<p>So I have a theory about how AOs may view SSAT scores. Now this could be completely wrong and I would like to hear what you guys think about this. Basically, every year the applicant pool gets better and better. Many kids get high percentile SSAT scores, so instead of looking at the percentiles they look at the raw score. So Exeter could say, any kid who in grades 8-9 who has a 2200 SSAT score is "academically admissible" . And then they would look onto the next part of the application. Do you guys think schools do this or do they purely look at the percentile. It's just an idea. Tell me what you think.</p>
<p>No. The SSAT is a norm-referenced standardized test. Even if the applicant pool were getting better and better, (which you have asserted, but not proved), the psychometricians would adjust the percentiles. I think the schools look at the percentiles rather than the points awarded. I do think there is a percentile which they prefer applicants to exceed, but they probably make exceptions for deserving candidates.</p>
<p>This page is a primer on norm-referenced achievement tests: [Norm-Referenced</a> Achievement Tests | FairTest](<a href=“http://www.fairtest.org/norm-referenced-achievement-tests]Norm-Referenced”>http://www.fairtest.org/norm-referenced-achievement-tests). I found it on the website of an organization which is emphatically not in favor of standardized tests.</p>
<p>Remember, the SSAT is only one factor in all the information the schools have about each applicant. It may be most helpful to compare students’ performance across schools.</p>
<p>Then how would you explain the extremely skewed math scores ? But on another note, I can see your point.</p>
<p>@swissbrit
No, those top boarding schools want the best of the best of the applicant pool and it’s easier to find them by looking at the percentiles.</p>
<p>Cristians-I disagree in terms of “bs wanting the best of the best of the applicant pool”. Search old treads and see that many kids that claim to have 98%, excellent recs and wonderful, EC, dont get into all if any schools.</p>
<p>My d had a 93% SSAT scores and got into HADES schools.</p>
<p>The boarding schools are looking for a community of students–that is different than the best of the best.</p>
<p>The other possibilities are that people aren’t completely, ahem, truthful about their scores, or that few people with weaker scores are inclined to post about them. Understandably, people with top scores will be more forthcoming since it’s flattering.</p>
<p>SSAT scores matter, but they are just one component of admissions. Scores alone will not get you into a school and usually won’t (alone) knock you out if there’s something else that makes the student stand out. No matter what your test scores are, you have to look at the total picture (your grades, your interests, your recs, your personality), and for AOs, they are looking at these and working them into the whole applicant pool in selecting a class, or community of students, as noted above.</p>
<p>@Alexz825Mom
I’m not saying that they only look for good ssat scores, they look at the whole package. If a student had ssat scores in the 90’s, great recs, and EC’s, but mediocre essays, that student might not get in.
@swissbrit
I have a different theory. Maybe BS’s have some sort of standard ssat score that they would like their candidates to meet. Lets say the standard is 85th percentile. If John from new jersey gets an 88th percentile, he makes the first cut and therefore, his ssat score doesn’t bring him down and it allows the bs to focus on the rest of your application and not look at the ssat score anymore. Keep in mind im not saying that you wont get in if you dont you meet that requirement. The ssat is really there just to show the schools if you can or cannot handle their workload. This is just my theory though. :)</p>