Elementary Level SSAT prep for grades 3 and 4
For most 8- and 9-year-olds, the SSAT is the first long, timed test they have ever taken. Short practice sessions on Grade 3 and Grade 4 tests built like the real one make test day feel familiar, without turning third grade into test prep.
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- No penalty for wrong answers, so a guess never hurts
- Separate Grade 3 and Grade 4 tests, each scored against its own grade
- 2 hours 5 minutes on paper, with a 15-minute break
Real screens from our Grade 3 and Grade 4 practice tests.
What the Elementary SSAT looks like on the day
Five sections in a fixed order, all on paper: there is no computer or at-home version at this level. Knowing the order ahead of time takes one surprise off the table.
- 01Quantitative30 minutes30 math questions
- 02Verbal20 minutes15 synonyms and 15 analogies
- 03Break15 minutesA snack and some water
- 04Reading30 minutes7 short passages, 28 questions
- 05Writing sample15 minutesA story about a pictureNot scored · sent to schools
- 06Experimental15 minutes15–17 trial questionsNot scored
2 hours 5 minutes in all. Only Quantitative, Verbal and Reading count toward the score.
Four things that are different about the Elementary SSAT
Wrong answers cost nothing
Middle and Upper Level students lose a quarter point for each wrong answer. Elementary students don’t, so a blank is always a lost chance. Teach your child to answer every question, even with a guess.
Grade 3 and Grade 4 take different tests
Each grade gets its own version, and scores compare your child only with students in the same grade. A third grader is never measured against fourth graders.
It is a paper test
There is no Prometric or at-home option at this level. Practicing on screen builds the skills; a few timed sections with pencil and scrap paper get your child used to the real thing.
The writing sample is a picture story
Fifteen minutes to write a story about one picture. It isn’t scored, but a copy goes to every school that receives your child’s scores.
Two verbal questions from our Elementary practice tests
Half the verbal section is synonyms and half is analogies. Pick an answer to see the explanation your child would see.
Which word means most nearly the same as STRANGE?
Pick an answer.
PENGUIN is to BIRD as WHALE is to
Pick an answer.
Practice made for their grade
Everything in the Elementary Level plan is written for 3rd and 4th graders, from the passages to the math.
20 full-length practice tests, by grade
Ten Grade 3 tests and ten Grade 4 tests, each timed like the real Elementary SSAT, with passages and math written for that grade. Your child can stop, save and pick up where they left off.
Scores that compare them with their own grade
After each test you see estimated section scores on the 300–600 scale, a total on the 900–1800 scale and percentiles against students in the same grade, plus how the time was spent. Example results shown.
Every answer explained
Go through the test together afterward: each question shows your child’s answer, the right one and a short explanation.
A realistic plan: short sessions over two to three months
Young students learn best in small doses. Twenty to thirty minutes, three times a week, is plenty. This is what a typical week and the whole season can look like.
One lesson and the vocabulary word of the day
A problem set on the skill the study plan flags
One timed section, then go over the answers together
- Month 1Learn the question types
Lessons on synonyms, analogies, reading and math (49 in all), and the 357-word vocabulary trainer.
- Month 2Practice skill by skill
44 problem sets by section and skill, and the 1,760-question bank aimed at what your child misses.
- Last 3–4 weeksA few full practice tests
One or two full-length tests for stamina, on your child’s own grade. Not more: two hours is a lot at 8 or 9.
The picture story: 15 minutes, one picture
Your child sees one picture and writes a story about it. It isn’t scored, but schools read it to see how your child thinks and writes on their own.
A single picture, such as a child with a dog, a treehouse or a snowy hill, and an instruction to write a story about it.
Practice with pictures from a book or magazine and a 15-minute timer, then read the story back together.
- A beginning, a middle and an end
- A story that uses the picture instead of ignoring it
- Complete sentences with some variety
- Handwriting a reader can follow
One plan for grades 3 and 4
The Elementary Level plan includes both the Grade 3 and the Grade 4 tests. Start with 7 days free.
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- Personalized study plan: your child’s estimated scores and weakest skills, with practice for each
- 20 full-length practice tests scored on the 900–1800 scale, timed like the real test, with save and resume
- Score report with estimated scaled scores and percentiles, pacing, and a question-by-question review
- 23-hour on-demand course with 49 lessons across Quantitative, Reading, Verbal, and the writing sample
- 44 problem sets by section and skill
- 1,760-question bank: practice new, missed, or flagged questions, untimed or timed
- 357-word vocabulary trainer with a word of the day
Preparing more than one child, or not sure of the level? The All-Levels plan covers Elementary, Middle and Upper. See all plans
Frequently asked questions
Does my child take the Grade 3 or the Grade 4 test?
The version for the grade they are in now. A third grader applying for fourth grade takes the Grade 3 test, and their scores compare them only with other third graders.
Is there a penalty for guessing on the Elementary SSAT?
No. Each right answer earns a point, and wrong or blank answers earn nothing, so your child should answer every question.
Can my child take the Elementary SSAT at home or on a computer?
No. The Elementary Level is a paper test only. The Prometric and at-home options are for the Middle and Upper Levels.
What is a good Elementary SSAT score?
Each section is scored 300–600 and the total 900–1800, but schools look mostly at the percentile, which compares your child with test takers in the same grade. There is no official cutoff, so ask your schools what range their admitted students usually have.
How long should a young child prepare?
Two to three months of short sessions, 20 to 30 minutes a few times a week, works for most children. Cramming tends to backfire at this age.
What does the Elementary Level plan include?
All 20 practice tests (ten Grade 3 and ten Grade 4), a personalized study plan, score reports with estimated scores and percentiles, the 49-lesson course, 44 problem sets, the 1,760-question bank and the 357-word vocabulary trainer. You start with a 7-day free trial and $0.00 due today.
More on the Elementary Level
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