SSAT
SSAT score ranges by school
I scored in the 93rd percentile and was admitted to all six schools I applied to. These bands are the ranges applicants generally aim for, gathered from public admissions conversations, not official school data.
| School type | Typical SSAT percentile | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Most selective boarding schoolsExeter, Andover, Choate, Hotchkiss, Lawrenceville, St. Paul'sAdmitted students commonly sit near the top of the percentile scale, but strong applicants are admitted below it every year when the rest of the application is exceptional. | 90th–99th percentile | Admitted students commonly sit near the top of the percentile scale, but strong applicants are admitted below it every year when the rest of the application is exceptional. |
| Highly selective day and boarding schoolsLoomis Chaffee, Peddie, Masters, SuffieldA wider band. Fit, interviews, and recommendations carry real weight here, and several of these schools are test-optional. | 75th–95th percentile | A wider band. Fit, interviews, and recommendations carry real weight here, and several of these schools are test-optional. |
| Selective independent day schoolsBerkeley Carroll, Packer, Brooklyn Friends, LémanScores are one signal among several. Local school context and demonstrated interest matter a great deal. | 60th–90th percentile | Scores are one signal among several. Local school context and demonstrated interest matter a great deal. |
| Test-optional applicationsAny school that has dropped the requirementIf you skip testing, strengthen the file elsewhere: a third teacher recommendation or a graded writing sample. | No score submitted | If you skip testing, strengthen the file elsewhere: a third teacher recommendation or a graded writing sample. |
How to read an SSAT score
- The SSAT is scored in percentiles against other students in your grade who took the test, not against the general population. A 75th percentile means you scored higher than 75% of that testing pool, which is already a strong group.
- Because the pool is self-selecting and competitive, a percentile that looks modest can still be a solid score.
- The SSAT penalizes wrong answers; the ISEE does not. That changes your guessing strategy on each test.
- Most schools accept either the SSAT or the ISEE, so choose the format that suits your strengths.
- Very few schools publish official admitted-student score data. Treat every published range, including this page, as guidance, and confirm requirements on each school's admissions page.