Andover requires one standardized test: the Upper Level SSAT, the Upper Level ISEE, the PSAT, the SAT, or the ACT. The school says it has no minimum grade or score requirements and does not publish a score range or an average score on the pages we reviewed. Any "Andover SSAT score" number you see elsewhere did not come from the school.
What Andover says
The FAQ is direct: "Standardized testing is required." Students "may submit one of the following": SSAT (Upper Level), ISEE (Upper Level), PSAT, SAT, or ACT. Andover's score codes are SSAT 5758, ISEE 220030, SAT 0156, and TOEFL 8127. Scores must be sent to the school.
On cutoffs, the FAQ says the admission committee has "no minimum grade or score requirements for acceptance." It also says the average Andover student maintained an "A" average at their previous school. We did not find a published SSAT or ISEE average or range for admitted students. Treat a figure like "you need the 90th percentile" as advice from its author, not as Andover policy.
International applicants from a school where English is not the language of instruction are asked to submit a TOEFL iBT, IELTS, or Duolingo English Test. The school's guideline is that most admitted international students score at or above 100 on the TOEFL iBT, 7.5 on the IELTS, or 135 on the Duolingo English Test. Families applying for financial aid can request a standardized testing fee waiver through the application portal.
The Upper Level SSAT
The testing organization describes the Upper Level SSAT as about 3 hours and 10 minutes:
- Writing sample: 25 minutes, not scored. Schools use it to assess writing.
- Quantitative: 50 questions in two 30-minute sections. Scored, and calculators are not allowed.
- Reading comprehension: 40 questions in 40 minutes. Scored.
- Verbal: 60 questions (30 synonyms, 30 analogies) in 30 minutes. Scored.
- Experimental: 16 questions in 15 minutes. Not scored.
The Enrollment Management Association's interpretive guide for 2022-23 says Upper Level raw scores convert to a scaled score of 500 to 800 per section, and total scores fall between 1500 and 2400. A percentile is "the percentage of students in the norm group whose scores fall at or below a particular scaled score." The norm group is first-time test takers in the same grade over about three years. The guide also says to treat a scaled score as a band, because every test has a standard error: it gives 20 points as the Upper Level verbal figure. Check the current guide for the 2026-27 year.
The Upper Level ISEE
ERB's 2026-27 Quick Facts guide says the Upper Level is for applicants to grades 9 through 12:
- Verbal Reasoning: 40 questions, 20 minutes.
- Quantitative Reasoning: 37 questions, 35 minutes.
- Reading Comprehension: 36 questions, 35 minutes.
- Mathematics Achievement: 47 questions, 40 minutes.
- Essay: one prompt, 30 minutes, not scored. Selected schools receive a copy.
The total is 2 hours 40 minutes plus two 10-minute breaks. Scores are based only on correct answers, and incorrect answers are not deducted. Students may take the ISEE once per testing season. The fall season runs August through November, and the winter season runs December through March. Online test takers get scores within three to five days. Families add Andover as a score recipient at registration or after the report arrives.
Choosing a test
Andover does not rank its accepted tests, and the pages we reviewed do not say which suits which entry grade. A practical approach:
- Look at the sections. The SSAT has verbal analogies and synonyms. The ISEE has a separate mathematics achievement section.
- Have your child try one timed section of each from the testing organizations' sample materials, and compare comfort and accuracy.
- Choose one test and prepare for it. The school asks for one.
- Register early enough that scores arrive well before the February 1, 2027 deadline. The Andover admissions timeline shows the order of steps.
A free diagnostic can show where a student's skills stand before choosing.
Reading a score report
Whichever test your child takes, read the report as a band, not a single point. The SSAT guide says to extend a score one standard error above and below, so a verbal score of 698 could land between 678 and 718 on another day. Compare sections, too. A student whose reading and verbal scores are strong and whose quantitative score trails has a clear thing to work on, and that is more useful than the total. Percentiles are relative to other students in the same grade, so a score should be read against the right comparison group. Share the report with your child's teachers if it helps them see where the student needs support, and keep it in context: Andover also reads grades, recommendations, and writing.
Common mistakes
- Chasing a target score. The school sets none, and a file has several parts.
- Sending scores to the wrong school code. Use Andover's codes above.
- Planning two ISEE attempts in one season. The ISEE allows one attempt per testing season.
- Forgetting the writing. Both tests include an unscored writing task that is sent with scores.
- Waiting until January. Late tests leave no room to retake in a new season.
Frequently asked questions
What SSAT score do you need for Andover?
Andover says its admission committee has no minimum grade or score requirements for acceptance. The pages we reviewed do not publish an SSAT average or range for admitted students.
Does Andover accept the ISEE?
Yes. Andover accepts the Upper Level ISEE, and its ISEE code is 220030. The school also accepts the Upper Level SSAT, PSAT, SAT, and ACT.
Can my child submit more than one test?
The school says students may submit one of the listed tests. It does not say it ranks them or favors one.
Is testing optional at Andover?
No. The school's FAQ states that standardized testing is required.
Getting help
If you want structured support with preparation, see the programs page.
Sources
- Admission FAQs, Andover
- How to Apply, Andover admission
- Andover FAQs
- What's on the Upper Level SSAT? Admission.org
- 2022-2023 Interpretive Guide for the Middle and Upper Level SSATs
- ISEE Quick Facts Guide 2026-2027
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