One of the most common mistakes that students make on the SSAT and ISEE is not reading the directions and questions carefully. While the sentence instructions may seem self-explanatory, they actually provide important information about how to approach the questions in that section. At the beginning of every section of the SSAT or ISEE, make sure that you read the section instructions carefully; nothing hurts more than missing a question because you haven’t read the instructions!
You should also be careful to read each individual question very carefully. Because the ISEE and SSAT are timed, it’s easy to rush through reading the questions, jumping right into solving them. However, students who read the questions too quickly often misread important information, miss part of the question, or misinterpret what the question is asking. On the SSAT and ISEE, every word counts!
Rather than rushing through the question, practice reading each question twice. The first time you read the question, ask yourself, “What is this question asking me?” The second time you read it, underline the important information to make sure you haven’t missed anything.
We are delighted to introduce Bella, one of our 2024 scholars. Through dedication and perseverance, Bella was able to increase her ISEE score by over 9%, scoring in the 99th percentile overall!
The experimental section is the shortest section of the test: only 15 minutes and 16 questions total. Unlike the other SSAT sections, the experimental section has a mix of question types: six verbal, five reading, and five quantitative. While you want to answer every question and try your hardest, don’t...
Whether your test date is months away or next week, you may be wondering how to create a study plan that helps you maximize your time and achieve success on test day. Regardless of where you are in the preparation process, we’ve got you covered with a strategic roadmap that...
Over the summer, we've been poring over the tens of thousands of data points we attained from our ISEE practice test system this year. We were interested to see how students performed by question type, especially when it came to geographic location
We are excited to introduce Emillina, one of our 2020 scholars. Emillina’s hard work and self discipline allowed her to score in the 99th percentile overall.
We get a lot of questions about the particular knowledge requirements on the SSAT, but this one is the most common: which SSAT section is the most crucial to a successful application? And as with any other question, we’ve turned to our extensive data to find the answer. We’ve heard...
Even though the ISEE and SSAT are long tests, the time can fly by! Maybe you struggle with running out of time on the test, or maybe you feel the pressure of the clock and rush through. Either way, here a few simple tips to help yourself manage your time...
The Verbal Reasoning section is meant to assess vocabulary, and requires students to identify synonyms and interpret analogies.Fast FactsElementary Level: 20 minutes with 30 questionsMiddle and Upper Level: 30 minutes with 60 questions30 synonyms, 30 analogiesMade up of two question types:Synonym QuestionsAnalogy QuestionsQuestion TypesSynonymSynonym questions ask students to choose the...
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:
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.
