Does Your Student Need to Take the HSPT or SSAT?
Students hoping to attend private middle or high schools will likely need to take either the High School Placement Test (HSPT) or the Secondary School Admission Test (SSAT). The HSPT should be taken by students applying to local Catholic high schools, while the SSAT should be taken by middle and high school students applying to independent private schools, such as Oregon Episcopal School (OES).
| 2022-2023 Admissions | HSPT | SSAT |
|---|---|---|
| Jesuit | x | |
| St. Mary’s Academy | x | |
| La Salle Prep | x | |
| Oregon Episcopal School | x | |
| Central Catholic | * |
*While Central Catholic does not require the HSPT, the HSPT Writing Sample satisfies this school’s writing sample requirement.
While the both tests cover similar content areas, there are key differences between them. We’ll outline the most important differences – and what they mean for your student’s preparation process.
HSPT Overview
The HSPT is strictly for students entering high school. It has 5 multiple-choice sections: Verbal Skills, Quantitative Skills, Reading, Mathematics, and Language. The exam also features a 15-minute, “ungraded,” school-specific writing sample. Students should expect the full test to take 3.5-4 hours (including breaks).
The Verbal test contains 5 question types: synonyms, antonyms, analogies, logic, and classification. The Reading test is divided into two sections: reading comprehension and vocabulary. The Language test is divided into three sections: punctuation, spelling, and usage; spelling; and composition.
Vocabulary is critical to all three of these sections of the exam.
The Quantitative Skills test evaluates three key skills: basic computation, identifying patterns in sequences, and comparing quantities. The Mathematics section covers a wide range of middle school math topics, including conversions; interpreting fractions, decimals, and percents; geometric and algebraic word problems; exponent and radical rules; basic algebra; basic statistics and probably.
The key to these sections is to master the basics, especially the addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division of whole numbers, decimals, and fractions.
Taking the HSPT
For students applying to parochial schools in Portland, the HSPT is an in-person, pencil-and-paper test. (Other schools, however, may opt to offer one of the HSPT’s online testing formats.) Students should plan to take the HSPT at their first-choice high school. Most parochial schools offer two HSPT test dates in early December. Students who have requested accommodations should make sure their chosen test site and date can accommodate students who have been approved for extended time.
Students should take the HSPT only once, and they can request their scores to be sent to other area high schools in addition to their first-choice school. While administration can vary slightly from school to school, the exam will likely begin with a 15 minute “ungraded” writing sample, followed by the Verbal test and Quantitative Skills test. Students are typically then given a short stretch break, followed by the Reading test. Students will typically be given a longer break before the Mathematics test begins, followed by a second short break, and the final Language Arts test. Scores will be sent to families roughly three weeks after test day.
Learn more about HSPT scoring via this HSPT Fact Sheet.
SSAT Overview
The SSAT has three levels, depending on the student’s current grade level. The Middle Level SSAT is designed for students in grades 5-7 applying to independent private middle schools. The Upper Level SSAT is designed for students in grades 8-11 hoping to attend independent private high schools. Both tests contain the same 5 sections: a writing sample, two Quantitative sections, one Reading section, and one Verbal section. Unlike the HSPT, both the Middle and Upper Level tests deduct a quarter point for each wrong answer. This feature makes test-taking strategies like process of elimination critical for SSAT students.
The SSAT begins with a 25-minute writing sample. Students will be given two prompts to choose from: one a creative story starter and one essay question. While this sample is not scored, a copy is sent with your score report to each school you have selected to receive your report.
The SSAT contains 50 quantitative skills questions, divided into two 30-minute sections. Both the Upper and Middle Level SSATs cover the following topic areas: Number Concepts and Operations, Algebra, Geometry, and Data Analysis. All of the questions are multiple choice. The Upper Level SSAT covers a broader range of topics than the HSPT, which tends to focus more on sequences and number theory.
The SSAT Reading section tests students' reading comprehension skills. Students will be given 40 minutes to answer 40 questions about 7-8 150 to 350 word passages. Roughly half of these passages will be fiction and the other half non-fiction. A short poem may also be featured.
The Verbal section gives students just 30 minutes to 60 questions: 30 synonym questions and 30 analogy questions. While the SSAT shares the HSPT’s emphasis on vocabulary, unlike the HSPT, it does not directly test grammar or spelling.
Taking the SSAT
The SSAT can be taken as an in-person, paper-based test at participating schools and testing centers or online at home. While the online platform offers a wider range of test dates, families should carefully consider the pros and cons of digital testing. While some students may benefit from being able to test in a familiar environment, other students may struggle with the inability to flexibly annotate or make mistakes when copying down problems onto their scratch paper. You can read more about the SSAT at Home here.
Learn more about SSAT scoring via this SSAT Fact Sheet.
How Should My Student Prepare?
For both the HSPT and SSAT, the best preparation is getting familiar with the testing formats and instructions by taking a practice test. Students should also focus on developing their vocabulary and reinforcing basic computation skills. If you’d like additional support, we have experienced tutors who can prepare you for either test, covering all of the content and strategy to bring out your best performance. Contact us to learn more about working with an expert tutor.