What’s on each section of the SSAT Middle Level?
Three kinds of scored multiple-choice sections (Quantitative, Reading and Verbal), a writing sample and a short experimental section. Every multiple-choice question has five answer choices.
| Part | Questions | Minutes | Scored? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Writing sample | 1 prompt | 25 | No |
| Break | 10 | ||
| Quantitative 1 | 25 | 30 | Yes |
| Reading | 40 | 40 | Yes |
| Break | 10 | ||
| Verbal (30 synonyms, 30 analogies) | 60 | 30 | Yes |
| Quantitative 2 | 25 | 30 | Yes |
| Experimental | 16 | 15 | No |
| Total | 150 scored | 3 hr 10 min with breaks |
The Quantitative sections cover arithmetic, elementary algebra, geometry and other math concepts, and calculators aren’t allowed. For the writing sample, your child has 25 minutes and chooses between a creative story starter and a personal prompt. It isn’t scored, and a copy goes to the schools that receive the score report.
Which students take the Middle Level?
Students now in grades 5 to 7, applying to grades 6 to 8. The level follows your child’s current grade, so a 7th grader applying to 8th grade takes the Middle Level, and an 8th grader takes the Upper Level.
How is the Middle Level scored?
Each correct answer earns 1 point, each wrong answer loses a quarter of a point, and skipped questions earn nothing and lose nothing. Raw scores become a scaled score of 440 to 710 for each of the Quantitative, Verbal and Reading scores, for a total of 1320 to 2130. Percentiles compare your child with first-time test takers in the same grade over the last three years.
When are the remaining Standard test dates?
The test owner lists these Saturday Standard paper test dates for the 2026–27 testing year: November 14 and December 12, 2026, and January 9, January 30 and March 13, 2027. Online at-home and Prometric tests run on other dates, and schools set their own application deadlines.
Sources
- E3n, What’s on the Middle Level SSAT?. The Middle Level sections in order, question counts, minutes, the 3 hour 10 minute total, the unscored writing sample and experimental section, the writing prompt types, and that calculators aren’t allowed.. Checked October 19, 2026.
- E3n, SSAT Candidate Handbook for Testing Year 2026–2027. The grades for each level, that the Middle and Upper Levels share one format and timing, five answer choices, and the quarter-point rule for wrong answers.. Checked October 19, 2026.
- E3n, SSAT for Families Paper Testing. The two 10-minute breaks and where they fall, and the remaining 2026–27 Standard test dates.. Checked October 19, 2026.
- E3n, Sample Middle Level SSAT Score Report. Middle Level section scores of 440 to 710 and a total of 1320 to 2130.. Checked October 19, 2026.
- E3n, How should I interpret the SSAT score report?. Percentiles compare students with first-time test takers in the same grade over the last three years.. Checked October 19, 2026.