<p>Alright, im kinda upset. I am new here and Id thought I should share some news with you guys.
I got my SSATS Scores back today and there not looking to hot, here they are;</p>
<p>How bad is this? Can I get into any schools with these scores? I currently go to a prep school already, but I would like to move. I am a recruited athlete by most of the schools im applying to, (Berkshire, Choate, Westminster, Exeter). My interview was very successful, and I am in honors classes at my school now, aswell as having a B+ average. Any chances? Should I retake the test?</p>
<p>Did you do any prior preparation for the test? Taking a timed standardized test is a bit different for some students. As an example, my daughter has always aced the state standardized tests, a lot of times getting perfect scores BUT, on the SSAT she had to prepare. Her practice tests for the SSAT were not very strong until she prepared and learned how to take it.</p>
<p>Go to the library or a book store and pick up an SSAT prep book if you dont already have one and really prepare. The next SSAT is Jan 5, more time would be ideal but you might as well try to up your scores as much as you can. The great news is, even a few more correct answers per section should bring your %'s up quite a bit.</p>
<p>It is very possible you “mis-bubbled” the test. That means that maybe you filled in the bubble for answer number 5 on line number 6, etc. That would definitely explain such low scores, especially if your current grades are good, and you are in honors classes.</p>
<p>DEFINITELY retake the test. Get a prep book, and practice taking the test with one of the sample tests. The prep books will give you tips on the mechanics of taking the test, especially tips to help prevent you from making mistakes like “mis-bubbling.”</p>
<p>If for some reason the remaining test dates for this application cycle are full, there is an option called a Flex Test. This is where an educational consultant gives you the test on a date other than a National test date. It is much more expensive to use this option, but it’s good to know this option exists. Search the SSAT website, and you should find info about the Flex Test.</p>
<p>I believe The Princeton Review advises: if you can weed out at least one of the answers, then take a guess. If you can’t, it is better to skip it.</p>
<p>yeah, retake, not going many places with those scores.
mountainhiker, might be guessing right.
Grab a SSAT prep book (princeton review is fine) and do some practice.</p>
<p>use any review book you can get your hands on. go to the library and get as many as you can and do as many problems as you can until your next test. I liked the Peterson’s book and Princeton Review. but seriously, do every single problem. I did and i went from getting 70s to 90s.</p>
<p>I’ll be a wet blanket and say that if you found yourself skipping a lot of the vocab, you might find yourself in over your head at arguable ALL the schools on your short list.</p>
<p>Agreed - even as a recruited athlete, the scores will give them second thoughts. Boarding school is not the same as “some” colleges which let athletes coast in easy classes. You’re still expected to the do the work at the same level as other students.</p>
<p>Take the test again and grab a practice book (or two) and focus on how to answer questions in less than one minute each so you get the hang of taking the test. If you still can’t get through the material, you might be better off in your current school where your grades will be higher upon graduation.</p>
<p>Here is why you should guess if you can eliminate just 1 answer. It all boils down to mathematical probabilities. (Sorry if this bores some of you to tears):</p>
<p>There are 5 answers for each question on the SSAT. You get -1/4 point for each wrong answer. You get +1 for each right answer. 0 points for not answering at all. Therefore, if you did not even look at the questions and randomly filled in the bubbles, you would get roughly 1 in 5 answers correct, and 4 in 5 wrong. And you would, on average, get 0 raw points.</p>
<p>1 right answer = 1 pt.
4 wrong answers = 4 * .25 = -1 pt
Total = 0</p>
<p>BUT, if you can eliminate just one answer, the odds shift to your favor. </p>
<p>1 right answer = 1 pt
3 wrong answers = 3 * .25 = -.75
Total = .25</p>
<p>As someone who “guessed and lucked” my way into freshman math two years above my level I feel I need to speak up.</p>
<p>Its NOT a good idea. For obvious reasons being, once your in the class its impossible to catch up. And my experience was at a public high school not a boarding school where things move fast and the work load is high. Its setting up for failure.</p>
<p>Advising 13 and 14 year olds on the best way to guess is irresponsible IMHO. They should be preparing, learning how to optimize their time and getting familiar with the way questions are structured.</p>
<p>If they dont know the majority of the answers and are skipping most of the questions, I doubt guessing at that level would help much but if it did and this student ends up in a situation they are not ready for it can only lead to eventual heart break. </p>
<p>I would also hate to see a kid rely on a guessing formula than actually preparing. I am referring to the OPs situation specifically but there have been a few really disappointed kids in the past week or so looking for prep advice.</p>
<p>In the situation where a student is prepared and knows the majority of the info covered for their grade level and comes upon one or two questions that they are just not 100% sure on, yes, by all means take an educated guess. </p>
<p>I am not saying those who advised to guess were being irresponsible specifically but as someone who often feels 13 myself I can see where the info can be misconstrued.</p>
<p>@HailuMu,
This is the SSATs we are talking about, not a placement exam.
If you ever read the first few pages of most review books, they usually clearly state that you should guess if you eliminate a choice</p>
<p>SSATs is just another test that ETS claims to measure a student’s intellectual ability, which is total bs. Its a standardized test that can be “cracked” with just practice so u get the hang of it.</p>
<p>@troochapple,
guess when you can eliminate one answer, as ppl above has mentioned, its statistically in your favor.</p>
<p>I know the SSAT is not a placement test. My point was, if a student guesses on MOST of the questions because he/she really has no idea of most of the answers (the OP said they skipped most of the verbal) are they really helping themselves by guessing through almost an entire test?</p>
<p>And I did say there is an appropriate time to guess.</p>
<p>I highly doubt someone would get even close to a mid 80 %ile in this situation BUT if they did, or even guessed better than 80s, would they really be able to keep up in classes that were so much beyond their grasp?</p>
<p>I really wish the OP the very best and that is why my original advice was to prepare. Preparing will help a great deal more than gambling on guesses.</p>
<p>yes, preparation is essential, practice problems, thats pretty much the only way you take down tests like SSATs.</p>
<p>I dont think any of the above posters were trying to advice him to bank on guessing. That wasnt the point. It was just one of the pointers that when all fails, it is strategical to randomly guess when you can eliminate one answer.</p>
<p>I dont think any of us were trying to tell him not to prepare and just gamble.</p>
I can see where the info can be misconstrued.</p>