Why are practice tests such a critical piece of preparation?
The American Psychological Association defines the testing effect as the psychological finding that retention is better when taking a test compared to restudying the same material. The testing effect, also called retrieval practice, indicates that practice tests are a more effective learning tool than restudying the material.
Though it takes more effort, the research shows that more difficult retrieval of information, when successful, is better for long term memory than easier retrieval.
So, if you are taking a difficult test like an admissions test, the best way to prepare is to take several practice tests. In between each practice test, it’s important to analyze your results and review the material you didn’t know. Learn more about the three steps of test preparation.
The first study on this concept was published in 1917, and since then there have been multiple follow-up studies on similar concepts, including a 2016 study that we wrote about here.
Brenna O’Neill, President of Test Innovators, joined Mike Bergin and Amy Seeley on their podcast, Tests and the Rest, to discuss the ISEE. Listen to the episode to learn all about the Independent School Entrance Exam (ISEE), including how and where it’s administered, what materials are covered, and...
The ability to successfully take tests will serve you throughout your life. From the ISEE and SSAT, to the LSAT and the GRE, success and upward mobility in life often comes down to the ability to perform well on tests.
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:
In this series of posts, we will explore some of our practice questions that have stumped a remarkable number of students. We hope to highlight some common mistakes and how to avoid them on the official test.
A Note from Test Innovators’ CEO, Edan Shahar
To date, students have answered over 20 million questions on the Test Innovators platform. Now, we are diving into this data to understand how students learn and to help them achieve their academic and test-taking goals.
After exploring how our students improve, we investigated...
One of the most common mistakes on the SSAT is misreading a question, usually due to reading too quickly. Be sure to take a few extra seconds on every question to avoid careless errors.
Underline important information
Underline words and numbers indicating the quantities, relationships, and calculations (less than, twice, product, etc.)...
Scientific research shows that taking practice tests improves learning and memory retention more than studying and reviewing material alone, a phenomenon termed the “testing effect.” Practice tests have also been shown to defend memory against the effects of stress and identify content gaps important in learning.
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.
Across our platform, students exhibit statistically significant increases in test percentile after every practice test. We see that our students don’t just improve by using our platform, but they improve consistently over time, further reinforcing that practice makes perfect.
