Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:SSAT really only helps if you get in the 90th %.

....aaaaaand that is just not true. The most competive/rigorous of the area privates, basically Sidwell and STA/NCS, want to see everything above (approx.) the 80%, the rest of the schools are more flexible by a matter of degrees on a sliding scale as the competitiveness/rigor decreases.

That's complete and total BS. Sure, lots of applicants get into those two plus GDS with 80%+---AND lots of applicants with those scores get rejected/waitlisted. I'm sure that it's a lower admit percentage with lower scores, but I can absolutely confirm that there are kids admitted to the Big Three with below 50% on everything---and with no hooks. My DC is one (applied to and admitted to two of the three) and the admissions officers at both schools said that DC is definitely not alone (when after the admissions letters came out, we asked whether DC could be successful there, in light of scores). Now a junior with a a 3.4.

Good scores are always better than bad scores, but if a school wants your DC, they will take your DC regardless of scores. And if the school doesn't want your DC, 99% still won't be enough.

But this 80% minimum bit is nothing more than a dcurbanmom urban legend.

Anonymous wrote:SSAT really only helps if you get in the 90th %.

....aaaaaand that is just not true. The most competive/rigorous of the area privates, basically Sidwell and STA/NCS, want to see everything above (approx.) the 80%, the rest of the schools are more flexible by a matter of degrees on a sliding scale as the competitiveness/rigor decreases.

Anonymous wrote:OP here, we completely scrapped the SSAT. DC took the ISEE at Prometrics in Bethesda and did really well!! I think what really helped was DC not having to think about answering vs not answering questions when there was uncertainty (and having points subtracted for incorrect answers). It may have also helped that we worked it around our schedule- didn't have to wake up super early, wasn't surrounded by lots of other nervous test takers, took the test on a computer rather than pencil and paper. It made a HUGE difference!!

Congrats, OP. I mean that sincerely. You are a rational and thoughtful parent to take as much stress out of the process as possible and I'm sure your kid appreciates that. Well done.

OP here, we completely scrapped the SSAT. DC took the ISEE at Prometrics in Bethesda and did really well!! I think what really helped was DC not having to think about answering vs not answering questions when there was uncertainty (and having points subtracted for incorrect answers). It may have also helped that we worked it around our schedule- didn't have to wake up super early, wasn't surrounded by lots of other nervous test takers, took the test on a computer rather than pencil and paper. It made a HUGE difference!!

OP, what did you do? hire a tutor? retest? good luck!!!

SSAT really only helps if you get in the 90th %.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So we have an anxious kid who is pretty smart and what the unpreped for ssat scores showed us was that we needed more testing...she got into 3 of the 4 schools she applied to waitlisted at 4th (which was not a great fit b/c of pressure) but she could not finish the test in the allotted time.

What kind of scores did she get?

+1. Our kid had a similar profile and just tested unprepped.
Now I'm nervous.
How do yours do after all?

BTW, did not attend - Big 3 not actually a good fit for such a DC -- too intense and studious for a kid who is a great student, but also needs a lot of physical exercise and creative time. Now at Mercersburg - boarding school - which has a very modern curriculum and loving school and life.

Nope - zero connections, no donations. DC was very good athlete, but that supposedly does not matter in Big 3 ....particularly for girls.

Anonymous wrote:DC got into Big 3 for middle school with a 50th percentile SSAT score. A friend's DC got in with 30th percentile score. The test doesn't matter as much as your child's personality and talents (whether friendliness, sports, curiosity, community-mindedness, musical talents, etc.)

And maybe you pledged a big donation to the school, or have connections there?

Don't beat yourself up. Unless you pay a lot just stick with the courses that most schools offer.

Anonymous wrote:So we have an anxious kid who is pretty smart and what the unpreped for ssat scores showed us was that we needed more testing...she got into 3 of the 4 schools she applied to waitlisted at 4th (which was not a great fit b/c of pressure) but she could not finish the test in the allotted time.

What kind of scores did she get?

So we have an anxious kid who is pretty smart and what the unpreped for ssat scores showed us was that we needed more testing...she got into 3 of the 4 schools she applied to waitlisted at 4th (which was not a great fit b/c of pressure) but she could not finish the test in the allotted time.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DS bombed - big time - the SSAT. Admissions at the school we were looking at said it's much better to take the ISEE.

Did they say why the ISEE is better?

The ISEE was better for my somewhat anxious DD because she didn't have to think about skipping questions to avoid point deduction. With so many answer choices on the SSAT that are designed to confuse, it became to stressful for her. What PP said about the ISEE being more like tests younger children are used to taking is spot on. DD felt much more comfortable with this test. Being able to easily take it online at a testing center was another plus. I can choose the day and time (don't have to wake her up early to be at the testing center at 8:00).

Also, the material was so hard for my 5th grader (the youngest grade level on the Middle level SSAT). They have to make the material a bit challenging for the 7th graders while we know they're only compared to their same grade peers, it was frustrating and a bit demoralizing for DD for there to be SO MUCH she didn't know on the test. I'm VERY happy that the schools to which DD is applying accepts both.

DC got into Big 3 for middle school with a 50th percentile SSAT score. A friend's DC got in with 30th percentile score. The test doesn't matter as much as your child's personality and talents (whether friendliness, sports, curiosity, community-mindedness, musical talents, etc.)