How important is SSAT for 9th grade admissions for a recruited athlete?

[Anonymous]

DS is an excellent student in 8th grade with an A+ average. He's also a very competitive athlete with D1 recruitment potential (some college coaches already know him). Pleasant kid overall, interviews and presents very well. He's applying to a few Big 5/Big 10 schools for 9th grade and some coaches at those schools have reached out personally saying that they would love to have him on their team. Here's the thing: Many of these schools require the SSAT and his score is VERY average (around the 50th percentile). He's gotten tutoring and is really trying but his score isn't going up past that. Would he still stand a chance at competitive schools or is that the kiss of death on a 9th grade application? We'd be full pay.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DS is an excellent student in 8th grade with an A+ average. He's also a very competitive athlete with D1 recruitment potential (some college coaches already know him). Pleasant kid overall, interviews and presents very well. He's applying to a few Big 5/Big 10 schools for 9th grade and some coaches at those schools have reached out personally saying that they would love to have him on their team. Here's the thing: Many of these schools require the SSAT and his score is VERY average (around the 50th percentile). He's gotten tutoring and is really trying but his score isn't going up past that. Would he still stand a chance at competitive schools or is that the kiss of death on a 9th grade application? We'd be full pay.

Depends on the sport and the school honestly. If basketball, no problem anywhere. You’d be definitely admitted. Other sports it would depend on how the school cares about the sport. But I would say odds are high for admission with that profile unless the sport is very niche.

[Anonymous]

It’s going to depend, but he likely has a good shot. Ask the coaches he’s being recruited by for their read on the situation, maybe.

Also, “big 10” isn’t a thing for DC-area private schools. People still argue about what constitutes the big 3-5. No one is going to agree on which are 6-10.

[Anonymous]

Niche has the National Cathedral School ranked 25th in the DC area.

[Anonymous]

I support testing, but it isn’t everything. My child was admitted to 4 GLADCHEMMS schools they applied to with a near 50th percentile score. Interestingly, they are doing incredibly well at one of those schools. It happens. Niche sport.

[Anonymous]

It’s one piece of the application, shouldn’t be a deal breaker.

Anecdotally, I have a now-D1 athlete who got into Holton (and others) with a bottom quartile test score. She was a top athlete, nice kid, well spoken, had one B grade, nice recommendations, and came from public school.

[Anonymous]

Athletes get a thumb on the scale. It will be fine.

[Anonymous]

wouldn't worry about it. I know plenty of non athletes who were admitted to top DC privates with similar scores.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I support testing, but it isn’t everything. My child was admitted to 4 GLADCHEMMS schools they applied to with a near 50th percentile score. Interestingly, they are doing incredibly well at one of those schools. It happens. Niche sport.

Is GLADCHEMMS a weird phone autocorrect or does it mean something in this context?

[Anonymous]

LOL! I was wondering the same and had to look it up too .

“ GLADCHEMMS is a popular pseudo word that is used to refer to an elite cadre of college-preparatory, private boarding schools dotted around the Northeast United States. The ten schools whose first initials comprise the portmanteau are considered to be the most prestigious and selective secondary high schools in the country. They have long been associated with the upper classes of American society and are commonly viewed as bastions of privilege.

The schools in question include: Groton; Lawrenceville; Andover; Deerfield; Choate; Hotchkiss; Exeter; Middlesex; Milton; and St. Paul’s. “

[Anonymous]

Keep in mind that his scores place him in the top half of kids taking the SSAT — in other words, a more competitive pool of kids who are seeking entry to private school. If this was a broader test, his scores would be higher. I wouldn’t worry too much about it. In the meantime, Test Innovators is a good online program.

[Anonymous]

If he’s recruited you are in good shape