- SSATThe test
- Short for Secondary School Admission Test. A multiple-choice admission test of verbal, math and reading skills, plus an unscored writing sample, that many independent, private and boarding schools ask applicants to take. Students in grades 3 through 11 take it to apply to grades 4 through 12. What is the SSAT? →
- E3nThe test
- The nonprofit that runs the SSAT and the ISEE. It was formed by the merger of the Enrollment Management Association (EMA) and the Educational Records Bureau (ERB), which was legally completed on March 2, 2026. Families register at admission.org; ssat.org now redirects there.
- EMA (Enrollment Management Association)The test
- The organization that ran the SSAT before it merged with ERB to form E3n in 2026. Older guides and score reports still use the EMA name.
- Elementary LevelThe test
- The SSAT for students in grades 3 and 4. It takes 2 hours 5 minutes, has 88 scored questions, no wrong-answer penalty, and is offered on paper only. Elementary Level SSAT guide →
- Middle LevelThe test
- The SSAT for students in grades 5 through 7. It has the same sections and timing as the Upper Level (3 hours 10 minutes, 150 scored questions) but easier content. Middle Level SSAT breakdown →
- Upper LevelThe test
- The SSAT for students in grades 8 through 11. It takes 3 hours 10 minutes and has 150 scored questions. Upper Level SSAT breakdown →
- Quantitative sectionThe test
- The math part of the SSAT. The Middle and Upper Levels have two 25-question, 30-minute math sections that are reported as one Quantitative score; the Elementary Level has one 30-question section. Calculators are not allowed. SSAT math topics by level →
- Verbal sectionThe test
- Sixty questions in 30 minutes on the Middle and Upper Levels: 30 synonyms and 30 analogies. The Elementary Level verbal section has 30 questions in 20 minutes.
- Synonym questionThe test
- A verbal question that gives one word in capital letters and asks for the answer choice closest to it in meaning. SSAT synonym practice →
- Analogy questionThe test
- A verbal question that asks you to find the pair of words related in the same way as a given pair, such as "jest is to joke as quest is to search." SSAT analogy practice →
- Reading Comprehension sectionThe test
- Forty questions in 40 minutes on the Middle and Upper Levels, about passages of 250 to 350 words. The Elementary Level has seven short passages with four questions each. SSAT reading practice →
- Writing sampleThe test
- An unscored piece of writing that is sent to the schools that receive the score report. Middle and Upper Level students get 25 minutes and a choice of prompts; Elementary students write a story about a picture in 15 minutes. SSAT writing sample tips →
- Experimental sectionThe test
- An unscored section at the end of the test that E3n uses to try out new questions: 16 questions in 15 minutes on the Middle and Upper Levels, and 15 to 17 questions on the Elementary Level. The experimental section, explained →
- Testing yearThe test
- The period E3n uses to count how many times a student has tested. It starts on August 1 and runs through the end of July.
- Standard testFormats and registration
- The paper SSAT given on set Saturdays from October through March at test sites. Standard tests begin at 9 a.m. local time. Middle and Upper Level students can take up to six Standard tests in a testing year; Elementary students can take two. SSAT test dates for 2026–27 →
- Flex testFormats and registration
- A paper SSAT given on a day other than the Standard dates, by a member school or an educational consultant. Students at every level can take one Flex test per testing year. A closed Flex test isn't open to the public and needs an access code from the school or consultant. SSAT Flex test explained →
- SSAT at HomeFormats and registration
- The computer-based SSAT taken at home with a live remote proctor. It is available for the Middle and Upper Levels only, and a student can take it once per testing year. SSAT at Home testing guide →
- Prometric test centerFormats and registration
- A computer testing center where Middle and Upper Level students can take the SSAT on a date they book. The sections, timing and breaks are the same as on paper. SSAT at Home vs Prometric →
- Late fee and rush feeFormats and registration
- Extra charges for registering close to a paper Standard test date: a $59 late fee starting three weeks before the test and a $100 rush fee starting two weeks before. Registration closes at 11:59 p.m. Eastern on the Wednesday before the test. SSAT late registration →
- Fee waiverFormats and registration
- A waiver of the base SSAT registration fee for families with financial need. Waivers come from schools, not from E3n; they don't cover late or rush fees and they expire on July 31. SSAT fee waivers →
- AccommodationsFormats and registration
- Testing changes for students with documented needs, approved by E3n before registration. The extended-time option E3n lists is 50% additional time (1.5x); others include a four-function calculator for the math sections and extra breaks for medical needs. How long the SSAT takes with extra time →
- Mini-Practice TestFormats and registration
- E3n's free 30-question online practice test, which gives an instant report. It is a sample, not a full-length test. Free SSAT practice tests →
- Raw scoreScoring
- The starting point for each section's score. On the Middle and Upper Levels you earn 1 point for each right answer, lose a quarter point for each wrong answer, and get 0 for a blank. The Elementary Level has no penalty for wrong answers.
- Wrong-answer penaltyScoring
- The quarter point subtracted for each incorrect answer on the Middle and Upper Levels. It makes blind guessing break even on average, but guessing after you rule out at least one choice earns points on average. SSAT guessing strategy →
- Scaled scoreScoring
- The raw score converted to the SSAT's scale for your level: 500 to 800 per section on the Upper Level, 440 to 710 on the Middle Level, and 300 to 600 on the Elementary Level. SSAT scoring scale by level →
- Total scoreScoring
- The sum of the Verbal, Quantitative and Reading scaled scores: 1500 to 2400 on the Upper Level, 1320 to 2130 on the Middle Level, and 900 to 1800 on the Elementary Level. SSAT score calculator →
- PercentileScoring
- A number from 1 to 99 that compares a student with first-time SSAT takers in the same grade over the last three years, in the US and Canada. A 70th percentile means the student scored as well as or better than about 70% of that group. Percentiles are not split by gender. SSAT percentiles explained →
- Norm groupScoring
- The group a percentile compares you with: students in your grade who took the SSAT for the first time during the previous three years.
- Score rangeScoring
- A range printed around each score on the Middle and Upper Level report. E3n says a student who retests within a short period will likely score within it. Prep sites often call it the personal score range.
- Score reportScore reports
- The report that shows a student's scaled scores and percentiles for each section and, on the Middle and Upper Levels, a score range around each score. Paper scores are typically released within two weeks; at-home scores are released the Wednesday after the testing week; any format can take up to three weeks. Expedited scoring isn't available. SSAT scoring scale by level →
- Score recipientsScore reports
- The schools and educational consultants chosen to receive a score report. Families can add them before or after the test at no charge, and choose which test dates to send. Each test is reported as a whole; schools can't combine sections from different dates. How to send SSAT scores to schools →
- Testing Experience StatementScore reports
- A short form a parent completes after every SSAT to say whether anything unusual affected the test. Scores aren't released until it is done.
- ISEEAdmissions
- The Independent School Entrance Exam, the other main admission test for independent schools. It is also run by E3n. Many schools accept either test. ISEE or SSAT: which to take →
- Character Skills SnapshotAdmissions
- A separate, 25-minute E3n assessment of seven character skills for students in grades 5 through 11. It has no right or wrong answers and isn't part of the SSAT. It costs $30 with an SSAT registration or $60 on its own; check whether your schools require it. Character Skills Snapshot guide →
- SAO (Standard Application Online)Admissions
- A common application used by many K–12 private schools, offered by E3n, so families can send one application to several schools.
- Holistic reviewAdmissions
- How most schools read an application: SSAT scores are one part, weighed with grades, recommendations, the interview and the writing sample. There is no passing score. SSAT scores by school type →