Fifth through eleventh graders often must take the Secondary School Admission Test (SSAT) as a requirement for admission into private secondary schools. There are two levels of the test—the middle test (grades 5-7) and the upper test (grades 8-11). The SSAT has three sections: a verbal section, a reading comprehension section, and a quantitative math section. In addition, each test includes a writing section. While the essay is not graded, it is included along with the test score in the report sent to the school.
- The math section consists of 2 parts each 25 questions and 30 minutes to complete.
- The verbal section consists of 30 synonym questions and 30 analogy questions, and takes 30 minutes to complete.
- The reading comprehension section consists of 40 questions regarding seven passages, and it takes 40 minutes to complete.
- You must write your essay within a 25-minute time frame.
Your SSAT score is based on the number of questions correct minus one-quarter point for each incorrect answer. Your raw SSAT scores are converted to scale scores for each section. Scores for the middle level test range from 440 to 710. Scores for the upper test range from 500 to 800.
Registration for the SSAT costs $127, and you can register online at www.ssat.org. You may take the test more than once if you wish. Tests normally begin at 9 a.m., and the total testing time spans 2 hours and 35 minutes.