Get resources: full-length SSAT practice tests, level-appropriate vocabulary lists, a watch for test day (and practice sections!), a quiet place to complete timed sections
Help students eat well, sleep well, and exercise often
Mentally:
Organize with your child: Connect students with a tutor or class (or you!) to:
When will they test?
How many new words can they commit to learning per week?
Will you help them study or quiz them?
When will they take diagnostic practice tests?
Emotionally:
Build confidence. Celebrate successes and assure them that with practice they can do their best.
Know that their happiness and success in life is actually NOT dependent on SSAT results. (If YOU are overly concerned they may become overly stressed which will NOT help them.)
Offer an “after-test-day” award as motivation; a treat not dependent on scores. This “Woohooo, you did it!”-award can be material or a celebratory activity you’ll do together.
Since vocabulary is one of the main areas tested on the ISEE and SSAT tests, you will need to learn as many new words as possible before taking the test. While vocabulary questions primarily appear on the verbal section of the test, there are also vocabulary questions on the reading...
As part of our mission to help students gain access to quality educational opportunities, we award six merit-based scholarships every year to the Test Innovators students who showed the most improvement on either the SSAT or the ISEE.
With only 25 minutes to write, managing your limited time effectively is incredibly important. Start by spending the first 2-5 minutes outlining your ideas to clarify and structure your thoughts. After you have a plan, go ahead and get writing! This is where you will spend the bulk of your...
If you took the SSAT really early in the year, you'll want to make sure you can use those scores to apply to schools this year. Or you may decide for any number of reasons not to apply this year at all. Can you use this year’s scores for next...
The SSAT’s analogies are one of the very hardest parts of the test, especially for first-time test takers. To perform well on the analogies section, students not only must be adept at finding relationships between concepts, but also must have a solid mastery of above-grade-level vocabulary.
The Test Innovators platform gathers...
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.
As part of our mission to help students gain access to quality educational opportunities, we award six merit-based scholarships every year to the Test Innovators students who showed the most improvement on either the SSAT or the ISEE.
The SSAT may seem daunting, but try not to worry too much. As long as you are prepared, you will be able to put your best foot forward on test day. No matter where you are in the process, our test prep tips are here to help!
Did you know there are over 300 boarding schools in the US? In fact, over 25 are scattered throughout California alone. Today’s boarding schools exude a college campus atmosphere that welcomes students from all over the world to study and learn in a supportive environment.
