Meet Ella
Meet Ella
Congratulations to Ella, one of our 2023 Independent School Tuition Scholars! Ella was able to increase her SSAT score by 29 percentile points, putting her in the 53rd percentile overall.
Ella is passionate about literature and language arts. Reading about the thoughts and experiences of others motivates her to learn more about how other people view the world. Ella enjoys experimenting with poetry, but she loves to write in any manner that allows her to express herself! Some of her favorite topics to read about and discuss include philosophy and the experience of being a human.
When she’s not in school, Ella enjoys creating visual art through a variety of mediums. Whether she’s painting on a canvas, capturing photographs, or simply experimenting with basic shapes and lines, Ella is inspired by any creative process that allows her to convey her emotions.
Preparation
When preparing for the SSAT, Ella learned various test-taking strategies and skills. The most important skill she learned was time management. Using her time effectively allowed Ella to move through the questions quicker, which gave her the opportunity to answer more questions correctly. In addition to learning strategies and skills, Ella also broadened her vocabulary while practicing for the synonym and analogy questions.
Throughout the preparation process, Ella learned a lot about areas that needed improvement. The Test Innovators analytics made it easy for her to identify her weak spots, which motivated her to dedicate more practice time towards mastering difficult subjects. Ella says that if she were to prepare for the exam again, she’d complete as many practice tests and problems as possible.
Advice for Students
Ella’s advice for other students taking the test is to study—a lot! Ella says that every second is precious when taking the test, so students should focus on using their time wisely. When you encounter questions that you’re unsure about, Ella recommends flagging the question, moving on, and returning to it if you have extra time at the end. This strategy ensures that you have the chance to answer as many questions correctly as possible.
Advice for Parents
Wenting, Ella’s mom, emphasizes the importance of getting started as early as possible to mitigate stress for everyone involved. Wenting also says that parents should make sure their student utilizes all of their resources, so that they get the most that they can from their test practice. She ends with the comment “you can never say ‘I practiced too much’.”
New School
Ella is attending Kent School this fall. The beautiful campus, warm community, and friendliness of the students and staff are what drew her to Kent. Ella is especially excited about the abundance of opportunities available for her to explore! Students are encouraged to select courses that fit their personal interests, and Ella is looking forward to finding classes that will help her as an individual in the future. We are thrilled for Ella and hope that she has a wonderful school year!
Test Innovators is Here to Help
Test Innovators is dedicated to helping students get into their top-choice schools. We help students get ready for the SSAT and ISEE, so that they can do their best on test day. Our practice platform provides each student with a personalized experience, so that they can target the areas that need improvement and achieve their target scores.
Test Innovators also supports students and families with the other aspects of the admissions process to independent and private schools. Our Admissions Assist courses guide families through each step of the admissions process, from researching schools to navigating the waitlist and everything in between.
