SSAT Test-Taking Strategies
Process of Elimination
The beauty of a multiple-choice test like the SSAT is that the correct answer is always there! Even if you aren’t sure how to find it, look for answer choices you know are incorrect. Eliminate those, then make an educated guess based on the remaining answer choices.
Each answer choice you eliminate increases your chances of choosing the correct one. In the example below, after elimination, you have a 1-in-3 chance (33%) of answering correctly, rather than a 1-in-5 (20%) chance that you would have had with a random guess. Sometimes, elimination alone is enough to lead you to the right answer.
Download the SSAT Digital Prep Guide to learn specific elimination strategies for each section and question type.
Guessing
For the Elementary Level SSAT:
Always answer every question!
On the Elementary Level ISEE, correct answers earn you 1 point, and incorrect or blank answers receive 0 points. Since there is no penalty for wrong answers, you should make an educated guess even if you are unsure of its accuracy. Eliminate as many answer choices as you can before guessing to increase your odds of getting the correct answer. If you can’t eliminate any options, or if you are running out of time in the section, be sure to select an answer for every question. Blank answers can’t earn you any points!
For the Middle and Upper Level SSAT: On these levels of the test, incorrect answers result in a quarter (.25) point deduction.
This “wrong-answer penalty” is designed to cancel out the advantage of random guessing. Without the penalty, students could earn points by guessing (as explained above). With the penalty, random guessing typically results in no net gain or loss over time. Statistically, your average score will be about the same whether you guess on all questions or leave them blank. Learn more about how the wrong answer penalty works.
Time Management
Using your time effectively on the SSAT is crucial. Every correct answer earns you the same number of points, so your goal is to answer as many questions correctly as possible. Don’t waste valuable time on a tough question when you could use that time to get three easier ones right. Here are three steps to manage your time effectively:
- Group questions by difficulty: As you read each question, ask yourself “do I know how to solve this?” If the answer is “Yes, absolutely,” go ahead. If the answer is “Maybe,” take a stab at it, and prioritize circling back to it at the end if you have time. If the answer is “not really,” or if it’s taking too long, skip it
- Mark your guesses: When you skip a question, mark an answer on your answer sheet anyway, and circle the question in your test booklet. This keeps your answer sheet properly aligned
- Return later: After going through the entire section, go back to the tough questions you marked and see if you can solve them in the time you have left.
*This is an example of what timing feedback looks like in the Test Innovators practice platform:
As you can see, this student spent too long on question 27, and therefore didn’t have time to answer all of the questions. Insights like these are critical to building effective time management skills.
Final Thoughts
Developing solid test-taking strategies for the SSAT is just as important as understanding the structure and content of the exam. A mix of preparation and strategy will be key for your success–start practicing with TI here!
Originally published on January 28, 2020. Updated on May 2, 2025.
