Greg Jones served a long and illustrious career in education. Recently retired, Jones was the Director of Enrollment Management and Admissions at Epiphany School for 14 years and a middle school Humanities teacher, department chair, and admissions committee member at The Northwest School for 15 years, both located in Seattle, Washington.
In this conversation with Test Innovators’ CEO, Edan Shahar, Greg talks about his experience helping 8th graders find the best high school fit, and offers his advice for parents as they navigate the admissions process.
Originally published on December 12, 2018. Updated on January 5, 2026.
On a fast-paced timed test like the ISEE, you need to be able to effectively manage your time in order to score as many points as possible. Since every question on the test is worth the same amount of points, here's our advice for maximizing your score:
Over the past seven years, Test Innovators has helped more than 100,000 students prepare for the SSAT and the ISEE—the admissions tests required by the most competitive independent schools in the country. Every year we review our data from thousands of test-takers to determine the most popular schools.Below are the 5...
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.
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 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...
The Character Skills Snapshot (CSS) is a tool developed by The Enrollment Management Association, the same company that creates the SSAT. Students in grades 6 through 12 take the CSS for admission to participating independent schools. Check with your prospective schools to see if they require the CSS.
Here are a few foolproof methods to help alleviate stress during the test prep process. Reduce anxiety and tackle this challenge head-on. You got this!
Test preparation is an iterative process. Each practice test serves as a benchmark of progress and as a roadmap for what to work on next. Approach preparation one step at a time, and don't get discouraged if you aren't reaching your goals immediately or as quickly as you expected. Like...
Think of the last time you took a big test. What were you thinking about during the test? Did you feel good or bad during the exam? When thinking about the upcoming test, what are your thoughts and feelings about it? Have these thoughts and feelings motivated you to prepare...
