The SSAT
The most reliable, objective, accessible, and secure independent school admission assessment. Utilize the SSAT as part of a holistic admissions process to ensure equitable candidate review and to aid academic planning for incoming students and classes.
ON-DEMAND PRESENTATION
Metrics & Mission: The Student-Centered Approach to Holistic Admissions
Enrollment professionals need an equitable way to assess applicants, regardless of their background or experience.
We are committed to ensuring reliability and fairness and have the industry's most rigorous assessment development and review process, providing reliable score equity measurements and expert guidance.
Developed to standardize admissions for grades 3-11, the SSAT measures students' verbal, math, and reading skills and provides objective insights enrollment leaders need to reduce inherent biases and predict first-year student success.
As the assessment landscape continues to evolve and grade inflation rises, the SSAT offers a significant asset to decision makers inside a holistic assessment process by giving an objective, scientific measurement within an admission file with mostly subjective inputs. The SSAT allows schools to compare students' cognitive skills in similar circumstances when used as one component in an overall applicant portrait.
The SSAT is part of a holistic admissions process.
Our testing experts continually monitor The SSAT to ensure it remains:
Secure
Maintaining security and confidentiality is critical for ensuring fair and equal testing opportunities for all students.
The processes and procedures for SSAT administration are the same for every student at test sites around the world.
Accessible
We believe in breaking down barriers to independent school education. EMA’s long-standing Fee Waiver Program supports our mission by offering member schools fee waivers for several EMA products and services, including SSAT, for students who may not otherwise be able to afford them.
Flexible
We have you covered to ensure your applicants can schedule assessments that works best for them. EMA has the most available testing options around the world, as well as individual remote testing for students with the SSAT At Home.
Reliable
Our development and scoring practices adhere to The Standards of Educational and Psychological Testing, American Education Research Association, and National Council on Measurement in Education. Each question is thoroughly reviewed by our staff, psychometricians, test developers, and external review panels.
Objective
Statistical procedures are used to adjust difficulty so that scores from different assessment forms carry the same meaning and can be used interchangeably. Our assessments are written and reviewed by experts, subject-matter thought leaders, and independent school educators dedicated to equity, fairness, and inclusion.
Our experts also provide training to schools on how to reduce bias in admissions and properly use assessment results during the enrollment process.
Without a reliable test of cognitive skills, it is impossible to compare applicants from a variety of diverse backgrounds.
SSAT Customized Score Services
Want to get the most out of every SSAT score report you receive? EMA offers two services to provide you with customized information appropriate to your school's unique needs:
1
The SSAT scores of currently enrolled students can help schools establish a baseline for comparing incoming applicant scores. It can also help establish a benchmark to measure the future progress of current students.
2
Applicant Comparison Data
We can provide school-specific data to give schools a better understanding of where each applicant’s scores fall in relation to currently enrolled students and the previous year’s applicant pool.
Quality test development requires a rigorous scientific approach.
Our test development and scoring practices adhere to The Standards of Educational and Psychological Testing, the American Education Research Association, and the National Council on Measurement in Education.
Assessments are written and reviewed by test experts, subject-matter thought leaders, and independent school educators dedicated to equity, fairness, and inclusion.
Each question receives a full review by our staff, psychometricians, test developers, and external review panels to reduce bias and remove items that all students would not understand.
Statistical procedures are used to adjust for difficulty so that scores from different test forms carry the same meaning and can be used interchangeably.
Our experts also provide training to schools on how to reduce bias in admissions and properly use assessment results during the enrollment process.
Schools need reliable assessment tools to make confident decisions about applicants.
Standard Test Dates for the 2025-2026 school year are as follows:
- October 11, 2025 (Upper, Middle)
- November 15, 2025 (Upper, Middle, Elementary)
- December 13, 2025 (Upper, Middle, Elementary)
- January 3, 2026 (Upper, Middle)
- January 31, 2026 (Upper, Middle)
- March 7, 2026 (Upper, Middle)
Schools Benefitting From The SSAT
Create an equitable admission review process.
EMA's standardized admission assessments—the SSAT and the Character Skills Snapshot—enable schools to conduct equitable and non-biased enrollment processes by providing objective, scientific measurements.
Our longstanding Fee Waiver Program helps thousands of students explore the possibilities of independent school education.
Ready to learn more about the SSAT? Let's chat!
PARENTS AND STUDENTS: This form is not where you register for the SSAT. You can learn about the SSAT, contact our family support, or register for the SSAT at these links.