SSAT tutoring for New York City families
The SSAT is the other main admissions test for New York City private schools, and for boarding schools across the country. Our tutors teach analogies, synonyms, quantitative questions and reading strategy, with timed practice in the real format.
One-to-one from $20 a class ยท billed in USD
New York City - online 1-to-1
What every programme includes
- โ Verbal: synonyms and analogies
- โ Quantitative: two sections of math reasoning
- โ Reading comprehension
- โ The writing sample, sent to schools
- โ Middle and Upper Level preparation
- โ Eastern-time after-school and weekend slots
Lesson times in your time zone
Weekdays 3pm-9pm after school ยท Weekends 8am-8pm, your local time. Pick the slot when you book.
How the Upper Level SSAT works
The Upper Level SSAT has two quantitative sections of 25 questions (30 minutes each), a reading section of 40 questions (40 minutes), a verbal section of 60 questions, 30 synonyms and 30 analogies (30 minutes), an unscored writing sample (25 minutes) and an unscored experimental section. Each scored area is reported from 500 to 800, for a total of 1500 to 2400.
2026-27 Saturday test dates include 10 October 2026, 9 January 2027, 30 January 2027 and 13 March 2027, alongside Flex and at-home options.
Where SSAT points are lost
The usual problems:
- โ Analogies attempted without a method for naming the relationship
- โ Vocabulary gaps on synonyms
- โ Guessing strategy: knowing when to skip
- โ Quantitative questions on content not yet taught at school
- โ Reading passages answered from memory
Upper Level SSAT sections
| Section | Questions | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Writing sample (unscored) | 1 essay | 25 minutes |
| Quantitative 1 | 25 | 30 minutes |
| Reading | 40 | 40 minutes |
| Verbal (synonyms and analogies) | 60 | 30 minutes |
| Quantitative 2 | 25 | 30 minutes |
| Experimental (unscored) | 16 | 15 minutes |
A 10-week SSAT plan
- 1
Week 1
A full practice test and an analysis of guessing and timing.
- 2
Weeks 2-5
Analogy method, vocabulary and math content.
- 3
Weeks 6-8
Timed sections and reading strategy.
- 4
Weeks 9-10
Full practice tests and the writing sample.
Tutors for this programme
Stephen Mc Cormack
PGCE Primary(3-11), Cardiff Metropolitan University
15 yrs experience
AP ยท IB ยท SAT
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Muhammad Mahmood Aslam Bhutta
PhD-qualified Mechanical Engineer, Graz University of technology, Graz , Austria
25 yrs experience
US school
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Abdi Musa
Bachelor of Science in Mathematics, University of Washington Bothell
4 yrs experience
GCSE / A-Level (UK)
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What tutoring costs in the USA
Independent SAT and test-prep tutors in the US
$45-150 an hour
Source: Private Prep: how much SAT tutoring costs, 2026EagleTeach, one-to-one online
From $20 a class
Billed in USD, converted at an approximate rate. Two free demo classes first.
Common questions
How is the SSAT scored?๏ผ
At Upper Level, each scored area is reported from 500 to 800, for a total of 1500 to 2400.
When are the 2026-27 SSAT dates?๏ผ
Saturday dates include 10 October 2026, 9 January 2027, 30 January 2027 and 13 March 2027, with Flex and at-home options too.
Is the SSAT writing sample scored?๏ผ
No, it is sent to schools as a writing sample.
SSAT or ISEE?๏ผ
Check which your target schools accept. A practice test of each shows which format suits your child.
How long should SSAT prep take?๏ผ
Usually 8 to 12 weeks with one or two sessions a week.
Are sessions in Eastern time?๏ผ
Yes, after school and at weekends.
Sources
Facts on this page were checked against these sources on 2026-10-02.
Helpful guides
Related programmes
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