What is tested on the SSAT?

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The SSAT has a 25-minute writing sample section, a 40-minute reading comprehension multiple choice section, two 30-minute multiple choice sections in mathematics and one 30-minute multiple choice section testing verbal ability. The writing section asks the student to respond to a topic statement, but is not graded. Instead, the student's essay is sent to schools along with his or her scores. The test sections break down as follows:

Total Test Time: 2 hours and 35 minutes

*Note: Educational Testing Service (ETS) may use the experimental section to try out new questions. Ontario SSAT tests usually do not contain an experimental section, however, be aware that it may exist. The experimental section may be math, reading comprehension, or verbal, and could appear anywhere during the test. Don't try to guess which section it is, and do your best on every section. If you encounter a section that seems difficult or seems different from the practice tests, don't panic - it might be the experimental section.

The sections will not necessarily appear in the above order.

The verbal section has 30 synonyms and 30 analogies. The quantitative sections test concepts from arithmetic, elementary algebra, and basic geometry. The reading comprehension section asks students to answer questions on 7-8 short passages of varying styles on a range of topics.