<p>I admit to being totally confused with the scoring on the SSAT. My D’s overall score was an 80% or 2160 and I don’t know what this score means. I’ve read through the CC links and sometimes it seems everyone has 90+ therefore 80% is a weak score. But I’m not sure. I am just trying to get a perspective on this situation. Do they score 8th, 9th, and 10th grade students on different scales? What does the 2160 mean? Someone walk me through this. By the way I’ve read through the score report and think I understand but I get confused when I go to College Confidential.</p>
<p>The numeric score (2160) is her scaled score and has nothing to do with her age or gender. The percentile score is the one that is based on her cohort.</p>
<p>80%tile is not a weak score, not by any means; especially if the percentiles are evenly distributed across sections. If you are concerned, contact the schools that she is interested in and ask if they recommend a retake. They may very well assure you. She would certainly not be penalized for taking the test again. </p>
<p>Try to ignore what you see kids posting on here. Some of them just don’t “jive.” For instance, since all percentiles are based on the scaled scores (650 Verbal or 2160 composite), the overall percentile is NOT simply an average of the three components. Yet, I have seen postings like 96V 93R 95M = 95 Overall, when it would really be closer to 99. Even a relatively low math percentile is over 700 scaled score. So, a student could have a distribution of 97V 75M 85R and still have an overall of >95 because the curve is so steep on the math.</p>
<p>I’m not suggesting that anyone is misrepresenting their scores to puff themselves up or anything like that. Details like the breakdown of one’s SSAT scores can be an easy way to identify a student. Maybe that’s why I have noticed what I have.</p>
<p>SSAT scores are used to “corroborate” your academic records. They can help explain any possible grade inflaation/deflation at a wide range of middle school with all of which the adcoms may not be familiar. They also to a lesser degree show how the student handles formal tests under pressure and with time constraints, an indication of how well the student may do in the SAT test in the future. I suggest you first, consider whether your student NEEDS SSAT scores to strengthen her application (if she got good grades from a school known for its academic rigor then she probably doesn’t need SSAT scores to “prove” anything); second, look at the application pool she is competing for a spot in. What’s the average score? thirdly, do you want to just get in or do you want to stand out in every way so you can have a better chance - say for a scholarship? Those are some of the things you can consider in determining whether to have a re-take.</p>
<p>We met a student in a top school last week. He said that he took “six” SSAT and improved his percentile from 79 to 97. Maybe you can try one or two more time.</p>
<p>I have a question about this too-- I got (99) on verbal, (77) on math (though the score was over 700), (94) on reading, and 96 overall. Will the 77 really bog me down for exeter, andover, and the like? Or will the overall percentile be enough?</p>
<p>Wickedcrazy, I think your scores are fine for those schools. Andover’s average overall score this year was 94. My daughter had similar scores. She got into one and was waitlisted for the other. From what I’ve gathered, as long as you are in the ballpark (which you obviously are), the SSAT scores aren’t that significant.</p>
<p>Good. Thank you so much!</p>
<p>My kid got V93%, M99% and R99% for a total score of 99%
The funniest thing is that he has made one mistake in Math and still got 800 and made no mistakes in reading and got 794. Why is that?
Do they look at the total score mostly? His lowest was Verbal at 767 - 93%. Is it going to kill him?</p>
<p>No. His SSAT scores are good enough for any school.</p>
<p>Scores are fantastic. Grades are based on comparison to other students who wrote.</p>
<p>I got 95% overall ssat, im top 10 in nj for tennis top 50 in middle states for tennis, i’m QB for my football team and a play right wing for my hockey team. I have a’s/b’s, i’m on a mathcounts team, two robotics teams and play 3 instruments. Do I have a good chance of getting into schools like Exeter, Andover, Hotchkiss, Groton, Lawrenceville, and Deerfield is I do which school would be the best fit for me?</p>
<p>~dgl123</p>
<p>I think you have a good chance for all these schools. Of course, there is no garantee you will be accepted by every school, so you should apply to all of them and determine which one is the best fit after March 10, when you know what options you have. You will also have opportunities to revisit schools and talk to coaches etc. in more detail then.</p>
<p>Thanks Benley</p>
<p>Many schools have updated boardingschoolreview.com with their 2009 admission cycle info. The average SSAT scores as reported by schools seem to have increased from previous years. </p>
<p>Andover: 93%
Exeter: 91%
Milton: 90%
Groton: 90%
Deerfield 88%
Middlesex 87%
Hotchkiss 83%</p>
<p>I’m surprised that Hotchkiss has an 83% average. Hotchkiss seems like a great school anyway.</p>
<p>Of course. Only great schools could make to my list. 
And,
St. Andrews (DE): 83%
Thacher: 83%
Lawrenceville: 81%
Cate: 80%</p>
<p>I was just wondering how accurate The Princeton review practice test is. Obviously performance varys on the day of the test but in general did you find that your real test results were similar to your Princeton Review one?</p>
<p>dgl123, although the SSAT scores at Hotchkiss now average 83%, they averaged the prior reporting period 93%. Why the drop and what does THS plan to do, if anything, to address this sharp decline? Who knows? Still, as you note, Hotchkiss is a great school. My son enrolled there this semester, and the school has exceeded my family’s highest expectations.</p>
<p>Not on boardingschoolreview but reported by the school is SPS’s '09 average SSAT: 86%.</p>
<p>I just got my SSAT scores and got a 2184.
I am an 8th grader.
Do I have a chance to get into Andover?
Verbal 722
Math 767
Reading 695</p>