Getting into 9th Grade -- importance of SSAT scores

[Anonymous]

Are many kids getting 99th percentile on their SSAT scores? If they do get 99th percentile, how likely are they to get into some of these schools? How important are the SSAT scores to the schools?

[Anonymous]

My dd tanked on the SSAT but got into 10th grade on the waiting list in a 2nd tier school. I would say that grades were more important to this school -- dd had to bring them up in order to get accepted off the waiting list.

I don't know how important it is to the elite schools but I don't care. I don't get this obsession with the "big 3." DD got into the school she wanted and we've been very happy with it.

[Anonymous]

Reading this board, you would think that every other kid has 99th percentile scores. It's just too weird.

[Anonymous]

They're important, but so are their grades and test results from the school they're attending now. As in most things, the test scores are a factor, but not the only determining factor. By the way, the SSAT (and ISEE) are not like the tests for little kids. 99th percentile scores aren't as common.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Reading this board, you would think that every other kid has 99th percentile scores. It's just too weird.

You know that many of these kids have been coached from birth in some way or the other. Every toy has some academic twist. Lots of little question books form age 2, and so on. It is all some people have to hold onto.

[Anonymous]

Agree with 17:56 that the whole package is more important here and there is a real track record to go on for high school admissions. SSATs are a lot more like SATs (in fact the reports give you a predicted SAT score) so the percentiles are normalized. Also the SSAT population skews upwards since anyone taking it is applying to a private secondary school (my DC got an 81%ile on the SSATs but the national norms were in the mid to high 90's). At a recent Sidwell event I think they said that 85%+ was the norm on SSATs. ERB scores, if you do those, are also submitted as part of the application.

[Anonymous]

Thanks, all. I agree that there is much more to work with for older kids, such as teacher recommendations, etc. I was just curious about the average SSAT scores at various schools discussed on the board.

[Anonymous]

85% may be the SSAT norm at Sidwell, but they can and do dip much lower to get a rich & connected kid. And they have rejected 95% kids with great grades. I've seen both happen among my acquaintances.

[Anonymous]

So no magic cut-off points, along the lines of 86% or above and you're in.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:At a recent Sidwell event I think they said that 85%+ was the norm on SSATs. ERB scores, if you do those, are also submitted as part of the application.

Actually what's interesting about this to me is that Sidwell presumably has tons of 99th percentile kids applying to the upper grades -- notwithstanding the valid point that SSAT scores are more disperse than WPPSI scores, still the applicants are a pretty self-selected group of families that think they have a chance.

But if this is right, they don't choose to take just the highest-scoring kids. They are looking for something else besides, or in addition to, smarts or achievement (I think the SSAT is technically an achievement test as opposed to an IQ test). 85% is plenty smart, don't get me wrong. But if it's only about brains then the higher the better, no?

[Anonymous]

Just to clarify - I don't think they meant that 85%ile was the average - but that 85%ile or more is the range. Maybe i should have said 85% is the minimum.

[Anonymous]

My 7th grader got 99% across the board on the SSAT and was accepted to every top school to which she applied. Grades were also strong, but not perfect. I got the impression that these schools do not routinely see many 99s on this test.

[Anonymous]

"Actually what's interesting about this to me is that Sidwell presumably has tons of 99th percentile kids applying to the upper grades -- notwithstanding the valid point that SSAT scores are more disperse than WPPSI scores, still the applicants are a pretty self-selected group of families that think they have a chance. "


Sidwell cherry-picks its kids based on scores and parental power because they want to manipulate their final numbers: merit scholars and Ivy acceptances. Like the Ivies, they want to impress with their stats and change the world with their graduates; nurturing the lives of their students is only a secondary consideration.

[Anonymous]

Um, Sidwell (and other peer institutions) want to round out high school classes with actors, athletes, musicians and other talents that may not be present in the community.

Get over yourself.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My 7th grader got 99% across the board on the SSAT and was accepted to every top school to which she applied. Grades were also strong, but not perfect. I got the impression that these schools do not routinely see many 99s on this test.

That sounds about right based on our experience if the 99 was for an almost perfect scaled score and your daughter presents well in person. Posts on DCUM use 99th but don't distinguish between scaled score, percentile for test takers, and general including non SSAT takers in the same age-sex bracket.