Be Unique With the Character Skills Snapshot

The Character Skills Snapshot is the missing piece of the private school admissions puzzle. A holistic measure of student preferences, attitudes, and beliefs toward seven character skills, the Snapshot complements standardized tests such as the SSAT by helping admission teams get to know who your child is in addition to what they know—letting their uniqueness shine.

Snapshot by the numbers

100,210+

snapshots taken

character skills measured

6–12

for students entering these grades

Elevate your student's voice in the application process.

Hundreds of schools use the Snapshot throughout their enrollment processes to ensure a student-centered approach to admissions. Simply inquire with a school’s admissions office to learn if they’d appreciate seeing your child’s report.

Why take the Snapshot?

To give admission teams the full picture.

The Snapshot enriches a school’s understanding of your child by highlighting their skills across seven essential character traits, providing insight into how they will succeed in the school’s programs.

To help advisors and teachers get to know your child.

The Snapshot is much more than an admission assessment tool. Teachers and advisors use it to understand students better to best support them on their academic journey.

To gain insight into your child’s character skills.

As a parent, the Snapshot provides a one-of-a-kind view into your child's preferred character skills, so you can offer support and encouragement where it's needed most.

Let's Talk About the Character Skills Snapshot

Listen to admissions and enrollment leaders at Durham Academy in North Carolina and Marlborough School in Los Angeles discuss how their schools utilize the Character Skills Snapshot.

#admissionchat

What are the skills measured?

The Character Skills Snapshot measures student preferences toward seven character skills. It takes approximately 25 minutes to complete, and students entering grades 6–12 can take the Snapshot online from the comfort of their homes. The important part for students to understand is that there are no right or wrong answers.

Saint Mary's School (NC)

Intellectual

• Intellectual Engagement: Willingness and enjoyment of pursuing learning opportunities.

• Open-mindedness: Willingness to try new things.

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Intrapersonal

• Initiative: Prefers to start tasks in a timely manner.

• Resilience: Rebounds from unexpected situations and changing circumstances.

• Self-control: Monitors and controls their thoughts, actions, and what they say to others.

Interpersonal

• Social Awareness: Responds to everyday situations appropriately.

• Teamwork: Engages in supportive behaviors and emphasizes empathy that enables productive collaboration.

How much does the Snapshot cost?

The Snapshot is $30 when purchased at the same time as an SSAT test, or $60 when purchased separately.

Fee Waivers

Fee waivers for the Character Skills Snapshot are available from participating schools for eligible families. Please inquire with a school that accepts the Snapshot to see if your family meets the eligibility requirements.‍

*A surcharge fee is applied to credit card purchases. Some exclusions apply.

What Our Schools Are Saying

"The Snapshot helps us evaluate children on the skills they need for lives as adults that will be fundamentally different from the lives we lead today. We need to help our students develop skills for careers that don’t exist yet, and to solve problems that aren't invented yet."

Laurel Baker Tew

Assistant Head of School for Enrollment Management
Viewpoint School (CA)

"Because we've used the Snapshot over a number of years, it continues to reveal itself to us that it's really a tool that can help us determine where we can help students grow and thrive."

Victoria Muradi

Director of Strategic Initiatives
Durham Academy (NC)

"Anytime that you have more information about your child and how he or she is seeing themselves, it can only help you navigate different areas."

Christine Thornton

Associate Director of Admissions
Marlborough School (CA)

Snapshot Advice Articles

Midland School (CA)

Assessment Advice

Let's take the Snapshot!

Before students can unveil their character skills, parents must create parent and student accounts within our portal and give consent for students to take the Snapshot. Students can then take the Snapshot within their student accounts, and parents control which schools receive the results.

To learn if a school requires the Snapshot, please contact their admissions office directly. For other questions regarding registration, scoring, and the availability of results, visit our Help Center. If you hit a snag while registering, don’t hesitate to contact our friendly Support team.