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!
The first thing to know for the Middle or Upper level SSAT is when to guess. You need to understand each question well enough to be able to cross off at least one answer choice. Otherwise, omit the question as there is a ¼ point guessing penalty.
Time management is an essential skill on standardized tests, like the SSAT, ISEE, ACT, and SAT. The timing restriction is one aspect of the test designed to challenge students, but with practice you can gain the skills and strategies to master it. To help students learn effective time management, Test...
What kind of family should consider boarding school? In this clip from our CEO's conversation with placement expert Neal Kamsler, Neal discusses how traditional wisdom about boarding schools may not hold water.
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.
Each year, Test Innovators provides merit-based scholarships to help students access quality educational opportunities. We awarded five scholarships this year to students who demonstrated the most improvement on either the ISEE or the SSAT.
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...
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.
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...
