If you're looking for a great New York City SSAT prep course, Varsity Tutors can find you one of the most comprehensive courses around. The SSAT is a high-stakes assessment that provides private and independent schools with objective information that allows them to objectively compare applicants from different backgrounds. It is divided into three levels based on a test-taker's age: students in grades 3-4 take the Elementary Level SSAT, grades 5-7 take the Middle Level SSAT, and grades 8-11 take an Upper Level SSAT. Students typically take the test in anticipation of entering their new private or independent school for the next school year. For example, a seventh grader would be planning to enroll in a new school starting with grade 8.
Each school has its own target score and considers other factors in making admission decisions, but doing well on the SSAT could help you or your student reach for your academic potential. That's where we come into the picture. Enrolling in one of our New York City SSAT class offerings allows you to study in a collaborative learning environment with a knowledgeable teacher as you study for all facets of the test. Continue reading to learn more about how we may be able to help you.
What topics are reviewed in a New York City SSAT course?
The Elementary Level SSAT lasts one hour and 50 minutes, while students taking the Middle or Upper Level exams spend two hours and 50 minutes testing. As such, the Elementary Level test has a different format with fewer exam items than its counterparts for older students. That said, all levels of the SSAT have four multiple-choice sections (Experimental, Quantitative, Reading, and Verbal) plus a Writing component. The Experimental section is always unscored, so there is no reason to devote any valuable test time to it. Here is a closer look at the remaining sections of the test:
The SSAT Quantitative section is simply called "Math" on the Elementary Level exam. Students are tested on the four basic operations (addition, subtraction, multiplication, division), place value, shapes, fractions, and other introductory concepts. They have 30 questions to answer in 30 minutes. Meanwhile, the Quantitative section is divided into two subsections of 25 questions each on the Middle and Upper Level SSAT. Each subsection lasts 30 minutes (one hour total), and topics covered include grade-appropriate algebra, geometry, probability, and data analysis. Calculators are not allowed on any level of the SSAT.
The assessment's Reading section contains 28 questions in 30 minutes at the Elementary Level and 40 questions over 40 minutes on the Middle and Upper Level exams. All test-takers are presented with reading passages and asked to identify key information such as the main idea, separate literal language from words with a more figurative meaning, and use context to define potentially unfamiliar terms and phrases. Older students are also asked to critically evaluate arguments and draw conclusions based on what they've read.
The test's Verbal section contains 30 questions over 20 minutes at the Elementary Level and 60 questions in 30 minutes on the Middle and Upper Levels. It primarily measures a test-taker's vocabulary skills through the use of synonyms and analogies. Older students may want to study prefixes, suffixes, and word roots to make it easier to determine what a word might mean.
The SSAT's Writing section is the only one with structural differences on all three exams. Elementary Level children have 15 minutes to write a short story based on a picture. The directions remind them to include a beginning, middle, and end. Middle Level test-takers have 25 minutes to write a response to their choice of two creative writing prompts. Upper Level test-takers also have 25 minutes, but they choose between a creative writing prompt and a traditional essay. The Writing section is not scored on any level of the SSAT, but is submitted as a writing sample to allow private and independent schools to evaluate a candidate's written communication skills for themselves.
What are some benefits of taking a New York City SSAT course provided by Varsity Tutors?
Every New York City SSAT class we can find you takes place on a convenient live virtual platform, allowing you or the student in your life to study anywhere with a good internet connection. Our platform supports real-time interaction, so asking for help is just as easy as it would be in a physical classroom. You can also communicate with your fellow students, allowing all of you to work together to establish a collaborative learning environment where everybody can pursue their academic goals.
For example, a student who excels in reading comprehension may share their best active reading tips with their classmates. If your student is one of the recipients, they can improve their study skills for the test. If your student is the one providing the tips, they can gain self-confidence from helping somebody else while also reviewing the information to explain it to others. In short, it's a win-win. Similarly, reading over another student's essay outline can steer your student toward approaching a problem in a more insightful manner.
Having multiple students share a classroom also allows you to split the cost, making a professional New York City SSAT class more affordable than you might think. If you feel that your student needs personalized instruction to grasp a particularly challenging topic, you can also arrange private study time with the teacher on an as-needed basis.
We also try to make all of these classes as convenient to attend as possible. There are two and four-week sessions, making it easier for busy students to find something they can commit to attending regularly. We also start new classes every week, so it's always a great time to start preparing for the SSAT.
Can I sign up for a New York City SSAT course today?
Reach out to an expert educational consultant using the information below for more information on how to sign up today. Varsity Tutors can connect you with an industry-leading New York City SSAT course, and we look forward to sharing it with you!

