KellyMath Blog

“What score does my child need?” is one of the first questions families ask about the SSAT. The honest answer is: it depends on where they’re applying. A score that gets a student into one school may not be competitive at another. The more useful question is: what percentile range does my target school typically look for?

Here’s a clear breakdown of what’s commonly cited, tier by tier.

The short answer: Most private and boarding schools want students above the 50th percentile. Mid-tier boarding schools typically look for the 70th–80th percentile. Top boarding schools like Deerfield, Choate, and Hotchkiss are commonly cited around the 85th percentile. The most selective schools, Phillips Andover and Phillips Exeter, are commonly cited in the 90th to 94th percentile range. Knowing your target school’s range is the single most important factor in setting a prep goal.

One Important Thing to Understand About SSAT Percentiles

Before looking at the numbers, there’s a key point worth knowing. SSAT percentiles compare your student against other SSAT test-takers, not against the general student population. The students who sit for the SSAT are already a self-selected, academically motivated group. They’re families researching private school admissions, investing in prep, and applying to competitive schools. This means the 50th percentile on the SSAT is not the same as being “average” overall. It means your student is in the middle of a pool of already strong students.

This is also why percentile scores tend to matter more to admissions offices than scaled scores. A scaled score of 1900 might represent very different percentiles depending on the year and grade level. That’s because percentiles shift based on who else took the test.

SSAT Score Targets by School Tier

Very few schools publish an official minimum SSAT score. Averages can also shift from year to year, based on that year’s applicant pool. The ranges below are the percentiles most consistently cited across boarding school admissions consultants and test-prep organizations, along with published rankings like BoardingSchoolReview.com. Treat them as a reliable planning target, not a guaranteed cutoff.

The Most Selective Schools: 90th–94th Percentile

At the very top of the boarding school hierarchy, score expectations are the highest in the country. Phillips Academy Andover and Phillips Exeter Academy are commonly cited in the 90th to 94th percentile range. Groton School and Milton Academy sit just behind, around the 90th percentile.

None of these schools publishes a hard minimum. Admissions is holistic, and no single factor is determinative. But a student applying to Andover or Exeter with a score below the 85th percentile will need an unusually strong case elsewhere in the application.

Examples: Phillips Academy Andover, Phillips Exeter Academy, Groton School, Milton Academy

Top Boarding Schools: 85th–90th Percentile

St. Paul’s School is commonly cited around the 89th percentile, Middlesex School around 88th. Deerfield Academy, Choate Rosemary Hall, The Hotchkiss School, and The Lawrenceville School are all commonly cited around the 85th percentile.

The 85th percentile is a meaningful threshold. It’s roughly where the majority of top boarding school admissions begin to look competitive. A score below 80 will likely need to be offset by strength elsewhere in the application.

Examples: Deerfield Academy, Choate Rosemary Hall, The Hotchkiss School, The Lawrenceville School, St. Paul’s School

Mid-Tier Private and Boarding Schools: 70th–80th Percentile

Below the most well-known boarding schools, there’s a wide range of excellent schools where the 70th–80th percentile is genuinely competitive. These schools still have high academic standards and strong outcomes. They simply have a broader applicant pool and more flexibility in how they weigh test scores against other factors.

Examples: Tabor Academy, Cushing Academy, Miss Porter’s School, Westover School, Pomfret School

Broader Private Schools: Above the 50th Percentile

The vast majority of private schools are looking for students above the 50th percentile. There are tens of thousands of these schools nationwide. This doesn’t mean the 51st percentile is the target. It means falling below the 50th percentile is likely to be a meaningful obstacle. That holds true at almost any private school that uses the SSAT in admissions.

For schools in this range, the SSAT score is one factor among many. Strong grades, recommendations, and interviews can carry significant weight alongside a moderate test score.

Math vs. Overall Percentile: Does It Matter?

