SSAT score is in - disappointment

[Anonymous]

My DC test came in and the score is much lower than was expected, just a little above average (56% overall percentile). What schools can this child be realistically accepted. Presents really well during interview and recommendations will be glowing. Applying to 7th grade.

[Anonymous]

Is this the first standardized test you've had?

[Anonymous]

Sorry to hear about your DC's score. Unfortunately, I don't believe any schools mentioned on this forum that will accept your DCs score. The good thing is that you could still have him/her retake the test in January and submit them. From my understanding retesting is a common practice so if you really want to get them in I would try that. Also, if our child was having a bad day I would send a note to that effect(if those scores were submitted. If you decide to have them retake it I would hold off on sending the scores into the schools until you had a chance to see them. Also, review, review review. Especially those areas that they were weakest. Another alternative would be to look at some of the schools that have their own test or no admissions deadline (rolling). Hope that it works out for you. Remember if nothing else you can always try again in a year or two. Best of luck.

[Anonymous]

yes, it was DC's first attempt. For some reason DC omitted a lot of questions. Essay should be strong. Not a lot experience taking tests thanks to Montessori background.

What about a school like St. Andrews with that score?

Also the score has already been submitted. Would they look at a January score if the October score had already been received?

[Anonymous]

Yeah, the SSAT (Unlike the ISEE) will ding you for that. As far as what school's would accept a second set of score, that is subjective. My advice would be to call the schools that your DC was interested in and ask a general question about the schools policy on retesting for admissions. I don't have first hand knowledge of St. Andrew's but I found this information from a post on college confidential.

1)Boarding School Avg. SAT score
=========================

1. Thomas Jefferson 2150
2. Phillips Exeter 2085
3. Groton School 2080
4. Phillips Academy 2076
5. St. Paul's School 2075
6. Middlesex School 2070
7. Milton Academy 2065
8. Concord Academy 2040
9. Deerfield Academy 2020
10. The Hockaday School 2020
11. The Hotchkiss School 2013
12. Peddie School 2000
13. St. Andrew's School, 1999
14. Lawrenceville School 1998
15. Choate Rosemary Hall 1981
16. St. Mark's School 1970
17. Cate School 1970
18. The Thacher School 1970
19. Indian Springs 1965
20. Georgetown Preparatory 1950
21. The Loomis Chaffee 1945
22. The Taft School 1925
23. St. Stephen's Episcopal 1924
24. Episcopal High 1922
25. The Webb Schools 1920
26. Saint James School 1910
27. Oregon Episcopal 1910
28. Miss Porter's School 1908
29. St. George's School 1900
30. The Athenian School 1900
31. The Webb School 1894
32. Emma Willard School 1892
33. Cranbrook Schools 1891
34. The Masters School 1890
35. Santa Catalina 1886
36. Lustre Christian High 1885
37. Salem Academy 1880
38. Stevenson School 1880
39. Linden Hall 1860
40. Asheville School 1860
41. Dana Hall School 1854
42. Tabor Academy 1850
43. Westover School 1850
44. Miss Hall's School 1850
45. St. Anne's-Belfield 1848
46. Woodberry Forest 1847
47. The Stony Brook 1841
48. Hill School 1840
49. Saint Andrew's 1839
50. Mercersburg Academy 1830

2) Boarding School Avg. SSAT score
=========================

X. Florida Air Academy 1550% ( I think this is an error!)
1. Phillips Academy 93%
2. Milton Academy 90%
3. Groton School 90%
4. Georgetown Preparatory 90%
5. Deerfield Academy 88%
6. Middlesex School 87%
7. St. Andrew's School, 83%
8. The Hotchkiss School 83%
9. The Thacher School 83%
10. St. Mark's School 82%
11. The Taft School 82%
12. Lawrenceville School 81%
13. St. George's School 81%
14. Cate School 80%
15. Colorado Rocky Mountain 80%
16. Concord Academy 80%
17. St. Albans School 80%
18. Episcopal High 80%
19. The Loomis Chaffee 79%
20. Linden Hall 78%
21. Hill School 77%
22. The Governor's Academy
(formerly Governor Dummer 75%
23. Lake Forest Academy 74%
24. Kent School 73%
25. Indian Springs 70%
26. Peddie School 70%
27. Miss Porter's School 70%
28. Blair Academy 70%
29. CFS, The School at Church 70%
30. Westminster School 70%
31. Northfield Mount Hermon 67%
32. Stevenson School 67%
33. Westtown School 67%
34. Cranbrook Schools 66%
35. Woodberry Forest 66%
36. Holderness School 65%
37. Portsmouth Abbey 65%
38. Brooks School 65%
39. Lawrence Academy 65%
40. Emma Willard School 65%
41. Tabor Academy 65%
42. Canterbury School 64%
43. Pomfret School 62%
44. Dana Hall School 62%
45. Westover School 61%
46. Midland School 61%
47. The Ethel Walker 60%
48. Avon Old Farms 60%
49. Foxcroft School 60%