Diptesh: New York SSAT course instructor
...of subjects since! I specialize in mathematics and science tutoring as well as standardized exam preparation. In the past, I have helped students achieve significant improvements and success on the SAT, SHSAT, Regents and other exams! I truly believe education is a mutual learning and teaching opportunity and enjoy helping my students achieve a thorough understanding (those "Aha!" moments) and appreciation of whatever they choose to study! In the future, I seek to pursue clinical...
Education & Certification
- New York University - Bachelor of Science, Global Public Health & Chemistry
Subject Expertise
- SSAT
- SAT
- PSAT
- HSPT
- +88 subjects

Thomas: New York SSAT course instructor
...25-year-old Yale graduate. I have extensive experience (5+ years) tutoring students for the SAT and ACT. I got a 2370 on my SAT (800 Math, 780 Critical Reading, 790 Writing) and a 35 on my ACT. I am also very familiar with the SSAT and ISEE exams. After graduating from Yale University with a BA and MA in history I taught English in South Korea for a year before moving home and becoming a tutor...
Education & Certification
- Yale University - Bachelors, History
- Yale University - Masters, History
Subject Expertise
- SSAT
- ISEE
- SAT
- ACT
- +20 subjects

Alana: New York SSAT course instructor
...English. In college, I was accepted into the Mentoring and Student Teaching Program for underserved children in Philadelphia. I served as a science and english tutor for three years, while tutoring my peers in Spanish and Biology as well. Having taken the MCAT and excelled on the SAT, ACT, as well as multiple SAT subject tests, I am have extensive standardized testing experience and am confident in my ability to help others in their academic...
Education & Certification
- Haverford College - Bachelor of Science, Cellular and Molecular Biology
Subject Expertise
- SSAT
- SAT
- HSPT
- SAT Subject Tests
- +56 subjects

Rena: New York SSAT course instructor
...took all honors and AP courses and graduated with a 4.0 GPA unweighted and a 4.97 GPA weighted considering those honors and AP classes. I am currently attending Rutgers University in New Brunswick pursuing my major in Urban Planning and Design and my minor in Psychology and possibly Italian as well. For my future career goals, I plan to live in a city, preferably Philadelphia, and be an urban planner and designer, redeveloping and revitalizing...
Education & Certification
- Rutgers University-New Brunswick - Current Undergrad, Urban Planning and Design
Subject Expertise
- SSAT
- SAT
- ISEE
- TACHS
- +30 subjects

Farah : New York SSAT course instructor
...programs. As a Supplemental Instruction Leader for introductory biology course as well as genetics courses, I have led tutorial sessions amenable to students with various educational backgrounds and skill levels. As an Academic Success and Enrichment Program (ASEP) biology teacher's assistant in the summer and school year, I tutored underprivileged incoming first years by hosting weekly sessions as well as aided them with lab work. Through these programs, I have developed various techniques and tools...
Education & Certification
- Barnard College of Columbia University - Bachelors, Biological Sciences
Subject Expertise
- SSAT
- SAT Subject Tests
- REGENTS
- PSAT
- +36 subjects

Jesse: New York SSAT course instructor
...2011 Libyan Revolution. During a semester abroad in Paris, I tutored elementary school children as an English language assistant. While at Wesleyan, I also worked as an ESL instructor, tutoring a Moroccan immigrant and helping him to gain citizenship and employment. Education has given me the opportunity to find what I am passionate about, and I hope to help others gain that same opportunity through tutoring. I tutor in English, French, and standardized tests, and...
Education & Certification
- Wesleyan University - Bachelor in Arts, French & College of Letters (History/English/Philosophy)
Subject Expertise
- SSAT
- SAT
- SAT Subject Tests
- ASPIRE
- +80 subjects

