The Quantitative section of the Upper Level SSAT includes questions about arithmetic, basic algebra, and geometry. There are more questions on Algebra than Geometry. You will need to understand how mathematical operations are expressed in words. You may not use a calculator.
The passages in the Reading section are between 250 and 350 words. Some of them are drawn from works of literature, like poems or short stories, while others are argumentative essays. The content of the passages may be science, social studies, or literature. The largest number of questions will relate to the author’s purpose, the argument of the passage, and the inferences that can be made from the text. There will also be plenty of questions about supporting ideas, tone, and figurative language. There will not be as many questions about vocabulary or identifying the main idea.
In the Verbal section, there will be about the same number of Synonym and Analogy questions. The Verbal section of the Upper Level SSAT has an equal number of synonym and analogy questions.
In the Quantitative section, the most common subject will be algebra, followed by arithmetic, data analysis, and probability. There will be just a few questions about geometry and measurement.
On the Writing sample, you may either write about your personal experience or in response to a general question.
The Experimental section includes Verbal, Reading, and Quantitative questions.