SSAT - Test Day Jitters

Private school applications are right around the corner! In addition to the school interview, application, transcript, and recommendation letters, most private schools in our area also require a standardized test be taken. The SSAT, or Secondary School Admission Test, is the most commonly accepted admission test. Separated into two versions – the Lower Level, and Upper Level, students in 5th-11th grade often benefit from some type of test preparation. A review of test taking strategies, format and scoring of the test, along with some content review, gives students the necessary background to walk in on test day feeling confident. Here are three great test day tips to avoid the jitters:

1. As simple as it sounds, make sure to eat a good breakfast the day of the test, and get a good night sleep before. Also, bring a snack. You get two breaks during the SSAT, and a quick bite of food can recharge your batteries!

2. Learn and know the directions for each section before test day. Since the directions are always exactly the same, there's no reason to waste your time on the day of the test reading them. Get them straight in your head before the test, and you'll be able to skip them all together during the test – a few seconds saved can mean an extra question you had time to answer!

3. Don’t cram for the test! It is a bad strategy because chances are you won’t end up remembering what you "learned" while cramming. Prepare a little bit each day/week at least 2 months before the test.

Learn more about Educational Connections and the SSAT