SSAT Exam Curriculum

The SSAT (Secondary School Admission Test) is a standardized admission test used by private and independent schools across the U.S. and Canada, administered by the Enrollment Management Association (EMA), a nonprofit organization. Unlike MOEMS or Math Kangaroo, the SSAT is a genuine admissions test: schools use scores, alongside grades, essays, and interviews, to evaluate applicants and, in some cases, to help place incoming students into appropriately leveled classes. There are three levels based on the grade a student is currently in: Elementary Level for grades 3 and 4, Middle Level for grades 5 through 7, and Upper Level for grades 8 through 11. Students typically take the level matching their current grade when applying to the next school year. Because it's used specifically for private/independent school admissions (not public school placement), it matters most for families applying to independent day or boarding schools.

The Elementary Level SSAT has 5 sections (Quantitative, Verbal, Reading, a picture-prompt Writing Sample, and an unscored Experimental section) and runs about 2 hours 5 minutes including one break. The Middle and Upper Levels have 6 sections (a Writing Sample, two Quantitative sections, Reading, Verbal, and an unscored Experimental section) and run about 3 hours 5 to 10 minutes including two breaks, depending on paper or computer format. Scoring differs by level. On the Elementary Level, students earn 1 point per correct answer with no penalty for wrong answers. On the Middle and Upper Levels, students earn 1 point per correct answer, lose a quarter point per incorrect answer, and lose nothing for a skipped question, so random guessing carries some risk on the harder levels. Scaled scores range from 900 to 1800 for Elementary, 1320 to 2130 for Middle, and 1500 to 2400 for Upper Level. Rather than a simple percentage, results are also reported as a percentile compared to other first-time test-takers over the past three years, which is the number admissions offices tend to focus on most.

The SSAT's Quantitative (math) sections test arithmetic, pre-algebra, basic algebra (linear and quadratic patterns, slopes and intercepts), and geometry (area, perimeter, volume, coordinate geometry, properties of triangles and circles), generally at or slightly above the test-taker's current grade level. Reading and Verbal sections test vocabulary and comprehension, and the Writing Sample is unscored but sent to schools as a writing sample. Because the Quantitative sections are timed at 30 minutes for 25 questions each (about 72 seconds per question) with a wrong-answer penalty on Middle and Upper Levels, students benefit from practicing under real timed conditions and learning to skip rather than guess wildly on questions they're unsure of. Most families start preparing 1 to 3 months before the test date, working through official SSAT practice materials (the Official Guide or Official Practice Online), reviewing every incorrect answer, and building comfort with showing work on paper instead of trying to do calculations in their head, since the format rewards careful, methodical solving over speed alone.