SSAT

Topics: Our Philosophy | About the SSAT | Lower Level SSAT
Upper Level SSAT | Should I Prep?

Our Philosophy
Cardinal Education administers a diagnostic practice test to every student before beginning tutoring. This allows us to assess strengths and weaknesses, get a baseline score, and develop an individualized tutoring plan for each student. Tutoring sessions typically last 1-1.5 hours and are held 1-2 times a week; we adapt the schedule to fit your student’s particular needs, goals, and timeline. All of our sessions are 1-on-1 tutoring, which we have found to be the most successful way to motivate and raise students’ scores. All Cardinal Education test prep tutors are highly trained specialists, who not only know the best way to do each problem, but can also explain the nuances of the test in a way that your child will understand. Students complete significant amounts of homework outside of the tutoring session and come in for multiple proctored practice tests, so they attain mastery of our nuanced strategies through rigorous practice and are prepared for the difficulty of the test. The SSAT covers concepts that many students have forgotten or have never seen before, which is why such an extensive amount of preparation is required. Contact us today to schedule a diagnostic test and get started.

About the SSAT
The SSAT is another widely accepted entrance exam for private schools in the Bay Area. It may be taken more than once and is a good supplement to the ISEE. We suggest beginning test prep during the summer or early fall before the SSAT. The SSAT is broken down into five sections: two Quantitative Math sections, a Verbal Section, a Reading Comprehension Section, and an essay. The essay is not scored but is sent to the school as an additional writing sample. The multiple choice sections all have five answer options as opposed to the ISEE’s four answer options. Wrong answers are counted against the score. There are two levels for the SSAT, which are explained in more detail below. Since math comprises nearly half the test, and students are able to make huge strides in the math sections with just a few months of prep, Cardinal Education has developed its own comprehensive math workbook designed to address the specific problems on the SSAT. We typically suggest students take the SSAT as a warm-up to the ISEE. The SSAT score serves as a supplement to the ISEE score or as a backup in case of illness or a family emergency.

Lower Level SSAT
The Lower Level SSAT is for 5th-7th graders applying to 6th-8th grades. STAR test results are generally a poor indicator of how a student will do on the LL SSAT because the SSAT is a far more difficult test. It is critical that test preparation starts early for the LL SSAT since each school has a unique curriculum and covers different topics at different times of the year.

Math: The math sections of the Lower Level SSAT cover concepts up to and including area, volume, percentages, and proportions. Many school curriculums have not yet taught these topics, so practice with these new, unfamiliar problems types is especially important.

Reading Comprehension: Students must read and answer questions about several passages in the reading section. The questions are designed to assess whether a student can identify main ideas, make inferences, and follow a logical organization. Cardinal Education’s Directed Reading and Writing Program teaches students to read analytically and develop strong writing skills.

Verbal: The Verbal section asks students 30 synonym questions, followed by 30 analogy questions, which are a new and difficult question type for most students. We incorporate an extensive vocabulary regimen as part of our test prep program, and prepare students to approach analogy questions strategically.

Upper Level SSAT
The Upper Level SSAT is for 8th-11th graders applying to high schools. The Upper Level SSAT covers many of the same concepts as the Upper Level ISEE. It is also the first time students have to face a guessing penalty, making it a far more difficult test than anything that 8th grade students have ever encountered before. Start prep early to ensure your student performs to her potential.

Math: The math sections of the SSAT cover math through mid-level algebra and geometry. Both sections have a mix of word problems, data analysis, and computational problems strewn throughout the math sections. Topics such as percent change, algebraic expressions, and exponents are typical problem types.

Reading Comprehension: Students must read and answer questions about several passages in the reading section. The questions are designed to assess whether a student can rapidly identify main ideas, make inferences, and follow the logical organization of a lengthy passage. Cardinal Education’s Directed Reading and Writing Program teaches students to read analytically and develop strong writing skills.

Verbal: The Verbal section asks students 30 synonym questions, followed by 30 analogy questions. We incorporate an extensive vocabulary regimen as part of our test prep program, and prepare students to approach analogy questions strategically.

SSAT
	Lower Level	Upper Level
Essay	1 prompt, 25 minutes	1 prompt, 25 minutes
Quantitative	25 questions, 30 minutes	25 questions, 30 minutes
Reading	40 questions, 40 minutes	40 questons, 40 minutes
Verbal	60 questions, 30 minutes	60 questions, 30 minutes
Quantitative	25 questions, 30 minutes	25 questions, 30 minutes
Total	2 hours 35 minutes	2 hours 35 minutes

Does your child need to prep for the SSAT?
The makers of standardized tests will always insist that their tests are impossible to prepare for, while the schools that accept test scores will, if asked, discourage students from preparing for the test. Our results prove that with the right preparation regimen, students can master the skills needed to succeed on standardized tests. Even students who have always achieved A’s in school and high marks on STAR testing receive poor or mediocre scores on our diagnostic SSAT test. As we have mentioned before, the SSAT is a difficult test that puts severe time constraints on students, tests them on complex concepts, and presents questions in unique formats. Through our comprehensive math, reading, and vocabulary programs, students of all levels are able to improve their scores significantly.

To find out more about how our students have fared in the past, check out our results. Contact us today to arrange a diagnostic practice test and find out your student’s current test score.