One of the most common mistakes that students make on the SSAT and ISEE is not reading the directions and questions carefully. While the sentence instructions may seem self-explanatory, they actually provide important information about how to approach the questions in that section. At the beginning of every section of the SSAT or ISEE, make sure that you read the section instructions carefully; nothing hurts more than missing a question because you haven’t read the instructions!
You should also be careful to read each individual question very carefully. Because the ISEE and SSAT are timed, it’s easy to rush through reading the questions, jumping right into solving them. However, students who read the questions too quickly often misread important information, miss part of the question, or misinterpret what the question is asking. On the SSAT and ISEE, every word counts!
Rather than rushing through the question, practice reading each question twice. The first time you read the question, ask yourself, “What is this question asking me?” The second time you read it, underline the important information to make sure you haven’t missed anything.
We are pleased to introduce Jolie, one of our 2022 scholars. Jolie’s focus and drive led her to increase her SSAT score by 16 points, scoring in the 82nd percentile!
In a study at Tufts University, 120 student participants learned a series of 30 words and images. They studied either by taking practice tests or by using the traditional study method of reading over the material to memorize it. They were then asked to recall what they had learned in...
The Independent School Entrance Exam (ISEE) is an admissions exam used by private and independent schools as part of the admissions process.
The ISEE is separated into different testing levels: Upper, Middle, Lower, and Primary. The level you’ll need to take is determined by the grade to which you’re applying for...
The Lower Level ISEE is taken by students applying to grades 5 and 6. Students can take the test on the computer or on paper. It consists of five sections: Verbal Reasoning, Quantitative Reasoning, Reading Comprehension, Mathematics Achievement, and the Essay.
Over the past seven years, 91 has helped more than 100,000 students prepare for the and the —the admissions tests required by the most competitive independent schools in the country. Every year we review our data from thousands of test-takers to determine the most popular schools.Below are the 5...
We are delighted to introduce Roger, one of our 2023 scholars. Through hard work and perseverance, Roger increased his ISEE score by 3%, scoring in the 99th percentile overall!
Time management is one of the keys to success on the ISEE/SSAT. Attempting timed sections can be less daunting with our simple time management strategy:
As a general rule, we recommend starting your SSAT prep six to four months before your test date.
So if you are planning to take the test in November, then you should take a diagnostic practice test sometime between May and July.
Most students can tell you all about their favorite subject in school. Some kids love reading and writing stories, while others are enthralled by a perfectly puzzling math question.
These individual preferences can often correlate with a child’s success on certain ISEE sections, but it’s essential to thoroughly assess a student’s...
Did you make it through the ISEE’s four multiple-choice sections? You’re not quite done yet!
The fifth and final section on the ISEE is an essay section.