Why are practice tests such a critical piece of preparation?
The American Psychological Association defines the testing effect as the psychological finding that retention is better when taking a test compared to restudying the same material. The testing effect, also called retrieval practice, indicates that practice tests are a more effective learning tool than restudying the material.
Though it takes more effort, the research shows that more difficult retrieval of information, when successful, is better for long term memory than easier retrieval.
So, if you are taking a difficult test like an admissions test, the best way to prepare is to take several practice tests. In between each practice test, it’s important to analyze your results and review the material you didn’t know. Learn more about the three steps of test preparation.
The first study on this concept was published in 1917, and since then there have been multiple follow-up studies on similar concepts, including a 2016 study that we wrote about here.
We are pleased to introduce Esther, one of our 2024 scholars. Through hard work and dedication, Esther increased her ISEE score by over 26 percentile points!
The Test Innovators Video Course provides videos and resources that focus on both strategies and content to help you reach your testing goals. Consider these methods to making use of the Video Course:Start with the videos on Test-taking Strategies. This chapter includes all of the videos that will help you...
A Note from Test Innovators’ CEO, Edan ShaharTo date, students have answered over 20 million questions on the Test Innovators platform. Now, we are diving into this data to understand how students learn and to help them achieve their academic and test-taking goals.After exploring how our students improve, we investigated...
Most people know that it’s important to take a few practice tests before the real exam, but what’s really crucial is learning from that practice. And sometimes that’s easier said than done.
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We get a lot of questions about the particular knowledge requirements on the SSAT, but this one is the most common: which SSAT section is the most crucial to a successful application? And as with any other question, we’ve turned to our extensive data to find the answer. We’ve heard...
For the first section of the SSAT, you will have 25 minutes to produce a sample of your best writing. For the writing sample, you will choose from two prompts: one is a creative prompt in the form of a partial sentence.
Every student is different, and every student’s test prep needs are different too. Test Innovators’ online platform provides every student with a Personalized Prep Plan, targeted to an individual’s specific needs. The Prep Plan provides guidance on next steps and auto-generates specific recommendations for practice to complete.
The ISEE, which stands for the Independent School Entrance Exam, is an admissions exam published by ERB. Many independent and private schools in the United States use the ISEE to evaluate candidates as part of their admissions process.
In this series of posts, we will explore some of our practice questions that have stumped a remarkable number of students. We hope to highlight some common mistakes and how to avoid them on the official test.