3) Acceptance Rate (In the reverse order -- higher acceptance rate first.)
The lower, the tougher to get in!
================================================== ======

1. Academy of the Holy 99%
2. Oakland School 95%
3. The King's Academy 95%
4. Hargrave Military 92%
5. Colorado Timberline 90%
6. Fenster School 90%
7. The Gow School 90%
8. Grand River Academy 90%
9. Randolph-Macon 86%
10. Leysin American School in Switzerland 85%
11. High Mowing School 85%
12. San Marcos Baptist 85%
13. Valley Forge Military 85%
14. Olney Friends School 85%
15. Oak Hill Academy 85%
16. Admiral Farragut 83%
17. Purnell School 83%
18. St. Johnsbury 83%
19. Fryeburg Academy 83%
20. Montverde Academy 82%
21. Foxcroft School 82%
22. Camden Military 80%
23. The Meeting School 80%
24. The Brook Hill 80%
25. Buffalo Seminary 80%
26. Squaw Valley Academy 80%
27. Florida Air Academy 80%
28. Andrews Osborne 80%
29. Riverside Military 80%
30. Howe Military School & Summer 80%
31. The Marvelwood 80%
32. Wasatch Academy 79%
33. Gould Academy 77%
34. Scattergood Friends 75%
35. Family First Academy 75%
36. Sedbergh School 75%
37. Ridley College 75%
38. Oldfields School 75%
39. Wayland Academy 75%
40. The Outdoor Academy 75%
41. Colorado Rocky Mountain 75%
42. Linden Hill School 75%
43. St. Thomas More 75%
44. Cardigan Mountain 74%
45. Army and Navy 73%
46. Saint John's Preparatory 73%
47. Fountain Valley School of 73%
48. St. Margaret's 72%
49. Miller School 72%
50. Cotter Schools 72%
51. The Kiski School 71%
52. Grier School 70%
53. Stuart Hall School 70%
54. Darlington School 70%
55. Monte Vista Christian 70%
56. The Forman School 70%
57. Oliverian School 70%
58. Lustre Christian High 70%
59. St. Catherine's Military 70%
60. Hillside School 70%
61. Lowell Whiteman 70%
62. The Greenwood School 70%
63. The Storm King 70%
64. Rabun Gap-Nacoochee 69%
65. North Country School 68%
66. Dublin School 68%
67. New York Military 68%
68. Hebron Academy 68%
69. Christ School 67%
70. Houghton Academy 67%
71. The Madeira School 66%
72. Woodberry Forest 66%
73. Idyllwild Arts 66%
74. Chatham Hall 65%
75. Midland School 65%
76. Blue Ridge School 65%
77. Dunn School 65%
78. Interlochen Arts 65%
79. Kimball Union 65%
80. Darrow School 65%
81. La Lumiere School 65%
82. Shattuck-St. Mary's 65%
83. Hyde-Bath 65%
84. Virginia Episcopal 65%
85. Subiaco Academy 65%
86. Woodside Priory School (The 65%
87. Ojai Valley School 64%
88. Wentworth Military Academy & 63%
89. Hyde-Woodstock 63%
90. Foxcroft Academy 62%
91. Stoneleigh-Burnham 60%
92. Rosseau Lake College 60%
93. The Winchendon 60%
94. Missouri Military 60%
95. Trinity Pawling 60%
96. Besant Hill School (Formerly Happy Valley 60%
97. Thomas Jefferson 60%
98. The Ethel Walker 60%
99. Southwestern Academy 60%
100. Villanova Preparatory 60%
101. Cushing Academy 60%
102. New Mexico Military 60%
103. Shawnigan Lake 60%
104. St. John's Northwestern Military 60%
105. Christchurch School 60%
106. St. Timothy's School 59%
107. Westtown School 59%
108. Western Reserve 58%
109. The MacDuffie School 57%
110. The Cambridge School of 57%
111. Flintridge Sacred Heart 57%
112. Cheshire Academy 56%
113. Portsmouth Abbey 55%
114. Garrison Forest 55%
115. The Knox School 55%
116. Fork Union Military 55%
117. Northwood School 55%
118. Wilbraham & Monson 55%
119. Westover School 55%
120. Oregon Episcopal 55%
121. The Webb School 55%
122. Perkiomen School 54%
123. Verde Valley School 54%
124. George School 53%
125. Lake Forest Academy 53%
126. Salem Academy 53%
127. Tilton School 52%
128. Pomfret School 52%
129. West Nottingham 52%
130. Brentwood College 50%
131. Fay School 50%
132. Vermont Academy 50%
133. Emma Willard School 50%
134. St. Anne's-Belfield 50%
135. Millbrook School 50%
136. The Gunnery 50%
137. Annie Wright School 50%
138. Hoosac School 50%
139. Tallulah Falls 50%
140. The Orme School of 50%
141. Bement School 50%
142. Lawrence Academy 50%
143. Holderness School 50%
144. Culver Academies 49%
145. Proctor Academy 48%
146. Avon Old Farms 48%
147. Northfield Mount Hermon 46%
148. South Kent School 46%
149. Miss Porter's School 46%
150. The White Mountain 45%
151. Asheville School 45%
152. Brewster Academy 45%
153. The Masters School 45%
154. Saint James School 44%
155. Kent School 44%
156. St. Stephen's Episcopal 44%
157. Miss Hall's School 43%
158. The Athenian School 43%
159. The Williston Northampton 43%
160. St. Andrew's School - 42%
161. Indian Springs 42%
162. Hawaii Preparatory 42%
163. The Webb Schools 42%
164. Cranbrook Schools 42%
165. Stevenson School 42%
166. The Stony Brook 41%
167. New Hampton School 40%
168. Brooks School 40%
169. Episcopal High 40%
170. St. Albans School 40%
171. Salisbury School 39%
172. The Pennington 39%
173. Dana Hall School 38%
174. Hill School 38%
175. Mercersburg Academy 37%
176. Berkshire School 36%
177. The Bolles School 35%
178. Canterbury School 35%
179. Concord Academy 34%
180. The Bishop Strachan 33%
181. The Loomis Chaffee 33%
182. Suffield Academy 32%
183. St. Andrew's School, 30%
184. The Governor's Academy
(formerly Governor Dummer 29%
185. CFS, The School at Church 29%
186 St. Mark's School 29%
187. St. George's School 28%
188. Milton Academy 28%
189. Cate School 27%
190. Middlesex School 25%
191. The Taft School 24%
192. Peddie School 24%
193. Choate Rosemary Hall 24%
194. Westminster School 23%
195. Georgetown Preparatory 23%
196. Lawrenceville School 22%
197. St. Paul's School 22%
198. Phillips Exeter 21%
199. The Hotchkiss School 20%
200. The Hockaday School 20%
201. The Thacher School 20%
202. Groton School 19%
203. Phillips Academy 17%
204. Deerfield Academy 16%