Jed: New York SSAT course instructor
...creative writing minor and really enjoy using a variety of methods to help you develop a sense of conciseness, organization, and rhythm in their writing. Some of my favorite writers/poets include Langston Hughes, John Steinbeck, and Peter Matthiessen. Before returning to Middlebury College to finish my B.A. degree, I both taught and tutored for after-school centers in Taiwan working with children from a young elementary level up to high school and even college students. My other...
Education & Certification
- Middlebury College - Bachelor in Arts, Chemistry
Subject Expertise
- SSAT
- SAT
- SAT Subject Tests
- HSPT
- +56 subjects

Margarita: New York SSAT course instructor
...Assistant and part-time on a public health project related to smoking cessation. I have also been tutoring students in a variety of subjects. I have been tutoring students since I was in 7th grade, and my favorite subject to tutor is math. My family is originally from Russia, and I grew up with a very strong and traditional math background. I always find teaching math to students to be gratifying, and I hope to share...
Subject Expertise
- SSAT
- SAT Subject Tests
- ACT
- SAT
- +55 subjects

Violet: New York SSAT course instructor
...in dance, travel, volunteering, reading and art. My tutoring subjects are mathematics (from elementary school to college level) and standardized testing (SAT, SAT subject tests, PSAT, and SSAT). I have tutored mainly high school students in the New York State Regents exams and AP Calculus, although I also have experience with students in middle and elementary school. Since I have been through many school systems, including public, private, studying abroad, and boarding school, I have...
Education & Certification
- Brown University (transferring from the University of St Andrews) - Bachelor of Science, Mathematics
Subject Expertise
- SSAT
- SAT Subject Tests
- SAT
- Calculus 3
- +29 subjects

Natalie: New York SSAT course instructor
...to New York City this fall! I love tutoring and teaching students, and I have worked with a number of educational programs, from boarding schools to Americorps. I specialize in languages (English, French, German, Latin, and Ancient Greek) and test prep. I seek to help my students make connections between new material and things that are familiar to them, breaking down higher concepts with accessible examples that can help foster creativity. I care deeply about...
Education & Certification
- Princeton University - Bachelors, Philosophy
- Columbia University in the City of New York - Current Grad Student, Philosophy
Subject Expertise
- SSAT
- SAT
- SAT Subject Tests
- ACT
- +59 subjects

Allegra: New York SSAT course instructor
...SAT and took 9 AP classes; as a student at the University of Chicago, I developed exemplary writing and critical reading skills; and as a tutor, I learned how to convey those skills to students of all ages, from many different backgrounds, in both one-on-one and group settings. Need to raise those scores? Having trouble telling a participle from a predicate? Want to make your college essay the best it can be? I'm here to...
Education & Certification
- CUNY Bernard M Baruch College - Current Undergrad, Religious Studies
Subject Expertise
- SSAT
- ACT
- SAT
- HSPT
- +63 subjects

Reshad: New York SSAT course instructor
...senior at Queens College majoring in Urban Studies. I am writing a thesis on South Asians living in New York City. I have spent the last two semesters mentoring kids from a local shelter every Saturday during the school year. My specialties are SAT prep, SHSAT Prep, English and Social Studies. As a tutor, I am persistent and creative in my teaching techniques. I will explore every option to teach students the material.
Education & Certification
- CUNY Queens College - Current Undergrad, Urban Studies
Subject Expertise
- SSAT
- HSPT
- SAT Subject Tests
- TACHS
- +34 subjects

Thomas: New York SSAT course instructor
...mode. Using an awareness of physicality, I've adopted a dynamic interpersonal and intellectual relationship with both tutees (in my Thompson Writing Program work) and larger groups (12) of students (in Breakthrough Collaborative). My vocabulary of narrative techniques has been consistently applicable: I use a range of media styles to instruct and engage an audience. And an intimate understanding of narrative structures allows me to deconstruct the "arc" of and "tell the story of" course material,...
Education & Certification
- Duke University - Bachelors, Mathematics
Subject Expertise
- SSAT
- HSPT
- TACHS
- ISEE
- +53 subjects

