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Exam Overview
The Secondary School Admission Test (SSAT) is a standardized admission test used by independent and private schools. It is developed and administered by The Enrollment Management Association (EMA). The Middle Level test is taken by students currently in grades 5 through 7 who are applying for admission to grades 6 through 8. It measures verbal, quantitative, and reading skills, and it includes an unscored writing sample that is sent to the schools that receive your scores.
Exam Pattern and Structure
The test has five multiple-choice sections and a writing sample. Three kinds of sections are scored: Quantitative (given as two separate 25-question sections), Reading, and Verbal. The writing sample and a short experimental section at the end are not scored. Every multiple-choice question has five answer choices, and calculators are not permitted.
Sectionsintest-Dayorder
Writing Sample
1 prompt
25 min
Choice of a creative story starter or a personal question; unscored, but a copy goes to schools
Break
—
10 min
—
Quantitative 1
25
30 min
Arithmetic, number sense, pre-algebra, geometry, measurement, and data
Reading
40
40 min
Main idea, details, inference, vocabulary in context, author's purpose and tone, and literary elements, based on fiction, poetry, and nonfiction passages
Break
—
10 min
—
Verbal
60
30 min
30 synonym questions and 30 analogy questions
Quantitative 2
25
30 min
The same math content as Quantitative 1
Experimental
16
15 min
Verbal, reading, and math questions being tried out for future tests; unscored
➜
➜
➜
➜
➜
25 min · unscored
25 Q · 30 min
40 Q · 40 min
60 Q · 30 min
25 Q · 30 min
16 Q · 15 min
Pacing by Section
The Verbal section moves fastest: 60 questions in 30 minutes leaves about 30 seconds per question, so vocabulary you know on sight is worth far more than vocabulary you have to puzzle out. The Reading section allows about a minute per question, but that time must also cover reading the passages.
Scoring
Each multiple-choice question is scored the same way: +1 point for a correct answer, −¼ point for a wrong answer, and 0 for a question left blank. The raw score for each section is then converted to a scaled score from 440 to 710. The total score is the sum of the Verbal, Quantitative, and Reading scaled scores and ranges from 1320 to 2130. Your score report also shows a percentile for each section, which compares your performance with that of other students in the same grade who have taken the SSAT over the past three years. There is no passing score; each school decides how it uses results.
Because a wrong answer costs a quarter point, a random
A sixth grader is compared only with other sixth graders. Many
guess on a five-choice question does not help on average. If
students answer fewer questions correctly than they would on
you can eliminate at least one choice with confidence, an
a classroom test and still earn strong percentiles.
educated guess becomes worthwhile.
Exam at a Glance
| ExamAspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Administeredby | TheEnrollmentManagementAssociation(EMA) |
| Whotakesit | Studentsingrades5–7applyingforadmissiontogrades6–8 |
| Questions | 167 multiple-choice questions (150 scored) each with five answer choices plus one writing sample , , |
| Time | About 3 hours 10 minutes including two 10 -minute breaks , |
| Calculator | Notpermitted exceptasanapprovedtestingaccommodation , |
| Scoring | Verbal Quantitative and Reading: 440–710 each; total 1320–2130; +1 correct −¼ wrong 0 omitted , , , , |
| Writingsample | 25minutes;chooseacreativestorystarterorapersonalquestion;unscoredandsenttoschools |
| Testingoptions | Paper-based Standard tests on scheduled Saturdays; Flex tests arranged through a school or an |
| educational consultant; computer-based tests at Prometric test centers; and SSAT at Home (U .S and . | |
| Canada) |
| ExamAspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Registrationfees | StandardorschoolFlex$177;SSATatHome$263;Prometric$250;Flexwithaneducational |
| (US/Canada) . . | consultant$272 |
| Retakes | You may take every Standard test date in a testing year and one Flex test; Prometric and at-home |
| attemptsarelimited | |
| Scorerelease | Withinaboutthreeweeksofthetestdate tothefamilyandtotheschoolsyouchoose , |
Why the SSAT Matters
Registering and Test Day
Register online through your SSAT account, choose a test format and date, and send scores to the schools on your list. For a paper-based test, bring your admission ticket, several sharpened No. 2 pencils with erasers, and a snack and water for the breaks; calculators, phones, and smartwatches are not allowed in the testing room. For a computer-based or at- home test, complete the technology check in advance and follow the proctoring rules exactly.
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