SSAT Middle Level Prep
For students currently in grades 5–7, applying to independent schools for grades 6–8.
A plain guide to what's on the test, and how to prepare for it.
Middle Level at a glance
- Four scored parts: two Quantitative sections, Reading, and Verbal, plus a 25-minute writing sample.
- Verbal is synonyms and analogies. There are no sentence completions.
- No calculator on the math.
- You lose a quarter point for a wrong answer, but nothing for a blank.
What's on the test
| Section | Questions | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Writing Sample (unscored, sent to schools) | 1 prompt | 25 min |
| Quantitative 1 | 25 | 30 min |
| Reading Comprehension | 40 | 40 min |
| Verbal (synonyms + analogies) | 60 | 30 min |
| Quantitative 2 | 25 | 30 min |
The real test also includes a short unscored experimental section the test maker uses to try out new questions. There are brief scheduled breaks between sections, so the whole sitting runs about three hours.
Quantitative
Two sections of math reasoning: number sense and operations, fractions, decimals and percents, basic algebra, geometry, measurement, and data and probability. It rewards reasoning, not just calculation, and there is no calculator.
Verbal
Two question types. Synonyms ask for the word closest in meaning to a given word, which tests vocabulary depth. Analogies ask you to complete a relationship between a pair of words, which tests how precisely a student reasons about how words relate.
Reading
Short passages across fiction, science, social studies, humanities, and poetry, each followed by questions on main idea, detail, inference, vocabulary in context, and tone.
Writing sample
A 25-minute writing sample from a prompt. Middle Level students usually get a creative story starter or a personal topic. It is not scored, but a copy is sent to the schools you apply to, so it is worth practicing.
How scoring works
Each right answer earns a point, each wrong answer costs a quarter point, and a blank costs nothing. Because of that penalty, guessing blindly can hurt, but an educated guess after ruling out even one choice is usually worth it. Learning when to answer and when to skip is its own skill, and it is one of the biggest, easiest gains on this test.
How to prepare
- Practice in the real format and timing so pacing is familiar before test day.
- Build vocabulary steadily for synonyms and analogies; a little every day beats cramming.
- Learn the guessing math so your student answers when the odds are good and skips when they are not.
- Take full-length timed tests to build the endurance a three-hour sitting demands.
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