Julia: New York SSAT course instructor
...felt throughout my life. Whether it's getting lost in a good book or feeling the thrill of excitement at finally solving a difficult math problem, I feel that learning should be fun and viewed as a challenge, not a chore. Throughout my academic career, I have been a well-rounded student, excelling in math as well as language and literature. I am a notoriously good test-taker, a skill developed from solid study habits that I hope...
Education & Certification
- The College of William & Mary - Bachelors, English & Linguistics
Subject Expertise
- SSAT
- ISEE
- SAT
- Other
- +41 subjects

Sheena: New York SSAT course instructor
...in group settings on subjects such as Calculus, Economics, SAT, Math, and much more! I am great with any type of standardized testing: specifically, SAT, SAT II on Math 1 and 2, and HSPT. I genuinely love tutoring these subjects as well as math and writing. I believe strongly that my role as a tutor is to help my students approach the material with an anxiety-free, systematic approach. I know just how to make the...
Education & Certification
- Macaulay Honors College at Hunter College - Bachelors, Economics, Chinese
Subject Expertise
- SSAT
- ISEE
- SAT
- HSPT
- +48 subjects

Moriah: New York SSAT course instructor
...more on the Reading portions of standardized tests but have at times assisted students in the math and science portions as well usually one-on-one. I strongly believe that every students has their own style of learning and must learn at their own pace. Although, sometimes giving them too much leeway may not always be the best solution, I am there to also provide encouragement and challenge to make the learning process enjoyable and beneficial. Apart...
Education & Certification
- Cornell University - Bachelor in Arts, Music
Subject Expertise
- SSAT
- HSPT
- SAT
- REGENTS
- +61 subjects

Theresa: New York SSAT course instructor
...the inner city of Providence. After school, I tutor students who are at risk or are currently failing, and before school, I offer supplementary SAT help to our school's most advanced students. Now, I am seeking teaching positions for writing as I transition to graduate school next year at Columbia University for fiction. My entire academic career has focused on meaning that could be derived from literature, and articulating those ideas through written or verbal...
Education & Certification
- Rutgers University, New Brunswick - Bachelors, Double Major in English and Psychology
- Columbia University in the City of New York - Masters, Masters of Fine Arts in Fiction
Subject Expertise
- SSAT
- SAT
- SAT Subject Tests
- ISEE
- +58 subjects

Foster: New York SSAT course instructor
...of mine to make learning as engaging and enlightening as possible. I am always interested in finding new ways to approach problems, and I value each student for the unique things that only they can bring to the table.* *I studied for three years at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, earning my B.A. in Theatre. I moved to New York City right after graduation, and right at the same time as the COVID pandemic began. What...
Education & Certification
- Vanderbilt University - Bachelor in Arts, Theater Arts
Subject Expertise
- SSAT
- HSPT
- ACT
- SHSAT
- +31 subjects

Amy: New York SSAT course instructor
...speaking. I strive to understand each student's strengths, weaknesses, and motivations, and to devise a personalized plan based in not just results, but personal accomplishment and goal-setting. Two of my biggest passions are learning new things and working with people. Combine those two together, and you get the exact reason why I'm here. I want to motivate and push you to accomplish what you previously thought impossible both inside and outside of the classroom --...
Education & Certification
- Columbia University in the City of New York - Current Undergrad, Human Rights, English, Business Management
Subject Expertise
- SSAT
- PSAT
- SAT
- ISEE
- +31 subjects

Zachary: New York SSAT course instructor
...Theater. I am pursuing a career as an actor, but am thrilled to continue to flex my intellectual side and share my passion for learning with the next generation. In college, I studied Cognitive Science, not so much as a fallback career, but because I am fascinated by the subject. I succeeded in getting into Northwestern without the aid of any academic tutors or test prep classes. As such, I am confident in my standardized...
Education & Certification
- Northwestern University - Bachelors, Theatre, Cognitive Science
Subject Expertise
- SSAT
- SAT Subject Tests
- CAHSEE
- ISEE
- +60 subjects