Terrible SSAT's....

<p>how much will it cost to retake?
I’m not really sure if my family is willing to pay again if over 150$…</p>

<p>my exeter interview is on the day of the next and final testing. so retaking isn’t an option. after this I just really don’t want to waste time going through the application process just to get denied. should i just quit now?</p>

<p>screw exeter dont apply there and retake you really should i retook mine and without studying my overtall percentile went up 23% and the tests were just two months apart</p>

<p>WHOA WHOA WHOA!!! CHILL EVERYONE! My middle school friend was accepted into Andover with 69% in SSAT.
That proves that SSAT is not the whole entire application process. They don’t care if you’re super smart or super dumb. As long as they see some character in you. Such as leadership or if you’re talented in something.
As far as I know, his acceptance is a mystery for me… -_-</p>

<p>OMG!!! I KNOW PEOPLE THAT WORK IN BOARDING SCHOOL ADMISSIONS AND THEY TAKE YOUR BEST SCORE, they look at all but take your best, THEY TAKE YOUR BEST ITS TRUE, my sister has been through this process and my family has been in boarding schools forever, and as I say again I know people that WORK in boarding school admissions</p>

<p>I know they take your best score but they take your best score FROM THIS ACADEMMIC YEAR. THe OPs score is from lastyear and is therefore no longer considered valid.</p>

<p>no, it is valid if it is an upper level test, I am staying for 9th at my school and i can flunk the SSAT’s in 9th and still get in to a good school with my scores from this year, if it is upper level it is valid! 7th grade is not valid, 8th and 9th ARE VALID,</p>

<p>it is true that they look at all your scores but they take your best UPPER LEVEL score (8th and 9th) and in this case it would be 8th</p>

<p>I have to say that LullabyDucky is right. Having been involved with boarding schools for years in different capacities (alumnae interviewer, parent, advisor), I can say with confidence that both 8th and 9th grade scores will be seen (unless your current school only sends the best to schools you are applying to - some do this, in which case you are in excellent shape - ask your school counsellor) and it is the high score that will be taken into consideration. Your 9th grade relatively lower score could be for a million different reasons: you felt sick that day, your dog died, you had family issues, etc., etc. Your high score shows that you are more than capable to handle the sort of material that will be presented in a top boarding school.<br>
It is also very true that your SSAT scores are only one piece of a complex puzzle. Your interview is very important, along with your teachers recommendations, your grades, your ECs, SSATs, etc.
You will find several students at schools like Exeter, Andover, Deerfield, etc. with significantly lower scores than yours - granted, they are not the average or “norm”, but they surely exist.
Relax, be yourself on your interview, and feel free to ask this question of the interviewer (your SSAT score question) - they will have heard this a million times before.
Good luck, and you are going to be FINE!!!</p>

<p>A follow-up: I should mention that although the SSAT website may say they just send the scores for the current academic year (don’t know - have never visited the website), I am 100% confident that your school will have both sets of scores on your transcript/in your academic file that is being sent to the schools you are applying to. Therefore, if the schools you are applying to don’t get the 8th grade score from the SSAT center, they will see it on your materials being sent from your current school. Double check on this to make yourself feel better, but absolutely don’t worry: they WILL see your great SSAT score - one you should be VERY proud of!!!</p>

<p>mayhew, the competition for when he was in 8th grade and when he was in 9th grade changes. The schools are looking at all the 8th graders separately and the 9th graders separately.</p>

<p>The schools might see both of the scores and know that you got 92 then 71, but they will probably take 71 and use it to compare to the other applicants in 9th grade. However, there are many people who get scores in the 70’s but still get in. The SSAT is not the only part of the application. Also, I don’t think many schools reject people twice…or do they?</p>

<p>I didn’t fully apply last year
I only took the SSAT’s</p>

<p>i just have to give up, no one will believe me. Gabiiwoz, they look at all your scores but take your best from 8th or 9th grade. In your case it would be your 8th, please don’t worry about it. Apply to any of the schools you want that our grades will allow you to because your 92 is excellent. Please believe me!!! Any school would be happy to have you, and 92 is Andover’s most recent SSAT average. </p>

<p>GOOD LUCK!!</p>

<p>thanks so much for your persistence lullabyducky.
I had my andover interview today and I loved it, and the interview went good, I got a really cool young guy and he made all my nerves go away. I love the campus too, thanks so much for all the replies guys!</p>

<p>Ducky, I don’t think my son’s school even knows he took the ssat much less have the scores on his transcript. If the OP goes to a private school, they may or may not be on her transcript. But even if they are seen, they won’t be reported by the ssat people to the school and therefore will NOT be the ones used in the comparative report that the schools use (that compares an applicant’s ssat score will all applicants, previous year’s admitted students, matriculated students, etc). </p>

<p>If I were the OP, I would call the ssat people and see if THEY can send your scores from last year - not your school. If you want your really excellent score to be used you will have to do something about it - don’t rely on you current school to do it. You want the schools to which you are applying to see the subject breakdowns and comparative report.</p>

<p>Of course, from everything that I have read on the SSAT site, scores are only available for one year, but it wouldn’t hurt to call.</p>

<p>Good luck!</p>

<p>@Gabiiwoz you are also forgetting that admissions people also look at you ssat essay not just the scores.
Yeah I just had to add that.</p>