests for both the ISEE and SSAT. He did better on the ISEE so that’s what he focused on. He worked on the math areas that he didn’t know or did wrong and made flashcards for the vocab he didn’t know. He took the ISEE once, scored in the 90’s on everything and was done.
SSAT scores aren’t averaged all together, so a low early score won’t weigh down lower scores. Any downside – which is really only if the score in 7th grade ends up being the highest, and isn’t acceptable for applications, as queenmother points out – is most likely outweighed by getting the additional practice, knowing what the test and testing arrangements are like, etc., and DC would be no worse off having that initial score than if he/she hadn’t taken it in 7th grade at all. Most kids are going to improve between spring of 7th grade and fall/winter of 8th grade. Schools will only see the scores that you designate to submit and will have no idea how many times they were taken. I’m not clear on your question about seeing past the SSAT scores.
We didn’t look into the ISEE, so I have no advice there. DS’s worst score was math, so probably a good thing
Is there an advantage to taking the SSAT iat end of 7th grade if your DC is still in school mode? Also, do you find the ISEE to have less “tricky” verbal & reading items? Here is your question of the day: Pots are to pans as stop is to…? ;)…
@Golfgr8 I hesitate a bit to reply because I am still learning about the SSAT process, but is it fair to say that if a grade 7 writes the SSAT this June it will be the Middle exam and not the Upper exam, so it will be a good proxy but a slightly imperfect one?
SwimKid took the middle level in 7th to get a baseline. Zero prep. He was able to determine relative areas of weekness then work on said areas. Get a book and do a little each week. If there is an area you struggle on specifically, get a tutor for a couple of sessions specific to strategy if you can afford it.
You are apx. 20 months out from applications and 16 months out from testing. You might want to slow down a bit so that your kid doesn’t get burned out. Consider:
-schools usually want to see a score within one year of the application cycle, so testing fall of next year would be too early if you are planning to submit those scores
however, testing to get a baseline is just fine as you don’t have to report it, so you could do that next fall, but don’t force your kid to overprepare as the point is to get a baseline to determine how best to prepare in the future
the norm for each test will be similarly aged kids and is a function of which grade your child is currently in; ex. My DD took the Upper Level SSAT as both an 8th grader and 9th grader and the norm changed-- as a 9th grader she was compared to other 9th graders taking the test, not 8th graders
-consider the recent advice of the college counselors at my daughter’s school-- do not expect that your child will willingly sit again and again for the same standardized test; results rarely improve after the 3x because the kid gives up and it is an ordeal (this doesn’t include the initial practice test to determine baseline)
-math skills will improve as your child is exposed to higher level math classes in school and scores will naturally go up
reading comprehension and knowledge of vocabulary comes from lots of reading which you can work on outside the classroom; a college advisor suggest that our kids all read The New York Times Review of Books each weekend as the reviewers are excellent writers and have robust vocabularies
finally, be smart about the process; if you child scores perfectly on reading comp, don’t make s/he spend more time drilling on that; utilize time to focus on the areas that have the greatest opportunity for improvement
That’s a good point from @Kthor626 about limits on the number of times a kid will willingly take the test, and there are likely diminishing returns at some point. My son’s math score hardly budged taking it 3x (once in 7th), though the other scores increased. By last December – when he was done with interviews, finalizing applications and ready to be done with the whole process – we called it quits and declared him done with the SSATs as well.
Someone above asks the following: Why are 7th graders prepping or just thinking @ SSAT? Many students who are currently in 7th grade will be taking the SSAT in @ 5-7 months as 8th graders for admission to 9th grade ;)…,
Golf SSAT analogy practice: Green is to Augusta as Plaid is to…?
Tip of the day: Make studying the analogy section fun! Have your kids make up their own to test you – it gets them in the mood to study,plus they like stumping the parents. When I was in grad school, my math instructor had a side job writing math questions for the SAT. He told us that tidbit the first day of class. We all hated him! It was nothing personal ;)…, yes, he did write the math questions for his course like a college board item — just longer. Less expression on this guy than a turtle Gee, it was like a dream come true to actually meet one of the Men In Black from College Board!
A good year and half’s preparation of SSAT? Well, if you choose to let your DC spend that much time, here is my 2c. This is a rather long time span; a 15 year old is much more intellectually mature than a 13 year old. Answers to analogy or reading comprehension questions, s/he may struggle to understand at the moment but can probably get quickly a year later. So it probably doesn’t make sense to inundate him/her with a lot of practice in those sections now. Same is true for math area above his/her current level. But for weak areas in math on subjects s/he already learned, possibly wise to review them now. One advantage s/he does have when starting this early, is probably that, for vocabulary, s/he can take the slow and steady route: to build interests and read more. This way, all the new words are in a plot context, which is much more friendly to the associative nature of human memory. In comparison, vocabulary apps nowadays provide a usage context, personally I don’t think is as effective.
@ruinedlegend - we won’t prep in full gear until after the summer holiday fun is over. The test is now 5 months away for that SSAT Upper one takes in 8th grade for application. You take the test between sept/October-December! So not sure where you’re getting “year & half prep”…,some of our kids already took the SSAT for local private schools or award $.Most of mildly neurotic parents with sme obsessive tendencies get their kids prepping down here for SSAT in August…,you know, later than NE parents because we have some waves to catch on the beach. Agree with you about not wanting to fan the flames of burn-out! We do have a couple of apps & the books ( Official Guide & Princeton). Wish the reading content was less of an issue. We find the official computer online programs to be a good challenge with timing too. What will be will be – when I was just a little child, I asked my father what would I be? Would I be 98, or a low 80? Here’s what he said to me. Que sera sera…ask Doris Day what else may help
Thank for clarifying @HMom16 Wow- that’s good planning! BTW, I just downloaded the Visual Vocabulary SAT app - it’s good for visual learners-- but waiting to see how it is reviewed by kiddo
There’s nothing wrong with thinking about building a base early, such as by a word a day approach and better, by encouraging reading. At a certain point, it’s hard to cram too much in so having foresight is useful.
In terms of specific test strategies and focusing on the test itself, I would probably hold off to avoid frustration and burnout.
You may be better off letting your kid get immersed in ECs. Each year, school work allows a little less time for that, and in the case of athletics and music, many kids start to feel that it’s more and more "professional " each year so requires more of them or is harder to start from scratch.
A lot of great input here, thanks to all. Just to be clear, we have no intention of slave driving DC to study for the next 18 months. More on the order of having DC review 10-20 words a day, work a bit on Reading Comp., read varied material (loved the New York Times Book Review suggestion from @Kthor626 ) and avoid stressful cramming next year.
AO of one of the best known BSs told us how much he disliked applications that suggested applicant had overstudied in order to get “99%” when applicant could have been enjoying life, playing music, pursuing ECs.
