If there is a commitment to higher test results, and a plan put in place, then things should work out.
We have 2 kids in BS, and another one applying. They all did or are doing a fair amount of SSAT Prep. They have scored very well, but when they did their tests “cold” as assessment tests to see what they needed to work on, their scores were lower. We are talking 10-15 minutes a day, several days a week, from March-August. It’s not just about learning math concepts or word lists, it’s also about how to take the test in a compressed period of time. Practice truly helps.
Some parents here on CC will tell you their kid did extremely well without any practice or studying at all. I am sure that is true. However, in our experience, every single kid we know has prepped for the SSAT. This includes practice tests and studying. It helps with time management, test taking “tricks”, seeing the same type of question in practice, stress management. It also helps with vocabulary building. Yes, some kids have well developed vocabularies, but there is nothing wrong with adding a bunch of new words, or understanding the secondary meaning of various words, by reviewing word lists.
Many (most?) private schools provide SSAT preparation as part of their program. Our school preps 7th grade kids from Feb-June, and in the summer as well. Kids applying from Asia, who can represent 5-20% of BS classes, are known to do extensive test prep. Can be courses, tutors, or books, or online, or a combo.
It’s just not a level playing field unless you do some test prep. Don’t worry yet, kids can literally add 20-40 percentile points with preparation, and hours per day for months isn’t required. 10-15 minutes a day, several days a week, working on a few math problems, word lists, reading passages can really help.
Best of luck.