%201-p-500.webp)
The premier private high school admission test for students currently in grades 8–11 (students may test up or down), available in paper and Prometric testing worldwide and the SSAT at Home in the United States and Canada. Accommodations and fee waivers are also available.
%202-p-500.webp)
The SSAT testing options vary depending on the student's grade and location. Selecting the right test method for your child often comes down to comfort level and convenience.
Please note: SSAT test availability is based upon the student's physical location on test day, not their current location or home address. For example, a student living in the United States that travels to Germany cannot take the SSAT at Home while in Germany. The testing year that defines the maximum number of SSAT tests students can take runs from August 1 through July 31. Contact info@ssat.org if you have questions.
%202-p-500.webp)
Click on the items below to learn more about the content in each section of the Upper Level SSAT. Please note that the allotted time for each section may vary for students with approved testing accommodations.
*Students taking a paper SSAT in a room with other testers must sit for the entire time allotted to each section. Students in all other testing modes, or those taking a paper SSAT alone, may end a section before the time expires.
Students have 25 minutes to write an essay, choosing between a personal or general question prompt. Writing samples aren't scored, but they are provided to the schools that you opt to receive the SSAT score report, helping them assess the student's writing abilities. Parents may obtain a copy of the writing sample as a separate purchase.
Students are allotted two ten-minute breaks.
Students aren't permitted to use calculators in this section.
After reading each passage, students are asked about its content or the author's style, intent, or point of view. The SSAT uses two types of writing: narrative, which includes excerpts from novels, poems, short stories, or essays; and argument, which presents a definite point of view about a subject.
Reading passages come from:
Questions related to the passage ask students to:
The verbal section asks students to identify synonyms and interpret analogies. Synonym questions test a student's vocabulary strength, while analogy questions measure the ability to logically relate ideas to each other.
Synonyms are words with the same or nearly the same meaning as another word. For example, fortunate is a synonym for lucky, tidy is a synonym for neat, and difficult is a synonym for hard. Synonym questions ask students to choose the answer word with a meaning similar to the prompt word.
Analogies are comparisons between two things with similarities. These comparisons play an important role in improving problem-solving and decision-making skills, perception and memory, communication and reasoning skills, and reading and vocabulary. Analogies help students process information actively, make important decisions, and improve understanding and long-term memory. Considering these relationships stimulates critical and creative thinking.
The experimental section quality tests future SSAT questions to ensure they are reliable, secure, and acceptable.
%202-p-500.webp)
The Official SSAT Practice Materials from the assessment team that creates the SSAT include Online Practice and Guide Books. Both have four full-length practice tests mirroring the SSAT experience. Get started with the free online Mini-Practice Test to identify where to focus studying.
Learn the best strategies for improving SSAT test scores with advice from the organization that created the SSAT.
Is it good to guess on the SSAT? These pointers from the creator of the SSAT will help you better understand when guessing can help or hurt SSAT scores.
Did you know that standardized test stress can impact performance? Learn how to help your child stay in the right frame of mind for the SSAT.
