Very weird percentile

Prep School Admissions
1

<p>Okay, so I just got my SSAT score back..
I was sort of expecting this, but this seems a little strange..
Your SSAT Scores Upper Level </p>

<p>Score Range : 500-800 </p>

<p>Verbal Score 698(Personal Score Range: 677 - 719, SSAT Percentile 65%) </p>

<p>Math Score 761(Personal Score Range: 740 - 782, SSAT Percentile 76%) </p>

<p>Reading Score 728(Personal Score Range: 707 - 749, SSAT Percentile 92%) </p>

<p>Total Score 2187(Personal Score Range: NA, SSAT Percentile 83%)</p>

<p>Speaking of strange, I got like 2 wrong in the entire math questions and omitted 2, and 761 doesn't seem like a bad mark. But, 76th percentile??
Well, I guess guys in grade 10 are all crazy good at math.. but I'm a little discouraged. I definitely knew that I messed up the verbal section completely, but looking at the score kinda makes me depressed.
Still, I'm applying for grade 10 year again to "refresh", so I would have to hope that adcom would take that into consideration :)
This year's percentile must be very tough.. My friend wrote the exam in Nov and Dec, and he got 93th overall having a very low score in math, but still 89th percentile for some reason. ;( I guess it's my fate to get this kind of mark. Plus, I only had 3 weeks with no time during weekends to study SSAT with basically no vocab skills.</p>

<p>Now, I'm not very sure of being "safe" in any of the applied schools..
I'm applying to Concord, Loomis Chaffee, Peddie, Hill, Mercersburg. Maybe I can have a better chance in interview. But, I'm not very comfortable speaking to adults in a very formal situation, which I need more practice on.
I have great ECs and other "plus-signs" with advancing credits in grade 11 courses. But, I see that there are tons of people who are very bright and unique in their own ways applying to prestigious boarding schools (including people in this forum :))</p>

<p>Is anyone "GRADE 10 MALE"? Can you guys tell me how the percentile got spread?</p>

2

<p>Hm, that's weird. Michelle (Msu) got a 75 percentile on Reading but only missed six. </p>

<p>I'm sure they'll see how many you missed and take it into account. I make a point of not omitting ANY, though it says I omitted one on Verbal, so I was pretty mad about that.</p>

3

<p>when taking any standarized test, there is also strategy in what month to take it. january is the last month to take it for most people, so pretty much everyone takes it, meaning more competition.
i got the same number wrong last time and my scores this time plummetted.</p>

4

<p>The percents are based on the people who took the test the prior 3 years. I don't think it matters which month you take it.</p>

5

<p>i know true true, but competition still builds</p>

6

<p>Do other people choose use a strategy? I just took mine in November so if I messed up I could take it again, and have a while to study for the January test.</p>

7

<p>Ahh... I should've written the test in December.. But I was just really busy/lazy to study for all that between..like 6 different major projects from my classes lol. I guess it's my fault that I didn't study enough, but the MATH SECTION... It's not fair lol ;( I got 2 wrong...</p>

8

<p>I was in a similar situation. I got one (?) wrong in math, got a 791, and made a 93 percentile. I took the test in November.</p>

9

<p>You can be proud of those scores! An 83% is way above the national average, and your projected SAT scores are high. If I remember correctly, English is not your first language, so I think you did great. In general interviewers will try to put you at ease. Try to schedule your interview for your top choice school after you have had a few interviews so you feel more comfortable with the process. Good luck!</p>

10

<p>i have a question about the whole percentile thing. the first time i took the test in reading i got 8 wrong and 0 omitted which gave me a 71 %percentile, the second time i took it, i got 3 wrong and 0 omitted which is a 78% percentile. i would think that it would go much higher with 4 more correct....</p>

11

<p>its because you have more people to be compared with</p>

12

<p>Hmm.. Is there a significant increase in the number of student writing Jan exam than any other dates? I've never realized that though..
This time the average score in math section among grade 10 guys was really high.. It was like 720 or something lol</p>

13

<p>The percentile compares your score with all the other same sex and grade test takers over the last 3 years. 29% of these test takers got 8 or less wrong. 22% of test takers got 3 or less wrong. It's an uneven distribution with a large number of test takers in this top 22%.<br>
I don't know if they keep rolling in the 3 years of test takers with every test. Perhaps they do so there is a slight adjustment to the results from test to test. But even if they do, the results should not change drastically from test to test.<br>
It does seem unfair that you made a big improvement that didn't make such a big difference in the percentages.</p>

14

<p>"Is there a significant increase in the number of student writing Jan exam than any other dates?"
yes. its the last month/chance for most.</p>