Award-Winning SSAT Courses & Classes in Dallas Fort Worth, TX

If you think the student in your life could benefit from taking a Dallas Fort Worth SSAT prep course, Varsity Tutors provides one of the best options available. The SSAT is a standardized test that admission departments at private and independent schools can use to compare applicants from different backgrounds on an even footing. It is taken by students in grades 3-11 and divided into three "Levels" to provide an appropriate challenge to students of varying age. The breakdown is as follows: Elementary Level (grades 3, 4), Middle Level (5, 6, 7), and Upper Level (8, 9, 10, 11).

While most private and independent schools consider factors besides SSAT scores in their admissions decisions, earning a good score could potentially help your student work toward their academic goals. Varsity Tutors provides Dallas Fort Worth SSAT classes that cover not only the academic knowledge students need on test day, but also exam-specific strategies to improve a student's self-confidence. Continue reading to learn more about the benefits of our services.

What topics are generally covered in a Dallas Fort Worth SSAT course?

All levels of the SSAT contain the same five sections: Experimental, Writing, Quantitative, Reading, and Verbal. The Experimental section is comprised entirely of unscored questions so that the exam's manufacturer can try out future test items, so there is no reason to study for it specifically. The remaining sections have a different layout on the Elementary Level exam than the other two tests, as the former lasts a total of an hour and 50 minutes while the other two have a duration of two hours and 50 minutes. Here's a more detailed look at each section of the SSAT:

Writing

The assessment's Writing section is not scored at any level, with a student's work being provided to each school that they apply to. In general, schools are looking at a student's written communication skills, organization skills, and command of English language mechanics at all levels. Elementary Level test-takers have 15 minutes to compose a short story based on a picture prompt and are encouraged to include a beginning, a middle, and an end in their work. Middle Level test-takers have 25 minutes to write a response to one of two creative writing prompts. The formatting of the Upper Level SSAT is similar, except that students may choose between a creative writing prompt or a traditional essay topic.

Quantitative

The Quantitative section of the SSAT measures a student's grasp of grade-appropriate mathematics. At the Elementary Level, basic concepts such as the four operations, place value, shapes, and reading charts are tested. At higher levels, more advanced subjects such as algebra, geometry, and probability are introduced. Calculators are not allowed on any level of the SSAT. The Elementary Level SSAT's Math section contains 30 multiple-choice questions over a testing session of half an hour, while the other two tests split their Quantitative section into two 30-minute subsections with 25 multiple-choice items each.

Reading

The test's Reading section consists of passage-based questions intended to measure a student's reading comp skills. All students are expected to be able to identify the main idea of a passage, discern between literal and figurative language, and utilize the context a word appears in to define it. Older test-takers are also asked to analyze arguments and draw conclusions that aren't directly stated. The Elementary Level exam contains 28 questions over a 30-minute exam session, while the other two tests have 40 multiple-choice questions over 40 minutes.

Verbal

Finally, the SSAT's Verbal section measures a test-taker's vocab skills through questions about synonyms and analogies. It probably isn't feasible to memorize every word that could appear on the test, so students might want to study prefixes, suffixes, and word roots as clues to what a given term might mean. The Elementary Level SSAT has 30 multiple-choice questions that students have half an hour to answer, while older students need to respond to 60 questions in just 30 minutes.

Why should I choose a Dallas Fort Worth SSAT course provided by Varsity Tutors?

Every Dallas Fort Worth SSAT class we offer is taught by a great communicator with a strong knowledge base about the SSAT. If your student has a hard time remembering everything they read, they might review active reading tips such as note-taking in order to more effectively engage with the information. Students can also study test-taking tips that can improve their self-confidence if they ever feel stuck. For example, children taking the Elementary Level SSAT should guess on every question because there is no penalty for getting it wrong. However, the other two exams penalize students a full point for each incorrect response, a format that requires a completely different strategy.

We also have an exclusive live virtual platform that allows every Dallas Fort Worth SSAT class to take place online, so you don't have to concern yourself with the logistical headache of a commute. The platform supports real-time communication between your student, their classmates, and their teacher, so asking for assistance is as easy as it would be in a more traditional environment.

Working with other students may also prove advantageous, as everybody can work together to foster a learning environment conducive to developing a more comprehensive understanding of academic subjects. For example, outlining a Writing assignment as a group may encourage your student to think about things in a completely different way. Studying together also allows multiple students to split the tab, making standardized test prep more affordable than you might think. Best of all, you can still arrange private study sessions with your student's teacher on an as-needed basis.

We also try to make all of our class offerings as accessible as we can. New classes start every week, so there's always a fresh class to enroll in. Similarly, both two and four-week options are available to make it easier to find a fit for your busy lifestyle.

Can I sign up for a Dallas Fort Worth SSAT course today?

Contact Varsity Tutors today to enroll in a Dallas Fort Worth SSAT course. There is no better time to prepare for your student's future than right now!