SSAT and HSPT: What’s New this Year and How to Prepare
To ensure your student is ready for a private high school, you should be thinking about their entrance exam.
If you’re planning to apply to an independent or parochial school for next year, you’ll likely need to consider either the Secondary School Admission Test (SSAT) or the High School Placement Test (HSPT). Now’s the time to start thinking about how to register and prepare.
The HSPT is strictly for students entering high school, whereas the SSAT has three levels—low, middle, and high—depending on the grade level a student is currently in. With both tests, students sit for the test during the school year prior to enrollment.
There is a lot of overlap between the tests, as well as some key differences and important changes to test formats this year. I’ll break down the most important information you need to know if you’re looking to apply for next school year, especially if you’re interested in one of the Portland-area schools requiring them this year, such as Oregon Episcopal School (OES), Catlin Gabel, or Jesuit High School.
Do I need to take it?
| 2020-2021 Admissions | HSPT | SSAT |
|---|---|---|
| Oregon Episcopal School | ✓ | |
| Catlin Gabel | ✓ | ✓ |
| Jesuit | ✓ | |
| St. Mary’s Academy | (waived) | |
| Central Catholic | (waived) | |
| La Salle Prep | (waived) | |
| Northwest Academy* | (waived) |
* Either test accepted.
** Uses a proprietary admissions assessment.
Due to the pandemic, some area schools are waiving their requirement for the HSPT for 2020-2021 admissions year only. Schools otherwise requiring the SSAT or HSPT will likely be looking for students to take the online version of the test either at-home or at a Prometric test center (more info below). Of course, always check with your first-choice school before applying to ensure you have the latest information.
When and how can you take the HSPT or SSAT?
The HSPT has just two test dates, December 5th and 12th. So if you’re looking at Jesuit, you’re encouraged to sign up for one of those test dates now (register here).
The SSAT has several test dates available, running through early spring. Check the admissions deadlines for your school before registering, to ensure your scores will arrive in time. If you’re taking the at-home version of the test, there are many, many more available test days than in a conventional testing season. Good news for busy students!
The biggest difference this year is that most students will not sit for a paper test at their first-choice school. Instead, students will register to take an online version of the test, which they will complete either at-home or, for the SSAT, at a Prometric test center. You can register for the HSPT directly through your school. Note, even though the tests are online and at-home, you will still register for a specific start time that corresponds with other test-takers. For the SSAT, the options for test dates, times, and locations available to you should appear during the registration process.
The main advantage of taking the SSAT at a Prometric testing center is that the technology requirements are taken care of for you: register, show up, take the test at a provided computer terminal. However, due to the convenience, SSAT expects most students will take the test at-home. (Some families may opt to hire an educational consultant to proctor a “flex” test for the SSAT, though this is relatively uncommon.)
What should I expect for the online version?
The online version of the tests should be exactly the same as the paper-based test with a few important differences.
If you’re taking the SSAT at Home, a company called PSI will remotely proctor the exam (for multiple students at a time), and you’ll get detailed instructions on how to set up your computer, with some requirements for setting up the room—nothing too complicated, we’re assured. (Learn more about those requirements here.) You are permitted two blank sheets of scratch paper, which we highly recommend having. You are still expected to remain silent during the test, even though you’re expected to be in a room by yourself. In fact, the proctoring software will send an alert if there’s too much noise in the room. The best approach here is to have an at-home environment that resembles a classroom testing environment—quiet and distraction-free.
The HSPT has similar expectations with some small differences: one blank sheet of scratch paper and (in place of proctoring software) a set of testing conditions to which students agree. These conditions amount to something very similar to the SSAT: a distraction-free environment, no use of a calculator, phone, smart watch, etc.
One quirky aspect to look out for with the SSAT at Home are the breaks. There are two regularly scheduled breaks for the SSAT, which the proctor will announce and which students confirm by clicking “request a break” (the proctor should guide students through this). Students can also request an unscheduled break during the exam, but we do not advise this unless it’s absolutely necessary, as it will not stop the clock. When in doubt, check with your proctor!
What should I do to prepare?
With both HSPT and SSAT, the best preparation for getting comfortable with the online format is realistic practice. Access a quick guide for the HSPT online or the SSAT at Home, and check out our proctored practice test calendar for opportunities to test-drive a paper version.
If you’re still feeling nervous, don’t panic. Your number one focus should be test content, and that, thankfully, hasn’t changed. If you’d like to sharpen your skills, though, we’ve got 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.