I am sorry to be dense, but the SSAT scores confuse me. So I am either bragging, or outing my kid as an idiot. :))
Is an overall scaled score of 2016 good? Can I stop worrying, or does he need to spend the entire break studying for SSAT? Happy Thanksgiving! We all have much to be thankful for.
Congratulation. It seems that the consensus is that overall scared score is what matters. If that’s decent, give him the well deserved break.
The only thing that matters is the percentile, not the scaled score number.
This is why I get confused. Percentile of what?? There is the percentile of grade 8 Total, the percentile of Grade 8 Gender specific, and I guess the percentile of the Scaled Score vs the Max Score of 2400. All of which are different numbers.
Sorry I was confused between Scaled Score and Percentile. It seems only Total Percentile is what matters as soxmom said.
It’s the %-ile Grade number next next to T Scaled in the list, or from detailed report, it is Grade 8 Total - Your Percentile Column on Total Row.
So does the individual section results matter at all? For example, if the overall is 96%, but the sections are 98, 95 and 72, is there reason to worry about the 72?
Seems like SSAT score isn’t that important once you met the reasonable cut off line. So I am guessing (and hoping) that individual section scores mean even less. 96% seems well above of any schools’ average.
To be fair, I am worried and can’t let it go because my daughter’s high 90’s overall test has low 80’s math section. She worked very hard to prep for math section since it was her weak point. But November test had a lot more slope/graph questions, that she wasn’t well prepared, than she expected.
Personally I would let my kid use necessary resource for a second test on resting or essay writing instead. Not that she can possibly squeeze time for another test this semester.
@jwalche The SSAT isn’t that important once you get above 85 or so, but it IS IMPORTANT if you are looking for FA. Those percentage points ABOVE 85 (or whatever the average is for the desired school) will determine if and how much FA you get.
If you are looking at the individual sections, anything in the 80s is also fine, even for the schools that really look at Quantitative, like PEA and PE. It is a really tough call for the 72, though. So it depends on what schools are involved.
Otherwise, an overall 90s percentage is excellent and does not need to be retaken. Just would be a waste of time and energy. Work on the essays and the applications.
@maxusa. Thanks for the information! Daughter got 83% on math, with 97% total. I thought that the exampled 72% by Curious2016 wouldn’t be much different from it. 32~ correct answers out of 50, instead of her 35 perhaps? Any incidental factors can make that difference. I am not sure if PEA and PE would be good fit for her in terms of her mediocre math skill anyway.
Last year Scaled score of about 2050 was around 60%, and about 2170 was around 84%.
So if it’s similar this year, 2016 would be around 55% and isn’t a good score.
Oh I think I was confused that I saw 2016 as admission year and not the scaled score.
To OP: t’s the “SSAT Percentile” column next to “Personal Score Range” schools will look at, both for individual sections and for total/overall.
Thanks! Hope you see now why I was so confused! Lucky we had already signed up to take in December.
Does anyone know – can you turn in SSAT scores after application deadline or is December pretty much the last time 8th graders can take exam?
Depends on the school. Many will take January SSAT and some will even take February. They usually say in the admission section.
You are not planning on getting him to take it the third time in January, are you? That’d be too much, to schools and for him. He’s better off taking it in Jan instead of Dec. if you are not sure if he’s prepared for Dec. Jan score should be acceptable to the majority if not all BS.