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What’s a 2100 on the SSAT equate to in terms of Percentiles?

We are regularly asked “is xyz score good enough for abc top boarding school?”  First off, the boarding schools are operating off of percentiles and not a gross score.  Your 1998 may look good overall, but it actually only equates to a 47% Percentile as an 8th grade boy.  It’s a 53% Percentile as the opposite sex in the same grade.

SSAT Percentile Examples for 8th Grade Girls

  • 2004 Total Score = 55% Percentile*
  • 2049 Total Score = 65% Percentile*
  • 2094 Total Score = 75% Percentile*
  • 2145 Total Score = 85% Percentile*
  • 2226-2244 Total Score = 95% Percentile*
  • 2295+ Total Score = 99% Percentile*

SSAT Percentile Examples for 8th Grade Boys

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What SSAT Scores are Needed for Admissions into the The Hotchkiss School in Connecticut?

SSAT Scores for Top Boarding School Programs

As you can see from our ranking of the Top 25 Boarding Schools, Hotchkiss ranks towards the top.  As a result, you can already estimate that it would require a very high score on the boarding/Independent school exam to be considered into the top program.  If you want to see our recommendations, skip below for SSAT scores guidance and ignore the news that the top private school recently shared.

“As a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, the school has decided to give: 

We appreciate that many applicants will complete some form of standardized testing and will want to include these results with their applications, which we will continue to welcome. In parallel, however, we are aware that the pandemic has made it significantly more challenging for many students to register and sit for administered tests. Some students may also face technology barriers to testing at home.

It is our belief that standardized testing is only one component of a student’s application. Assessing whether or not a young person will be a good fit with the Hotchkiss community relies on the broader context of each student’s academic and lived experience, and we do not want testing to be a barrier to entry for talented young people. Therefore, our application process will be test optional for the coming admission cycle.

Students are welcome to submit SSAT or ISEE, but they will not be required. Students who are unable to take the SSSAT or ISEE, or who choose not to submit their scores, will not be disadvantaged in the application process.“

Now, does that mean everyone should simply ignore the exam?

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lawrenceville campus

What SSAT scores can get you into The Lawrenceville School?

In most of our estimates, we identify it’s very rare that the school itself tells us exactly what their SSAT requirements are.  However, for Lawrenceville, we have several estimates straight from the top boarding school’s website and recent past publications of the school.

Straight from their admissions pages, they answer the question: What is your SSAT score average? Read more

Getting a Perfect Verbal Score on the SSAT – 8th graders

Just a quick reminder that boys and girls score differently.  As a result, we’ll share what it takes to score well for each gender specifically.  In the following, you’ll find what raw score it takes to score from 80% to 99% (a “perfect score” on the SSAT) on the verbal section of the SSAT.  Basically, you’ll learn how many questions out of the 60 possible questions on the Upper Level of the SSAT are needing to be correct.

SSAT Raw to Percentile Scores Calculator – Female 8th Grade

8th grade girls raw to percentile charts

99% Verbal Score Cutoff for Girls

In order to obtain the gold standard of SSAT scores, you need to be able to get Read more

Question Marks on Blackboard

What’s the average SSAT Score for test takers?

In an effort to give prospective SSAT takers (and their parents) a better idea of how most students perform on the competitive exam, we will break down past data and simplify it as best as possible.  Please note, we are starting with a very general question and will illustrate how it is better asked when being more specific.  We will attempt to answer the aforementioned question in the title as efficiently as possible along with addressing more specific versions of it in our explanation today.

First off, we need to define a few terms: 

  • raw scores
  • scaled scores
  • percentile ranks

It would be easy to simply say that overall, the average SSAT score is 50% out of 100%.  However, the questions that should be be immediately asked are: Read more

St Pauls School

What SSAT scores can get you into St. Paul’s School in Concord, NH?

As with any top boarding school, St. Paul’s School’s (SPS) admissions requirements are quite high.  As we’ve already reported, the top 2 programs in the United States have standards that approach almost perfect.  St. Paul’s in Concord ranks as as high as the #3 boarding school program in the United States.  Being a top 3 private institution, you’ll see it requires very high scores.

SSAT Median Ranges for SPS’ Class of 2022

From their SPS at a glance from their admissions for 2018-19, they tell you:

NEW STUDENTS FOR FALL 2018
Applications 1374
Percent admitted 16.8%
SSAT Middle 50% Quantitative 710-767
SSAT Middle 50% Verbal 686-758
SSAT Middle 50% Reading 674-725

However, these ranges depend on what grade the student is and what sex.  We’ll make an assumption that most of these kids are 8th graders applying to start their 9th grade at SPS.  Applying these assumptions, the median for admitted applicants are estimated as:

8th Grade Girls’ SSAT Median Percentile Range Estimates for SPS

Quantitative 710-767 (72-94%)*
Verbal 686-758 (68-95%)*
Reading 674-725 (63-93%)*

8th Grade Boys’ SSAT Median Percentile Ranges Estimates for SPS

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What’s the Average SSAT score for Phillips Exeter Academy’s Admissions?

“90% Percentile at a bare minimum” for Exeter

You could easily argue that prospective students should score as high as 99% Percentile for the SSAT for Phillips Exeter Academy.  At the same time, as we’ll repeat time after time, it depends on all the other aspects of a student’s application/profile.  For example, if you’re an Olympic grade sprinter or child prodigy that’s discovered a new element to add to the Periodic Table, you may not need to score as high as a student who lacks other characteristics Exeter may be looking for in a future alum.

With that said, most future applicants are still looking for guidance (as well as their parents).  Without further adieu, we’ll provide all the guidance that’s been documented online.

Test Prep Company Argues 90 or 94% Percentile as an Average for Exeter

SSAT Score for Exeter Admissions by Top Test Prep

In a 2013-14 guide provided a test prep company that provides insights re: boarding school admissions, they identified the above as their bottom line.  At the same time, in another online publication of theirs, they point out that 94% Percentile is their average.

91% Percentile is Argued by Exeter Student

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The Hill School

What SSAT scores can get you into the Hill School in Pottstown, PA?

Considered a top 25 US boarding school, the Hill School offers a wealth of educational opportunities for its alumni. As a result, many potential candidates and their parents are curious as to what SSAT scores are required for admission.

What SSAT score do I need to get into the Hill School?

As mentioned in our profile, the Hill School requires percentiles between 75%-85% according to the Boarding School Review.  They post an 80% for the average SSAT score in their profile of the boarding school.

In a post on College Confidential, they list off the average SSAT scores for many of the top boarding schools.  They estimate Read more

Student body at Phillips Academy aka Andover

What SSAT scores can get you into Phillips Andover Academy?

“Phillips Andover Academy SSAT Average Scores are 93% Percentile“

Phillips Academy, aka “Andover,” aka “Phillips Andover” or even just “Andover” is considered one of the top US boarding schools in the United States.  Many prospective applicants and their parents are constantly asking throughout the world:

What SSAT score do I need to get into Andover?

Unfortunately, no highly competitive program will bluntly and directly document the minimum test scores publicly because frankly, there are too many factors beyond just the standardized metrics which determine admissions decisions.**  Nevertheless, it doesn’t prevent many people from still inquiring what is enough on the SSAT?

Anecdotally, answers from current and past students are becoming more available in our more “online” society.  Below, we’ll document what is available online as well as give you our thoughts from our experiences.  Several sources have identified in recent years(~2018), the average SSAT score for Andover admits was approximately 93% percentile. Read more