The SSAT is a very competitive test, and having a preparation plan is key to achieving your best possible scores. Here’s a quick run-through of our recommended strategy:
Start by taking a full-length practice test in one sitting.
Review your results to identify strengths and weaknesses.
Review the questions that you missed, master those concepts, and complete additional practice questions that focus on those topics and question types.
Repeat steps 1-3 until you achieve your target scores.
We highly recommend this iterative process-–you’ll be surprised at how much it improves the efficiency of your preparation!
Josh’s daughter, Ellie, took the Secondary School Admissions Test (SSAT) in the hopes of gaining admission to an independent school for 9th grade. When Ellie initially took the test, one of the biggest struggles she faced was effectively managing her time on unfamiliar questions. She unknowingly spent too much time...
If you took the SSAT really early in the year, you'll want to make sure you can use those scores to apply to schools this year. Or you may decide for any number of reasons not to apply this year at all. Can you use this year’s scores for next...
Scott Duddy is the Director of Admissions and Enrollment at Dexter Southfield and the former Associate Director of Secondary School Counseling at The Fessenden School in Newton, MA. As a dedicated educator with over ten years of admissions and teaching experience, he actively engaged with students and families to understand...
We are thrilled to introduce Bei, another one of our 2023 scholars. Through focus and consistency, Bei was able to increase his ISEE score by 19%, scoring in the 97th percentile overall!
Throughout Pam’s 18 years as an admission professional, she has observed that standardized test scores do not always correlate to the actual talents of a student. Testing anxiety is one big reason for this – many students find it difficult to focus under the pressure of test day and don’t...
We are pleased to introduce Beau, one of our 2022 scholars. Through focus and consistency, Beau increased his ISEE score by 18 points, scoring in the 88th percentile!
The Prep Plan is one of the best places to see the targeted practice exercises you should be working on. You can access the Prep Plan by clicking on the tab on your Dashboard. Here are some insights into using the Prep Plan to help you succeed:
Get resources: full-length SSAT practice tests, level-appropriate vocabulary lists, a watch for test day (and practice sections!), a quiet place to complete timed sections
Help students eat well, sleep well, and exercise often
