ssat see testn e 206-207 mytutor.com testing guide · 2019-09-07 · smmt ecatna ,7495 ssat see...

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SUMMIT EDUCATIONAL GROUP

SSAT & ISEETESTING GUIDE

2016-2017

MASSACHUSETTS 90 Bridge Street, Suite 200

Newton, MA 02458800-698-8867

CONNECTICUT / NEW YORK 237 Elm Street

New Canaan, CT 06840800-843-8520

mytutor.com

LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENTABOUT SUMMIT EDUCATIONAL GROUP

Experience MattersFor more than 25 years, Summit Educational Group

has been preparing students to maximize their

scores on standardized tests. Summit’s customized

One-on-One, In-Home Tutoring service helps

students prepare for the SAT, ACT, PSAT, SAT Subject

Tests, SSAT, ISEE, and even academic subjects. Our

proven approach centers on both skill-building and

test-taking strategies to help students reach their

full potential.

Personalized ServiceWe deliver exceptional service to all of our families.

From the first phone call, we make certain to

understand the needs and score goals of the

student. After recommending the appropriate

program, we’ll match him or her with a highly skilled

tutor. Maintaining strong relationships with our

clients and those who recommend our services is

important to us, so we encourage and actively solicit

feedback throughout the Summit experience.

Expert TutorsWe carefully match each student with an expert

tutor to ensure the best fit possible. A tutor who

understands the student, engages and motivates,

makes the lessons fun, and builds confidence makes

all the difference. This individualized approach

allows students of all learning styles to achieve their

testing and academic goals. What’s more, our tutors

come directly to the family’s home, or to a school

campus, to work with students at their convenience.

Online TutoringIn addition to our in-home tutoring, our world class

test prep and academic programs are now available

anywhere you are. Through an online whiteboard

and Skype, our expert tutors will bring their expertise

to you, anywhere in the world. You will receive the

exact same personalized service and can expect the

same stellar results on test day.

Summit PortalThis valuable tool allows families to manage their

tutoring programs online. They can monitor

homework records, score practice tests, view results,

and submit feedback.

Classroom Programs

Whether it is SAT, ACT, or SSAT prep, the answer is

simple: no other company offers the quality, results,

and care found in a Summit program. We currently

partner with many of the most demanding

independent and public schools in New England.

But no two schools are alike, and neither are any

two Summit programs. We know that every school

has a unique student body with different needs, and

we’ll work with them to customize the best program

for their students and culture.

Course Materials and Services

Summit has developed, and continues to perfect, a

suite of proven, results-driven course materials

which helps students improve critical thinking skills

and develop effective test-taking strategies, leading

to higher scores. Our course books, test analysis,

and professional development have helped

hundreds of schools and tutoring companies

worldwide generate higher test scores for their

students.

Practice TestingEach program begins with a diagnostic test and

detailed score report that identifies strengths and

areas for improvement. This allows our tutors to

customize their instruction accordingly. Real practice

tests throughout the program allow students to

practice what they’ve learned and provide valuable

information on how they’re progressing. We also

offer free proctored practice tests in the community,

affording students the opportunity to take “dress

rehearsal” tests, so they know exactly what to expect

on the real thing.

Dear Colleagues, Parents, and Students,

Not many events in a young person’s life produce as much stress, angst, and confusion as do

school admissions and standardized testing. The onslaught of information and questions can

be overwhelming.

• What score do I need to get into School Z?

• How important are my test scores?

• How much preparation do I need for the test?

At Summit, we pride ourselves on providing exceptional test preparation and tutoring, but we

also strive to be a trusted resource for counselors and families navigating this process. Our

complimentary annual SSAT/ISEE Testing Guide is a valuable tool that will answer the above

questions and many others. Hang onto it, and refer to it often as you make this journey.

When it comes to admission tests, we have always counseled students and parents to

maintain perspective and to craft a sensible, individualized testing plan early in the process—a

plan that addresses which tests you’re going to take, when you’re going to take them, and

how and when you’re going to prepare for them. A good testing plan is customized to the

student. It puts the student’s well-being front and center, prioritizes school work, and doesn’t

give the tests more life than they deserve.

As you plan and prepare, try not to bring unnecessary stress to the process. Look ahead so

that you can avoid unwelcome surprises and rest assured that you know what is coming.

This process can be confusing and it always creates some anxiety. However, don’t lose sight

of the positives. This should also be a time of excitement! These school applications are an

important step in setting up students for future opportunities.

If you’re looking for professional, thoughtful, personal guidance, expert tutors and teachers,

and exceptional test preparation, we are here for you. We have been for nearly 30 years. We

offer a variety of test preparation and tutoring programs, and I’m very proud that over 80% of

our families are referred to us by their friends, school counselors, private consultants, learning

specialists, and others. It means we’re doing well by our students and families and the rest of

our constituents.

Our commitment is to your testing success, on your terms. I encourage you to contact us.

We’d be delighted to help in any way we can.

