Award-Winning SSAT Courses & Classes in Charlotte, NC

If you are interested in having your student attend a private or independent school, it may be beneficial to sign them up for a Charlotte SSAT class through Varsity Tutors. The SSAT is a standardized test that is utilized by many independent and private schools as a part of their admissions process. The SSAT test examines students' reading, verbal, and math skills. All of these skills are said to be predictors of success when it comes to doing well at an independent or private school. As such, it can boost your student's chances of getting in to the Charlotte area school of your choice.

The SSAT is divided into three levels, including Elementary, Middle, and Upper. Each level contains four sections, which are the Verbal Section, Reading Section, Quantitative Section, and a Writing Sample. There are several similarities between the levels, including the fact that students are not permitted to use a calculator on the Quantitative Section on any of the three levels. Additionally, the Writing Sample is not graded for any of the sections. However, it is still advisable for your student to perform well on this because it will be sent to any school they apply to.

In terms of differences, each level is given to students in different age groups. The Elementary Level test is offered to students in 3rd and 4th grade. The Middle Level test is for students in 5th, 6th, or 7th grade, and finally, the Upper Level test is given to students in 8th through 11th grade.

Another difference concerns how students approach the test in terms of scoring. It may be wise for students to guess on questions they're not sure about on the Elementary Level test because they will not receive a deduction for answering a question incorrectly. However, this may not be a good strategy on the Upper Level test because students lose one-quarter of a point for every question they answer incorrectly, while they do not receive a penalty for not answering a question.

What topics can a Charlotte SSAT class help my student review?

As mentioned previously, each of the three levels of the SSAT contain four sections. But the number of questions, amount of time, and complexity of the questions are different between the three levels.

The Writing Sample on the Elementary Level test provides students with a picture that they have to write a story about. They are expected to have a beginning, middle, and end to their story and they'll have 15 minutes to finish it.

The Writing Sample on the Middle Level test requires students to choose between two different creative prompts. They will have 25 minutes to finish this section and they will be tested on their writing and organization skills.

The Upper Level is similar to the Middle Level on the Writing Sample in the sense that students will have 25 minutes to finish it. They will also have to choose between two prompts, but they will have the option to choose between a creative prompt and a traditional essay prompt.

The Reading Section on the Elementary Level test contains seven passages that ask four questions apiece. Students will have 30 minutes to finish this section and will be tested on their reading comprehension. Students will be asked to locate the main idea of a passage, determine the meaning of words based on context, and identify information within a passage.

The Middle Level has 40 questions on the Reading Section and students have 40 minutes to finish it. This section is focused on understanding opinions and arguments, determining what the author's purpose is, and being able to find details in the passages.

Finally, the Reading Section in the Upper Level also has 40 questions and students will also have 40 minutes to finish it. Students are also required to read through passages and answer questions in this level, but the passages are taken from social studies, science, and the humanities.

The Verbal Section on the Elementary Level contains 30 questions and students have 30 minutes to complete it. This section focuses on understanding the English language and understanding the relationship between words.

The Verbal Section of the Middle Level has 60 questions and students have 30 minutes to finish it. This section focuses on analogies and synonyms. There are 30 questions about analogies and 30 questions about synonyms.

The Upper Level test also has a 60 question Verbal Section that students have 30 minutes to complete. This section also focuses on analogies and synonyms. The main difference in this section is that students will also be responsible for knowing prefixes and suffixes.

The Quantitative Section on the Elementary Level test has 30 questions and students have 30 minutes to complete it. This section focuses on basic math, including topics like addition and subtraction. The Upper and Middle Levels of the Quantitative Section both contain 50 questions and focus on geometry, algebra, and arithmetic.

How can a Charlotte SSAT course help my student prepare?

A Charlotte SSAT course can help your student prepare for the test in a variety of ways. Their course is designed to be similar to a classroom setting. Thus, they will have an instructor to lead the session while also having fellow students to work with. The benefit of this system is that students can work with their instructor to go over all of the materials that might be on the test. This could include anything from going over science and technology vocabulary to reviewing geometry.

It can also be useful to work with other students because it allows for the possibility of having group discussions and activities. This can be helpful for students who may have a hard time paying attention to an instructor giving a lecture for an extended period of time.

How can I find a Charlotte SSAT prep course for my student?

Finding a Charlotte SSAT prep course for your student is as easy as contacting Varsity Tutors either over the phone or online.