The day before the test, relax, read a book, get some exercise, and get plenty of sleep. In fact, you should prioritize sleep the entire week before the test as those earlier nights’ sleep will be critical.
On the morning of the test, wake up with ample time to eat a good breakfast and to arrive at the test center at least 30 minutes prior to the start of testing.
Do not attempt to study or cram last-minute information on the night before or day of the test! This will only cause undue stress and anxiety. Now is the time to feel confident in everything you’ve already done to prepare.
What to bring to the test:
Admission ticket
A snack
Water
Put your snack and water in a clear ziplock bag with your name on it.
For paper/pencil testing:
Four #2 pencils
Prohibited items:
Calculators
Pens
Backpacks
Cell phones (must be off and cannot be accessed during testing)
Scratch paper (provided at computer testing locations)
Watches (a clock will be visible in the testing room)
Timing is everything. This age-old saying is applicable to so many things, especially standardized testing. One of the main purposes of standardized tests is to compare a large group of students, and the timing restriction is a critical component of achieving that comparison. The clock may seem like an unforgiving...
It is important to make sure students stay academically engaged during the break. Preparing for the SSAT and ISEE over summer break is a great way to get a jump start on prep and stay academically engaged. Check out our top four tips for summer test prep.
Due to popular demand by test-taking families, we have created an ISEE Prep Guide as a companion to our Test Innovators platform. Use the Prep Guide along with our full-length practice tests and diagnostics, and you'll be well on your way to test success!
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.
The SSAT is a very competitive test, and having a preparation plan is key to achieving the best scores that you are capable of. Here's our favorite strategy:
We are excited to introduce Mohammed, one of our 2020 scholars. Mohammed’s hard work and determination allowed him to increase his SSAT score by 67 percentile points.
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...
Yes, you can get accommodations on the official SSAT exam! Score reports do not provide any indication that a student was provided testing accommodations, so there’s no reason not to use them if you are eligible. Here’s how it works:
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!
