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 more successful when taking a test than when restudying the same material for the equivalent amount of time. This phenomenon, also referred to as retrieval practice, indicates that practice tests are a more effective learning tool than purely reviewing the material. Research also shows that the more difficult the retrieval of information, the better it is for long-term memory and retention. So, if you are taking a difficult test like an admissions test, the best way to prepare is to take several practice tests. Between each practice test, it’s important to analyze your results and revisit the material you didn’t know. Learn more about the three steps of test preparation.
*Note: 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 discussed here.
The Mathematics Achievement (MA) section of the ISEE Test is intended to reflect curriculum related questions, in contrast to the Quantitative Reasoning section which is intended to measure students’ reasoning abilities.
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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.
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
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We are pleased to introduce Esther, one of our 2024 scholars. Through hard work and dedication, Esther increased her ISEE score by over 26 percentile points!
We are pleased to introduce Ryan, one of our 2020 scholars. Ryan’s perseverance and dedication allowed him to increase his SSAT score by 51 percentile points, scoring in the 81st percentile overall.
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.
Nestled among the farms and forests of northeastern Massachusetts, Pingree began as a school for girls in 1961. The school gets its name from the Pingree family, who generously donated its fifty acre homestead to house a school. The 9th through 12th grade high school has been growing ever since,...
