What Is the SSAT Test?

Students take the SSAT when applying for private middle and high schools.

SSAT stands for "Secondary School Admissions Test." Students take the test as part of the admissions and application process for private schools. These schools use the test to help determine which prospective students might fit in well.

History

In the 1950s, some independent private school admissions officers formed the Secondary School Admission Test Board to create a standardized testing system for private school admissions. According to the SSAT website, the admissions officers saw a need to have a standardized system of comparing student abilities, since grades from schools with different teaching systems were not necessarily comparable.

Function

According to the SSAT website, the SSAT evaluates a wide variety of academic skills to give prospective schools an idea of the student's abilities. The test has questions on verbal reasoning, vocabulary, logic, arithmetic, basic algebra, basic geometry and reading comprehension. It also asks students to give a writing sample.

Types

The SSAT comes in two versions. Students in grades 5 through 7 take the lower version and students in grades 8 through 11 take the upper version. Both versions consist of multiple-choice questions, except for the writing sample.

References

• SSAT: Taking the SSAT: About the Test
• SSAT: Test Information: About the Test