Are SSAT Scores Expected at “Test-Optional” Schools?

Disclaimer: I have supported students through the admissions process since 2015, and the views below are based on that experience. I am not an official admissions officer.

The Short Answer

For test-optional schools, something is generally expected, but it doesn’t have to the SSAT. In addition to the SSAT, admissions officers will consider your grades, letters of recommendation, interview, application essays, volunteer work and extra curricular activities.

If your application is strong in several of these other elements, you may be able to present a competitive case without the SSAT. However, it helps.

Is Your Application Similar to Others?

Working in Montreal, many of my students have an application that looks like this:

• Mid 80s, good academic track record
• Sport specialization, applying for varsity
• Limited volunteer or leadership experience

There are a lot of students whose profiles look like that — too many for them all to be accepted. If you want to stand out, the SSAT is one way to do that.

Also, if your report card has lower grades, the SSAT can offer an alternative measure of academic readiness.

Test-Optional Didn’t Make Admissions Easier

Before COVID-19, most top prep schools were test-mandatory. COVID-19 forced many of these schools to become temporarily test-optional. When testing centres reopened, many schools brought back the SSAT. However, some remained test-optional in an effort to review applicants more holistically, and based on the strengths the student chooses to present.

That said, holistic does not mean lower expectations. Applicants should still demonstrate proven competencies beyond their standard curriculum.

For example, an 87% average at a student’s current school is often considered a baseline, not a standout strength. Elite schools are typically looking for evidence of something beyond the standard curriculum, such as:

• Deep or sustained special interests
• Independent research or personal projects
• Artistic or athletic specialization
• Meaningful, documented leadership experience

A helpful question to ask is this:
Was the school test-mandatory before COVID, or has it always been test-optional?

If a school previously required the SSAT, the school understands and values it. In those cases, submitting a strong SSAT score, or working to improve one, can be to your advantage.

Finally, test-mandatory schools discourage students with weaker scores from applying. When schools adopt test-optional policies, application numbers often increase. More applications mean more competition, which reinforces the importance of either submitting the SSAT or clearly standing out in other areas.

Key Takeaways

• If your SSAT score is strong, submitting it will almost always help
• If your score is weak and you do not have time to improve it, it may be better not to submit, however…
• In the absence of test scores, your application needs to stand out in other areas

Below are is a list of ways to do exactly that.