When can you declare SSAT victory?

[Anonymous]

DS is 8th Grader, just got SSAT results (did early test). Pretty good, I hope. Quant:97% Verbal:92% Reading: 94%

The goal was to get tests done before the big homework and fall activity load kicked in.

We want to make sure he have a bunch of good options to select from. He is travel soccer, 5:30 miler, and 24th in the country in his "specialty" sport.

I think he has done enough to let him have "A list" school options, and think that retesting will be diminishing returns at this point.

For parents who are a chapter or to ahead of us, in terms of the whole high school experience, is it reasonable to allow him to stand down, and enjoy his last middle school year?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DS is 8th Grader, just got SSAT results (did early test). Pretty good, I hope. Quant:97% Verbal:92% Reading: 94%

The goal was to get tests done before the big homework and fall activity load kicked in.

We want to make sure he have a bunch of good options to select from. He is travel soccer, 5:30 miler, and 24th in the country in his "specialty" sport.

I think he has done enough to let him have "A list" school options, and think that retesting will be diminishing returns at this point.

For parents who are a chapter or to ahead of us, in terms of the whole high school experience, is it reasonable to allow him to stand down, and enjoy his last middle school year?

Are you finished patting yourself on the back? Go soak your head in a bucket.

[Anonymous]

DS was 20th in the country in his "specialty sport." He started to hate it and dropped it. Just saying.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DS is 8th Grader, just got SSAT results (did early test). Pretty good, I hope. Quant:97% Verbal:92% Reading: 94%

The goal was to get tests done before the big homework and fall activity load kicked in.

We want to make sure he have a bunch of good options to select from. He is travel soccer, 5:30 miler, and 24th in the country in his "specialty" sport.

I think he has done enough to let him have "A list" school options, and think that retesting will be diminishing returns at this point.

For parents who are a chapter or to ahead of us, in terms of the whole high school experience, is it reasonable to allow him to stand down, and enjoy his last middle school year?

Those are great, highly competitive scores. No need to pursue better. Also reach out to the coaches in his sport at the schools you are interested in.

With scores that high, schools will expect to see very strong grades and recommendations, so hopefully he is still engaged and doing well in the classroom.

[Anonymous]

Congrats. The SSAT box is checked. More prep to get the scores up a couple more percentiles will do absolutely nothing to improve his admission odds. If his recommendations and grades are as strong, he'll be a competitive applicant at any of the local private schools or St. Grottlesex boarding schools. Just don't assume he'll get admitted to at any single school.

[Anonymous]

Thanks - appreciate the advice!

[Anonymous]

He should do fine. It really depends on the year and the number of slots a given school has. For example, my child graduated from Princeton but didn't get into NCS.

[Anonymous]

OP, your child is highly identifiable by your post. I don't know if you posted anything that could come back to hurt you (except that you do come off as braggy) but you should be aware of this sort of thing in the future. Admissions people do read DCUM.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DS is 8th Grader, just got SSAT results (did early test). Pretty good, I hope. Quant:97% Verbal:92% Reading: 94%

The goal was to get tests done before the big homework and fall activity load kicked in.

We want to make sure he have a bunch of good options to select from. He is travel soccer, 5:30 miler, and 24th in the country in his "specialty" sport.

I think he has done enough to let him have "A list" school options, and think that retesting will be diminishing returns at this point.

For parents who are a chapter or to ahead of us, in terms of the whole high school experience, is it reasonable to allow him to stand down, and enjoy his last middle school year?

Please tell me this is a parody post. Who talks like this?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DS is 8th Grader, just got SSAT results (did early test). Pretty good, I hope. Quant:97% Verbal:92% Reading: 94%

The goal was to get tests done before the big homework and fall activity load kicked in.

We want to make sure he have a bunch of good options to select from. He is travel soccer, 5:30 miler, and 24th in the country in his "specialty" sport.

I think he has done enough to let him have "A list" school options, and think that retesting will be diminishing returns at this point.

For parents who are a chapter or to ahead of us, in terms of the whole high school experience, is it reasonable to allow him to stand down, and enjoy his last middle school year?

Well, in all honestly, my child did better than that on the SSAT, but I never thought (or perhaps knew better) to discuss it with anyone. Indeed, your child sounds quite accomplished, and I think that you know that also in your heart of hearts. My advice to you, having older children as well, is to not get so very caught up on how your child measures compared to others, or to some objective standard you think that he will need to achieve in order to attend a Big 3, or H/Y/P/S, or be a great success in life. That will never make you, or him, happy. I wish your son the best in his high school search, although it does not sound like he has much to worry about.

[Anonymous]

OP, I agree with 19:06 -- right on the money. Admission to private high schools have to do with much more than SSAT scores -- that's just one piece and probably not the most important for most kids. The other things you mention will be much more valuable than trying to boost SSAT scores by a few percentiles. And to add another dimension to the thoughtful post above, if for some reason you child does not get into his or your high school of choice, take heart. If down the road his goal is a H/Y/P/S/ type school and he has the ability, he has just as good of a chance of finding his way there from another path (e.g., and another high school) -- which is exactly what my DC did. Good luck.

[Anonymous]

I call troll... Ridiculous post.

[Anonymous]

Breath of fresh air, 19:06. I have older kids too, and honestly, it puts all of this in perspective. Thanks for your great post!

[Anonymous]

OP - Do not under any circumstances let him stand down during his 8th grade year. Doing so could imperil his admission to H/Y/P as well as his invitation to join the most exclusive secret societies and eating clubs at the aforesaid institutions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP - Do not under any circumstances let him stand down during his 8th grade year. Doing so could imperil his admission to H/Y/P as well as his invitation to join the most exclusive secret societies and eating clubs at the aforesaid institutions.

True... you need to keep your foot on the accelerator and keep the pressure on. Do you think HYP just happens? If he's 24th in the country in his "special" sport that means there's 23 kids better than him - NOT ACCEPTABLE. You need to helicopter the shit out of that. Do you think I'm joking here? Childhood is not a fucking joke - this is serious business.