SSAT and ISEE Test Preparation
What is the SSAT?
The Secondary School Admission Test (SSAT) is for students who are interested in attending an independent private or boarding school.
The SSAT has 3 levels: Elementary, Middle, and Upper. The level of test is dependent on your child’s age and which grade level your child will be entering into. The SSAT is designed to measure verbal, quantitative, and reading skills and emphasizes critical thinking and problem-solving skills that are essential for academic success.
If your child plans to a private or boarding school and needs to take the SSAT as a part of his/her application, Susan Moldow Educational Consulting can provide personalized support and preparation to achieve his/her score goals! These sessions are customized to the individual learning needs of our students and are designed to maximize test-taking techniques and scores.
Tutoring for the SSAT Elementary Level (Gr. 3-4), SSAT Middle Level (Gr. 5-7) and SSAT Upper Level (Gr. 8-11) exams is available. The SSAT is administered once a month from November through April and once in June.
Please contact Susan and she will guide you through the process!
SSAT Section Breakdown
Elementary:
The Elementary Level SSAT is for third and fourth graders applying for admission to the fourth and fifth grade. Third graders applying to the fourth grade will take the Third Grade Elementary SSAT and fourth graders applying to the fifth grade will take the Fourth Grade Elementary SSAT. These tests are multiple-choice tests that consist of four sections, and an unscored writing sample.
Test Format
| Section | Number of Questions | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Section 1 (Quantitative/Math) | 30 | 30 |
| Section 2 (Verbal) | 30 | 20 |
| Break | – | 15 |
| Section 3 (Reading) | 28 | 30 |
| Writing Sample | 1 prompt | 15 |
Totals: 89
Middle:
The Middle Level SSAT is for students in grades 5-7 applying for admission to the 6-9th grades, respectively. These tests are multiple-choice tests that consist of four sections, and an unscored writing sample. The Middle and Upper Level SSATs have same format and timing, and both provide schools with a student’s academic abilities that can be evaluated as appropriate for a particular school.
Test Format
| Section | Number of Questions | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Writing Sample | 1 | 25 |
| Section 1 (Quantitative) | 25 | 30 |
| Section 2 (Reading) | 25 | 30 |
| Section 3 (Verbal) | 60 | 30 |
| Section 4 (Quantitative) | 25 | 30 |
| Experimental | 16 | 15 |
Totals: 167, 3 hrs 5 min
Upper:
The Upper Level SSAT is for students in grades 8-12 applying for admission to the 9-12th grades, respectively. These tests are multiple-choice tests that consist of four sections, and an unscored writing sample. The Middle and Upper Level SSATs have same format and timing, and both provide schools with a student’s academic abilities that can be evaluated as appropriate for a particular school.
Test Format
| Section | Number of Questions | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Writing Sample | 1 | 25 |
| Break | – | 5 |
| Section 1 (Quantitative) | 25 | 30 |
| Section 2 (Reading) | 40 | 40 |
| Break | – | 10 |
| Section 3 (Verbal) | 60 | 30 |
| Section 4 (Quantitative) | 25 | 30 |
| Section 5 (Experimental) | 16 | 15 |
Totals: 167, 3 hrs 5 min
For more information about the SSAT please go to https://ssat.org/
What is the ISEE?
The Independent School Entrance Exam (ISEE) is an admissions test accepted by over 1,200 independent schools around the world for entrance into grades 2 to 12. The ISEE measures one’s ability to learn, through verbal and quantitative reasoning sections, and what a student has learned, through reading comprehension and mathematics sections. Scores are also used as a basis for awarding scholarships and merit-based financial aid. The ISEE is administered on Saturday mornings throughout the fall and winter.
Like the SSAT, the ISEE has different levels for different age levels and grades. In general, the ISEE is typically required by New York’s independent day schools and the SSAT is required by boarding and other private schools throughout the United States and Canada. Every school is different and many accept either test. Sometimes students applying to a variety of schools will opt to take both tests.
- Four levels:
- Primary – entrance to grades 2 – 4; available as an online administration only
- Lower – entrance to grades 5 – 6; available in both online and paper/pencil administrations
- Middle – entrance to grades 7 – 8; available in both online and paper/pencil administrations
- Upper – entrance to grades 9 – 12; available in both online and paper/pencil administrations
Once you have determined whether the ISEE or the SSAT is the test your child needs to take for admission into targeted schools, the next step is to create an effective strategy to prepare for the test. Contact Susan Moldow Educational Consulting for a complimentary consultation in which we evaluate your child’s aptitude, skills, strengths and challenges, and then together with parents create a learning plan that ensures the desired results.
Please go to https://www.erblearn.org/services/isee-overview for more information about the ISEE.
