First off, I only decided in mid-December that I was going to apply to private schools, so I only had the opportunity to take the SSAT once. I wish I had more time to study, but it is what it is, and I am somewhat happy with my admissions results. It is fantastic that you are starting the process this early.
Definitely invest in the online SSAT resources. It has very helpful videos and practice tests. The next thing I did was take a full length practice test as a “baseline”. It helped me understand the structure of the test and find my weaknesses. As I looked back af my test afterward, I studied the questions that I got wrong and attempted similar problems. I did very well on math, so I knew to focus on reading and verbal. Verbal was my biggest weakness.
If you have issues with verbal like I did, look at quizlet for SSAT vocabulary and do a certain amount each day. The “learn” feature is great.
The best way to practice for the reading section is to find online reading passages with questions and do them.
Math can be practiced with the videos on the SSAT website as well as doing practice tests.
I don’t know what you consider a good score, but I got a 78 in verbal, 84 in reading, and 99 in math which totaled up to 89 overall. Make sure to do practice tests as if it were the real test. “Same breaks and same test order”.
I applied to Andover, Exeter, St.Pauls, Lawrenceville, Choate, Deerfield, Groton, Hotchkiss, and Peddie. If you have any questions about the application process or any questions about any ot these schools feel free to PM me. Good Luck!