We are often asked about the differences between the ISEE and SSAT. We’ve put together a definitive guide to help families decide which test to take if they are given the option.
1. The most important question is whether the school(s) to which you are applying accept either or both of the tests. If you aren’t certain, call each school’s admissions office. Don’t study for the wrong test!
2. If you can take either, is the ISEE or SSAT best for you?
You may know about the content differences between the ISEE and the SSAT from our previous post here. But there are also big geographic differences. Schools in Georgia, for example, never use the ISEE for admission, while schools in Texas never ask for SSAT scores.
Being well-prepared for the ISEE will help you build confidence and alleviate test anxiety. The most important thing to do right now is to set goals for what areas to improve on, make a prep plan, and stick to it. Happy studying!
We are pleased to introduce Ryan, one of our 2020 scholars. Ryan’s perseverance and dedication allowed him to increase his SSAT score by 51 percentile points, scoring in the 81st percentile overall.
The results are in! Here are the top 5 most competitive ISEE schools, based on the number of students who stated their intention to apply.
1. Harvard-Westlake, Los Angeles, CA
Harvard-Westlake, home of famous alumni like Jake and Maggie Gyllenhaal, Jason Segel, and Tori Spelling, was founded in 1989 when the Harvard...
As part of our mission to help students gain access to quality educational opportunities, we award six merit-based scholarships every year to the Test Innovators students who showed the most improvement on either the SSAT or the ISEE.
One of the most common mistakes that students make on the SSAT and ISEE is not reading the directions and questions carefully. While the sentence instructions may seem self-explanatory, they actually provide important information about how to approach the questions in that section. At the beginning of every section of...
Scott Duddy is the Director of Admissions & Enrollment Management at Dexter Southfield School in Brookline, Massachusetts, and brings with him 14 years of professional experience in the world of independent schools.
Over the past six years, Test Innovators has helped more than 100,000 students prepare for the SSAT and the ISEE, the admissions tests required for applications to the most competitive independent schools in the country. Every year we review our data from thousands of test-takers to find out the most...
Due to the recent coronavirus outbreak, The Enrollment Management Association (EMA), makers of the SSAT, is taking preventative steps to ensure the safety of students, test center administrators and proctors, members, and employees. They are closing test centers in impacted areas and requiring a completed Travel Declaration from anyone entering...
