What sets your materials apart?
We are partners with EMA, makers of the SSAT, so we host the official SSAT practice content. Our practice tests are the most accurate on the market, and our diagnostics and score reports provide actionable insights on how your child can best prepare for test day. Each year, we circle back with the thousands of test takers who used our materials to ensure that our practice tests are true to the official SSAT.
What do I get when I buy an SSAT practice test package?
All of our packages include at least one full-length SSAT practice test, and all of our tests feature the same number of questions as on the official SSAT. Our tests are available both through our online testing system and as printable PDFs.
Each package also includes access to our online scoring system. If your child takes a test online, you receive scores and diagnostic feedback immediately. If he or she takes a printed test, you can enter your student's answers into our online scoring system to receive complete diagnostic feedback and normative score report. We also include explanations for every single practice question.
Our Scholar and Valedictorian packages include more practice tests, plus a supplemental document with extra essay prompts.
What types of questions will my student see on the SSAT?
The Middle Level SSAT and Upper Level SSAT exams have five sections: two math-based (Quantitative sections) and three language-based (Verbal, Reading, and a Writing Sample section). The Quantitative section is split into two 30-minute parts with the Reading and Verbal sections sandwiched between. Each of our practice tests includes all five sections. The Elementary Level SSAT exam has four sections: one math-based (Quantitative section) and three language-based (Verbal, Reading, and a Writing Sample section).
What does SSAT stand for?
SSAT stands for Secondary School Admission Test. Though its name is similar, the test is not associated with the SAT, which students take for college admissions. The SSAT is a test taken by students applying to independent day schools and boarding schools in North America.
Originally – as the name suggests – the test was designed for students applying to secondary school programs, but there are now versions of the test for students applying to grades 4 through 12. The three exam levels are determined by the grade level that students are applying for: the Middle Level SSAT is for students looking to apply for grades 6 through 8, the Upper Level SSAT is for students looking to gain admission into grades 9 through 12. The Elementary Level SSAT, a more recent addition to the SSAT catalog, is for youngsters looking to enter in 3rd or 4th grade.
Which test level is right for my student?
The SSAT has three levels. The Elementary Level SSAT test is taken by students applying to 4th or 5th grade. The Middle Level SSAT test is taken by students applying to 6th through 8th grade. The Upper Level SSAT test is taken by students applying to 9th through 12th grade.
How do I receive the materials I purchase?
All of our materials are immediately available as soon as you purchase. Each practice test can be taken using our online test-taking system, which provides a full scoring and diagnostic report, and we also provide printable versions of each test. You can access those, as well as the Essay Prompt document (if included with your purchase), from your Dashboard.
We do not mail anything to your physical address.
Should my student take practice tests online or on paper?
We recommend that students take at least one practice test in each format. When your child takes an online practice test, they will receive critical feedback about time management. We've seen super-smart students receive low scores on the SSAT simply because they did not know how much time to spend on each question, or because they ran out of time.
It is also critical for students to gain familiarity with the format they will see on test day, so we recommend that students take at least two practice tests in the same format that they will be taking the actual test.
How does my student get scores and diagnostic feedback if they take the practice test on paper?
You can input your student’s answers into our online system to receive immediate diagnostic results and a normative score report based on data from thousands of other test takers. The last page of the printed test will have step-by-step instructions on how to input your student's answers.
How accurately do your practice tests represent the real SSAT?
Our team is made up of tutors and educators who have been prepping students for the SSAT for a combined 40 years. By aggregating countless resources, including extensive feedback from students who recently took real test, our writers have come up with the most authentic SSAT practice tests available anywhere.
How does the tutor consultation work?
The consultation is a 20-minute, parent-focused chat with one of our prep specialists. During the call, the specialist will review your student’s progress in the context of their goals and provide recommendations for a tutoring or class plan that would best fit their needs.