Award-Winning SSAT Courses & Classes in Jacksonville, FL

Students in third through eleventh grade who will be applying to independent or magnet schools can get help preparing by enrolling in Jacksonville SSAT courses provided by Varsity Tutors. The SSAT is a standardized exam that evaluates how well a student can perform the basic verbal, reading, writing, and math skills considered necessary to perform well at an independent or private school. Schools use the results to appraise individual students based on their scores. Admissions officials also use them to compare applicants for decision-making purposes. There are three different age-appropriate exams: the Elementary Level test is given to students entering grades 4-5; the Middle Level version is given to students entering grades 6-8; and the Upper Level test is given to students entering grades 9-12.

There are many Jacksonville SSAT class sections available at various times throughout the day and week, so you can choose a class that meshes well with your family's schedule. You have the option of enrolling your student in a two- or four-week course based on their SSAT test preparation needs. If they fall behind their peers in a particular subject or in general, you can sign them up for individual tutoring to help them catch up while receiving focused instruction. Whatever SSAT preparation needs your student has, you can rely on Varsity Tutors to supply opportunities to meet them.

What content does a Jacksonville SSAT course cover?

Each level of the SSAT exam consists of the same subjects measured at an age-appropriate level. The sections are Quantitative, Verbal, Reading, and Writing. Following is a quick overview of what each section looks like at each level of the SSAT.

The Quantitative section at the Elementary Level tests students on basic math topics like addition, multiplication, and so on. Students have 30 minutes to finish 30 questions. Quantitative sections in the Middle and Upper Levels have 50 questions that students must complete in 60 minutes. A student's abilities in topics like mathematics, algebra, and plane and coordinate geometry are tested. Your student can review these math concepts in with their classmates and instructor as part of their Jacksonville SSAT course.

The Verbal section at the Elementary Level allows students 30 minutes to complete 30 questions. The Middle and Upper Level Verbal sections have twice the number of questions that still need to be answered in 30 minutes. Your student's understanding of English language conventions and vocabulary is analyzed in this section. Mostly questions about synonyms and analogies are used in each level of the exam. The level of understanding and application necessarily increases in complexity as the levels increase, from basic synonyms and analogies through word roots, prefixes, and suffixes from Greek, Latin, and Anglo-Saxon languages.

The Elementary Level Reading section gives test takers 30 minutes to respond to 28 questions, while Middle and Upper Level students have 40 minutes in which to respond to 40 questions. The Elementary Level focuses on basic reading comprehension, while Middle and Upper Levels explore deeper interpretation of the meaning of different types of reading passages, again increasing in complexity at each level.

All students are compelled to submit an unscored Writing Sample. Though it's not scored, it's viewed by any school they apply to. Elementary Level students have 15 minutes to respond to a prompt by writing a simple story that has a beginning, middle, and end. Middle and Upper Level students have 25 minutes to write and finalize their Writing Sample, which is based on their choice of one out of two provided prompts. Their writing is expected to contain an orderly, logical response using correct English language conventions such as spelling, grammar, and so on.

This is a very brief outline of what the content review focus of your student's Jacksonville SSAT class sessions will be. Most of the time will be spent reviewing what your student has already learned because the SSAT is meant to measure their capabilities at the time of the exam rather than to force them to quickly absorb new material.

How can my child get prepared for the test by attending Jacksonville SSAT classes?

There are many ways Jacksonville SSAT classes can prepare your student for the exam. First, a professional instructor has insights into common issues students face. Additionally, the other students in the class might have test-taking suggestions for your student, and your student may have ideas to help others. This could increase their confidence, which may actually increase their performance on test day.

Standardized exams can word questions in a way that seems confusing to students who aren't prepared. Your student's instructor can go through actual questions from previous iterations of the SSAT and point out the details that could trip up a student. After enough practice, your student is likely to read questions correctly, increasing their chance of providing correct answers. Some of this is simply reading questions closely and carefully. If the question asks which things are "not" correct, and your student misses the word "not," they'll probably end up giving the opposite of the required answer. Close reading can prevent mix-ups of this type.

Time management is another important issue on the SSAT, since each section comes with a firm time limit. One way SSAT instructors can help your student reach the pace necessary to finish all the questions before the time limit is to administer occasional timed practice sections, and then provide suggestions on how to increase the student's pace if necessary. This is just a small sample of the ways your student can become well-prepared through the instruction provided in a Jacksonville SSAT course provided by Varsity Tutors.

How do I sign my student up for a Jacksonville SSAT prep course?

Varsity Tutors likes to make our SSAT classes highly convenient, and we have the same attitude about making sure enrolling for them is simple. Just contact our educational experts to learn more about the classes, and then answer a few of their questions about your student, their goals, and your family's scheduling needs. With that information, we can enroll your student in a Jacksonville SSAT course that can meet their unique combination of needs. We look forward to guiding your student as they work towards their academic goals.