Sincerely,

CHARLIE O’HEARN

President/Founder

Summit Educational Group

Standardized Testing & Admission 1-6

StandardizedTesting&Admission 2

Grades&StandardizedTestingScores 3

TheCompetitiveLandscape 4-5

TheCompetitiveTestingPopulation 6

Test Prep & Planning 7-13

Test Dates & Administrations 8

Foundations of Good Test Preparation 9

Admission&TestingTimeline 10-11

SSAT&ISEEAccommodations 12-13

SSAT 15-26

TheSSAT 16

SSATLevels&Structure 17

SSATScoring 18-19

ProcessofElimination 20

SSATQuantitative 21-22

SSATReadingComprehension 23

SSATVerbal 24-25

SSATWriting 26

ISEE 27-36

TheISEE 28

ISEELevels&Structure 29

ISEEScoring 30-31

ISEEVerbalReasoning 32

ISEEQuantitativeReasoning 33

ISEEReadingComprehension 34

ISEEMathAchievement 35

ISEEEssay 36

Comparison of the SSAT & ISEE 37-38

References & Resources 39-42

About Us 43

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Copyright©2016bySummitEducationalGroup,Inc.

Allrightsreserved.NopartofthispublicationmaybereproducedorretransmittedinanyformorbyanymeanswithouttheexpresswrittenpermissionofSummitEducationalGroup,Inc.

*Forallreferencesherein,SSATisatrademarkownedbytheEnrollmentManagementAssociation,andISEEisatrademarkownedbytheEducationalRecordsBureau,neitherofwhichwereinvolvedintheproductionof,anddonotendorse,thesematerials.

MASSACHUSETTS

90BridgeStreet,Suite200

Newton,MA02458

800-698-8867

CONNECTICUT / NEW YORK

237ElmStreet

NewCanaan,CT06840

800-843-8867

mytutor.com

We’velistedsomeofthemostcommonquestionsandwhereyoucanfindtheanswers.Ofcourse,wewelcome

thechancetotalkdirectlytoyouabouttheseorotherindependentschooladmissiontestingquestions.

QUESTIONS PAGES

STANDARDIZED TESTING &

ADMISSION

How important are my test scores? 2

What do my test scores represent? 3

What scores are needed to get into my choice of schools? 4-5

TEST PREP & PLANNING

When should I start preparing? 10-11

WhenshouldItakethetest? 10-11

ShouldItakethetestmorethanonce? 11

Can I get testing accommodations for the SSAT or ISEE? 12-13

SSAT What’s on the SSAT? 21-26

HowdotheSSATlevelsdiffer? 16-17

How is the SSAT scored? 18-19

Are some test dates harder than others? 18

ShouldIguessontheSSATorleaveaquestionblank? 20

What math topics are covered on the SSAT? 22

How important is the SSAT essay? 26

ISEE What's on the ISEE? 32-36

HowdotheISEElevelsdiffer? 28-29

How is the ISEE scored? 30-31

Are some test dates harder than others? 30

ShouldIguessontheISEEorleaveaquestionblank? 30

How important is vocabulary on the ISEE? 32

How important is the ISEE essay? 36

HOW TO USE THIS GUIDE

800 MY TUTOR | mytutor.com

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STANDARDIZED TESTING

& ADMISSION

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Summit Educational Group | SSAT & ISEE Testing Guide 2016 – 2017

• School grades and rigor of curriculum

• Teacher recommendations

• Test scores

• Personal interview

• Extracurricular activities

• Application essays

• Demonstrated interest

STANDARDIZED TESTING & ADMISSION

SSAT and ISEE test scores are an important part of

yourindependentschoolapplication,buttheyare

justoneofmanycriteriaforadmission.Theproper

role of standardized tests in the admission process is

to complement the use of school grades and other

factors.

Today’s independent school admission process is a

holisticone.YourSSATorISEEscoresarejustone

aspectofamulti-facetedapplication.Ratherthan

lookforreasonstorejectstudents,admission

directorsreadapplicationssupportively,considering

allareasastheylookforreasonstoacceptstudents.

Forexample,agreatpersonalintervieworstrong

teacherrecommendationsmightoffsetlowertest

scores.

There are several factors commonly considered by

independentschooladmissionoffices.Whilethe

importanceofdifferentadmissionfactorsvariesfrom

schooltoschool,mostindependentschoolsvalue

admission factors in the order of importance shown

below.

Admission Factors in General Order of Importance

TAKE-HOME MESSAGE

Test scores are not the most important consideration for

independentschooladmission.

Admissionofficesreviewapplicationsholisticallyandread

themsupportively.


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GRADES & STANDARDIZED TESTING SCORES


Performance in a rigorous school curriculum is the

mostimportantfactorinadmissiondecisions,butitis

animperfectmetricforevaluatingstudents.Course

difficultyandgradingvaryfromteachertoteacher

andschooltoschool.TheSSATandISEEaddressthe

twoprimaryproblemswithschoolgrades.Eachtest

provides a common baseline for all students and is

designed to provide a useful and consistent

distributionofscores.TheISEEandSSATarescored

on a bell curve so that most students achieve scores

inthemiddleofthecurve.Thisscoredistribution

allowsadmissionsofficestocomparehowstudents

performrelativetotheentiretest-takingpopulation.

