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Wondering how to navigate the SSAT and ISEE? In this article, we reveal essential insights to help you guide your student through their first high-stakes test. Discover key differences, prep tips, and strategies that will set your child up for success.
For many students, the SSAT (Secondary School Admission Test) or ISEE (Independent School Entrance Examination) is their first encounter with high stakes testing. We highly recommend that you use this summer to make a plan and then start planning and preparing. Here are some tips to get you started.
Unlike college admissions, where schools do not prefer one test over another, many independent schools are aligned with only one test. This is often determined by region, but there are plenty of metro areas where both the SSAT and ISEE are popular with schools.
Before practicing for either test, check with the admissions office for the schools you’re interested in and see which test or tests they accept. Ideally, we would recommend not taking both tests, but depending on the schools you’re applying to, it may be a necessity.
Let’s say that your student is applying to a school that takes both tests. Which test makes sense? To generalize, the SSAT is a better test for students stronger in language arts, as the reading passages include poetry and older prose, and the verbal section tests a wide range of vocabulary. Conversely, the ISEE is a better test for those stronger in math, as the mathematical achievement section tests concepts that extend well beyond grade-level standards.
Both the SSAT and ISEE consist of four main sections plus an essay. Each test includes one verbal, one reading, and two math sections, but there are some key differences in content and format between the two tests. In both cases, however, it’s important to understand that these tests differ significantly from the kinds of assessments students will be familiar with from school.
Just as with any academic subject, it's important to approach the SSAT/ISEE as a specific area of study and prepare with a focused game plan.
Both tests feature a synonym section. However, the SSAT includes analogies in the second half, while the ISEE uses sentence completions. Analogies can be new and challenging for many students, making it essential to develop specific strategies and a game plan for this section. Sentence completions, though more standard, still test advanced vocabulary similar to the synonym section. It can be very difficult to achieve a stand-out score in these sections without specific SSAT or ISEE preparation.
The SSAT divides math into two similar sections cover geometry, algebra, arithmetic, and word problems. In contrast, the ISEE has one math section similar to the SSAT's math sections and another called Quantitative Reasoning. The Quantitative Reasoning section requires students to apply mathematical reasoning and problem-solving skills.
It also includes Quantitative Comparison questions, which involve comparing two values to determine their relationship—greater, equal, or not enough information. These questions often require evaluating multiple possibilities rather than finding a single solution. Students unfamiliar with questions formatted in this unique way may struggle to do their best even if the required calculations aren’t too difficult for them.
Both tests include reading comprehension passages, but they also feature challenging question types. Students must be prepared for questions that test not only their understanding of the text but also their ability to analyze elements such as inference and tone. These questions require a deeper level of comprehension and critical thinking beyond just the literal meaning of the passages.
The SSAT features a unique scoring system where students lose a quarter of a point for each incorrect answer. This requires students to carefully consider whether it is better to guess or to leave a question blank, as these decisions can significantly affect their overall score/percentile. Again, test strategy becomes a very important aspect of students’ preparation.
During the pandemic, both the SSAT and ISEE began to offer “at-home” testing where students use their computers to take the test via a secure testing platform. Both tests have committed to continue offering the at-home option alongside in-person, paper-based testing.
Regardless of how a student tests, the structure and scoring will be the same, as neither SSAT nor ISEE have implemented adaptive testing similar to the GRE, MCAT, or forthcoming digital SAT.
When students can test varies greatly between the two tests. The ISEE has three testing seasons–fall (August – November), winter (December – March), and spring/summer (April-July)–and students can only test once per season. The spring season is usually after fall admission deadlines, so that means students can only take the ISEE twice per admission cycle.
The SSAT offers many more opportunities to take the test, with monthly in-person tests starting in October. Additionally, a student can take an at-home test two times per academic year and take one paper-based flex test, which can be scheduled on-demand.
We recommend that students plan to take their first test by November. This allows ample time for any retesting before applications are due in late January or early February. This is especially true for the ISEE, as it’s the last opportunity during the fall season.
Both the SSAT and ISEE offer scaled scores and percentiles, with the ISEE also offering a Stanine score from 1 to 9.
For the SSAT, schools only care about the percentiles, and the score reports sent to schools also ranks each student amongst applicants to that specific school. For the ISEE, many schools used the Stanine scores, as they are essentially a simplified version of percentiles.
It’s important to recognize that the percentiles do not reflect a nationwide ranking, as they only include the well-prepared pool of applicants taking the SSAT or ISEE. Many times, families are surprised that their all-As student scores in the 50th percentile.
The SSAT and ISEE are not well aligned with many schools’ curricula, and a middle school student has likely never seen a test like this. These tests can be stressful and unfamiliar to many students and taking the test blind rarely sets up students to do their best.
The good news is that the summer before the fall tests is the perfect time to start preparing.
Both tests explicitly test vocabulary, so encouraging your student to study vocab over the summer is a great starting point. Freerice.com is a great resource for synonym practice and every correct answer donates food to an international food bank.
Neither test allows students to use a calculator, so even practicing some arithmetic over the summer can do a lot of good.
Making sure students keep up with reading is also important. This can be a mix of classics and contemporary magazine articles. Finally, many students feel a summer slump in math, so keeping those skills well tuned will pay great dividends.
Our expert SSAT and ISEE mentors are a great resource for students who are looking to catch up or get ahead in any of these areas this summer.
