<p>My little brother (applying for the class of 2010) wants to apply to boarding schools this year (he's looking at GDM, Deerfield and SPS) and I was wondering whether he should study for the SSATs.
He's naturally very intelligent, but also lazy so he's at a blank. He didn't work really hard until eighth grade but he does OK on standardized tests (As in 95% percentile in mainly regional tests)
He took the SSATs in June, but wasn't really paying attention so he got in the 60% percentile.
I was personally thinking he should take it in November cold and see where we go from there.
Suggestions?</p>
<p>If he just takes it cold in November, he will have essentially wasted two tests for the SSAT. It is always a good idea to study, and you can get many good books like The Princeton Review one for $13 on Amazon. If he studies vocabulary and basically understands what is going to be required on the test (and practices it) he should do well.</p>
<p>While I've heard that admissions will consider the highest test score and that applicants can take the test more than once, I think it would be best to only take the test once or twice. Someone on this board (perhaps Suze) said that it should only be taken once or twice. Intuitively that makes sense. He has already taken it once, so I think the second time should be a serious effort. Please keep in mind that if he generally scores at 95% against the general population, it is unlikely that he will score 95% on the SSAT when his score is compared to other SSAT test takers. Starting last year, they scaled the test scores to 800 like the SAT, and they try to project what the SAT score will be. Here are the 50% scores for 8th grade males who took the SSAT over the last 3 years:</p>
<p>Average Grade: 8 Male</p>
<p>Verbal 662
Math 686
Reading 644</p>
<p>I copied this from my son's score report from last year. The nationally normed average for the SAT is around 500 per test, so you can see the spread. </p>
<p>I agree that the Princeton Review is a good book. I think it would be worthwhile for your brother to read the chapters and work through the problems and then take a practice test. When he takes the Nov. test, he should be prepared to take it seriously. Of course, he can take it again. Good luck!</p>
<p>Deerfield and SPS are the two hardest prep schools to get into. To go from 60% on the SSAT to a score likely to get him into one of those schools would be a great feat. As burb parent said, 95% on a national test is not 95% on the SSAT. </p>
<p>Of course he should study, but unless he's an exceptional athlete or has something else very unusual to offer, I'd think he should also reconsider his list.</p>
<p>He should really study... at least I think so. Once you read those study books you fell 100 times more confident.</p>
<p>Maybe it's just me, but I have a question regarding the scores. If I take SSAT more than once, would I be able to pick which test score to be sent to schools? Or SSAT will automatically send everything I have taken (just like College Board with SAT)?</p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>The schools get sent both scores, I think, but often they only choose to look at the higher one.</p>