Most schools look at the overall (composite) percentile as the primary number. But section scores are visible on every score report, and admissions officers do review them. A significant gap between math and verbal will be noticed. A 90th percentile verbal next to a 50th percentile math may raise questions. This is especially true for STEM-oriented programs or schools with strong math curricula.

The practical implication: don’t neglect the math section, even if your student is a strong verbal performer. For students who are math-weak, the math section is often where the most percentile improvement is available. That’s precisely why targeted math prep can move the overall score meaningfully.

What Percentile Improvement Is Realistic With Prep?

This is the question every family wants answered, and the honest answer is that it genuinely varies. SSAT percentiles are calculated against a rolling three-year norm group of other test-takers. Because of that, the same scaled score improvement can represent very different percentile jumps depending on where a student starts.

Here’s what experienced tutors consistently observe. Students who begin with gaps in the tested content have the most room to improve. Missing topics, weak mental math, no familiarity with test strategy: these are specific, addressable problems. A student who works through all 18 chapters of Hacking the SSAT Upper Level Math is building a foundation that didn’t exist before. The book covers every tested topic with strategies and 1,800+ practice problems. For a motivated student starting from a significant gap, meaningful percentile improvement is achievable. For a student already well-prepared and close to their ceiling, the gains will be smaller.

In Kelly Campbell’s experience across 25+ years of tutoring, one variable matters most: how much the student works independently between sessions. Students who treat the chapters as active study material see dramatically better results. That’s compared to students who only work during tutoring sessions.

How to Find Your Target School’s Score Expectations

Many schools don’t publish a specific percentile requirement. The best sources:

• The school’s admissions page — some schools publish average scores or general guidance
• The Common Data Set — many schools publish this annually, and it includes test score data for admitted students
• Calling the admissions office directly — most admissions staff will give you a genuine answer if you ask what scores are typical for admitted students
• Third-party school databases like Niche.com and BoardingSchoolReview.com, which often aggregate score data

Once you have a target percentile, work backwards: how far is your student from that target, and how much prep time is realistic? For guidance on building that plan, see the SSAT Study Plan, and how long SSAT math prep actually takes.

If you’d like a realistic target and prep plan for your specific student, book a free 60-minute trial session. The first session is a diagnostic that maps out exactly where your student stands and what’s achievable in your timeline.

Frequently Asked Questions: SSAT Upper Level Scores and Percentiles

What is a good SSAT Upper Level score for boarding school admissions?

It depends on the school. For the most selective schools like Andover and Exeter, scores are commonly cited around the 90th to 94th percentile. For well-known top boarding schools like Deerfield, Choate, and Hotchkiss, the 85th percentile is a meaningful threshold. At mid-tier private and boarding schools, the 70th–80th percentile is competitive. For most private schools, above the 50th percentile is the basic expectation.

Is the 50th percentile on the SSAT a bad score?

No, but context matters. The 50th percentile on the SSAT means your student outperformed half of the other students who sat for that test. SSAT test-takers are already a motivated, academically oriented group. In absolute terms, the 50th percentile is not a weak performance. For many private schools outside the most selective tier, a score at or above the 50th percentile is a genuinely acceptable result. That’s especially true when it’s combined with strong grades and recommendations.

Does the SSAT math score matter separately from the overall score?

Schools receive section-by-section scores, and admissions officers review them. The overall percentile is the primary number, but a significant weakness in one section will be visible. Math weaknesses especially may factor into the decision at schools with rigorous math programs. Students with low math scores relative to their verbal scores should prioritize math prep to bring the sections into balance.

How is the SSAT percentile calculated?

Your SSAT percentile compares your score against other students in your grade. Specifically, those who took the test for the first time on a standard date over the previous three years. It’s not the percentage of questions answered correctly, it’s a ranking against other test-takers. SSAT test-takers are a self-selected, high-achieving group, so the percentile curve is compressed at the top. The difference between, say, the 85th and 95th percentile can represent just a handful of additional correct answers.