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. He has served as a secondary school counselor at The Fessenden School and as Director of Financial Aid at Westminster School.
In this conversation with Test Innovators’ CEO, Edan Shahar, Scott talks about the admissions process from two perspectives: that of an educator helping students find their next school, and that of an admissions director deciding which applicants will be the best fit.
The first step to understanding what a “good” score is on the ISEE, is understanding how it’s scored to begin with. If you don’t already feel like you have a solid understanding of that, check out our post on how the ISEE is scored.
Applying to independent schools can be daunting for students, families, and educators alike, and the testing component is no exception. When they begin the admissions process, few students have experience with high-stakes admissions tests. However, with the right preparation—including sufficient practice test opportunities—students can improve their test scores to help...
Congratulations to Ella, one of our Independent School Tuition Scholars for 2023! Ella was able to increase her SSAT score by 29 percentile points, putting her in the 53rd percentile overall.
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...
Whether you’re an eager student or an anxious parent, we know just how intimidating applying to independent and private schools can be. Our Director of Placement, Laurie Geromini, sat down with two students who recently completed the process to learn more about their experiences, as well as the lessons and...
We get a lot of questions about the essay section of the ISEE. In truth, the essay is a bit of an enigma. First off, it is not graded, but instead is sent to the schools to which your student is applying. For that reason, the criteria for a good...
We are proud to introduce Kartik, one of our 2022 scholars. Kartik’s tenacity and focus allowed him to increase his ISEE score by 15 points, scoring in the 97th percentile!
Some schools are breaking barriers with their alternative models for education, unique programs and projects, forward-thinking, and innovation. If you haven't considered non-traditional programs, these schools may be worth exploring.