[Anonymous]

Last post here, it should be noted that these were taken from boarding school review and may not be as updated based on what posters from CC profess.

[Anonymous]

Wow - great data. thanks for posting.

OP - my older child took the SSATs in both November and December and scored 12 percetage points higher the second time. So definitely recommend retaking. You can probably do a late registration for the December test.

[Anonymous]

The OP here. Thanks for the replies. Should I start to panic? Should we apply to more schools to ensure acceptance to at least one decent school? St Andrews was our backup option but now I am doubting the chances of getting in anywhere at all.... Where do kids with this kind of result get in (I kind of know where they don't).

[Anonymous]

Again, the OP. The problem with retaking is the uncertainty. It is not clear if the schools would even look at the second set of results. The first results were submitted immediately. We should have known better and should have waited for the results before submitting. So with that uncertainty is it worth to put DC through the test prep and the actual test all over again?

[Anonymous]

They will certainly look at both scores. The apps aren't due until January so they aren't looking yet. I don't know for sure but i suspect the January test may be a little late. December is probably better. And if the second test is better maybe write a letter to the school highlighting that. How do the scores compare to ERBs, etc?

[Anonymous]

OP,
OP,

So you have already received your scores back from the Nov. test date? Did you opt to receive them via email or did they come regular mail?

I would definitely expand my alternatives if you really want your DC to go private this year. Also, if you plan to apply for FA some school may have waivers for the test so I would definitely inquire about one so that it won't come out of your pocket. FWIW, most of the ADs that I have spoken to in the past state that they are looking for a child that is well rounded so the SSAT may not be a deal breaker but I would still make a good faith effort to retest in Dec or Jan.

[Anonymous]

Not the OP, but we got email results yesterday from the November test.

[Anonymous]

I don't know if you are interested in going out of DC, but perhaps a Langley, Norwood, Green Hedges, Congressional, or other suburban K-8th grade school would be interested in them. Not only are they easier to get in than the Sidwell/GDS/etc in DC, but I would think there is less competition for 7th grade at a school that ends in 8th. And yet the middle schools are the best part of these schools, there are tons of leadership opportunities for 7th and 8th graders, and they usually work hard to get their 8th graders into good private schools for high school.

[Anonymous]

12:09 here,

Thanks. That timeline confirms what I was told previously. I opted not shell out for the email service since that was going to be a warm-up test for us. That being said my DC should get theirs before 12/03. Thanks for clarifying.

[Anonymous]

What schools are you interested in? I would advise to shoot for the schools you are interested in and NOT to dovetail your school choice by your child SSAT score on the first go around (just so you can say you are in private school) and a published list of mean SSAT values. In not sure whether the reported values are means but there is no range or variance reported about these averages. It is a fatal mistake, in my opinion, to pick schools based on these published mean SSAT scores!!

If your child is stellar in the other categories (grades, extracurricular activities, recommendations, writing samples, interview and other accomplishments ... published etc) screw the advice you are getting here and apply where he wants to go. Research the schools. visit with the schools and then decide where you want to apply on this basis. It will be obvious to the admission's committee that the SSAT is an outlier and he will have a chance to explain. At the very least you will get some feedback from the schools.