You’ve practiced, studied, watched videos, and practiced some more. The test is in 24 hours and you’re prepared. But now what are you supposed to do?
For starters, take a second to breathe and congratulate yourself on all the hard work that you’ve put in preparing for this test. You’ve worked hard and there’s no reason to cram in a few hundred vocab words.
Here’s what you can do though:
Make sure you are getting plenty of sleep the week before the test and definitely go to bed on time the night before. The better rested you are the more you’ll remember from all your studying.
Get some exercise. Exercise is a great way to release tension. When you exercise your body releases endorphins which help improve your mood.
Drink plenty of water.
Wake up early enough to get in a good healthy breakfast. Choose protein rich foods and whole grains like eggs, nuts, yogurt, or whole wheat toast with peanut butter.
In addition to your No. 2 pencils, bring water and snacks with you so you can continue to fuel your brain throughout the test.
Lastly, good luck! You have worked hard and now it’s time for the pay off!
You’ve completed the ISEE—congratulations! You might now be wondering how long it will take for your scores to arrive. It depends on how you took the test!
We’re excited to introduce Daibi, one of our 2023 Independent School Tuition Scholars. Daibi improved his score on the SSAT by 11%, putting him in the 99th percentile overall!
As part of our mission to help students grow and 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. We are pleased to announce the 2021 Test Innovators Independent...
The Elementary Level SSAT has two levels: Elementary Grade 3 for current 3rd graders applying to 4th grade, and Elementary Grade 4 for current 4th graders applying to 5th grade. Both levels consist of the same sections: Quantitative (math), Reading, Verbal, Writing Sample, and Experimental. The Experimental Section, which is...
In May 2025, Texas passed a new education bill launching school vouchers in 2026 through Education Savings Accounts (ESAs). Families may receive $10,000 per child to use toward private school tuition, tutoring, educational therapy, and more. With broad eligibility and limited spots, now is the time to explore school options,...
Greg Jones is in his 34th year in education. Currently, he’s in his 8th year as Director of Enrollment Management and Admissions at Epiphany School in Seattle.
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...
Transition words may be considered by some to be an unnecessary accouterment to a sentence, a garnish rather than a key ingredient to a dish. While it is true that inexperienced writers run the risk of overembellishing their sentences with transition words, it’s important to recognize that transitions have a...
The first step in your SSAT prep is to take a full-length practice test. The initial practice test serves as a benchmark, or diagnostic test, and is the jumping-off point of the preparation process. We generally recommend taking this test as early as possible, but it is never too late.