Thechartbelowillustratesthebell-curvedistribution

ofSSATscaledscores.Notethatveryfewstudents

achievescoresnearthetopofthescale.

3

Source: Enrollment Management Association

2007-2010, grade 8 girl scores

SSAT Scaled Scores

500-550 551-600 601-650 651-700 701-750 751-800

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35

30

25

20

15

10

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Quantitative Reading Verbal

TAKE-HOME MESSAGE

Most students score in the middle of the SSAT and ISEE

scales.Nearly70%ofstudentsscorewithinonestandard

deviationofthemeanscore.Thisdistributionisvery

differentfromthatoftypicalschoolgrades,whichtendto

beweightedtowardhigherscores.

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SCHOOLAVERAGE

SSAT PERCENTILE

LOCATION ACCEPTANCE RATE

BOARDING/ DAY GRADES SSAT/ISEE

REQUIRED

AvonOldFarms 60 Avon,CT 48% Both 9-12SSAT required (grades9&10)

BerkshireSchool 65 Sheffield,MA 27% Both 9-12SSAT required (grades9&10)

BrooksSchool 65 NorthAndover,MA 25% Both 9-12SSAT required (grades9&10)

Canterbury School 55 NewMilford,CT 39% Both 9-12SSAT required (grades9&10)

Choate Rosemary Hall 85 Wallingford,CT 23% Both 9-12SSAT or ISEE required

(grades9&10)

Concord Academy 82 Concord,MA 28% Both 9-12SSAT or ISEE required

(grades9&10)

Cushing Academy 65 Ashburnham,MA 48% Both 9-12SSAT required (grades9&10)

Dana Hall School 58 Wellesley,MA 47%

Day: grades 5-12

Boarding:grades9-12

5-12ISEE required (grades5&8)

DeerfieldAcademy 85 Deerfield,MA 17% Both 9-12SSAT or ISEE required

(grades9&10)

Emma Willard School 66 Troy,NY 36% Both 9-12SSAT,PSAT,orSAT

required

The Governor’s Academy

81 Byfield,MA 23% Both 9-12 SSAT or ISEE required

Groton School 90 Groton,MA 12% Both 8-12SSAT(preferred)or

ISEE required

The Gunnery 50 Washington,CT 50% Both 9-12SSAT,PSAT,SATor

ACT required

Holderness School 65 Plymouth,NH 45% Both 9-12SSAT,WISC-IV,orWISC-Vrequired(grades9&10)

Hoosac School 70 Hoosick,NY 65% Both 8-12 Notestrequirement

HotchkissSchool 85 Lakeville,CT 21% Both 9-12SSAT or ISEE required

(grades9&10)

Kent School 70 Kent,CT 39% Both 9-12SSAT required (grades9&10)

Kimball Union Academy

50 Meriden,NH 55% Both 9-12SSAT,PSAT,SATor

ACT required

THE COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE

The following table shows admission information for

asmallsampleofindependentschools.Usethisdata

to get a general sense of competitiveness for

independentschooladmission.Asmentioned,test

scores are not the only consideration in admission

decisions.Youcanstillgetacceptedintoschools

when your test scores are lower than the schools’

averages,especiallyifyourapplicationhasother

strengths.

Forinternationalstudents,mostschoolsalsorequire

theTestofEnglishasaForeignLanguage(TOEFL).

Note: Many schools do not elect to publish

admissionsdata.Availabledataistypicallyself-

reportedandisprimarilyfromboardingschools.We

recommend contacting the schools you are

interested in applying to when evaluating admission

data.


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SCHOOLAVERAGE

SSAT PERCENTILE

LOCATION ACCEPTANCE RATE

BOARDING/ DAY GRADES SSAT/ISEE

REQUIRED

Lawrence Academy 65 Groton,MA 50% Both 9-12SSAT required (grades9&10)

LoomisChaffeeSchool

79 Windsor,CT 27% Both 9-12SSAT or ISEE required

(grades9&10)

Middlesex School 87 Concord,MA 18% Both 9-12SSAT or ISEE required

(grades9&10)

MillbrookSchool 67 Millbrook,NY 38% Both 9-12SSAT or ISEE required

(grades9&10)

Milton Academy(upperschool)

90 Milton,MA 19% Both 9-12SSAT required (grades9&10)

Miss Hall’s School 66 Pittsfield,MA 49% Both 9-12SSAT required (grades9&10)

Miss Porter’s School 68 Farmington,CT 48% Both 9-12SSAT or ISEE required

(grades9&10)

NorthfieldMountHermon

73 MountHermon,MA 31% Both 9-12SSAT or ISEE required

(grades9&10)

Phillips Academy Andover

94 Andover,MA 13% Both 9-12SSAT or ISEE required

(grades9&10)

Phillips Exeter Academy

94 Exeter,NH 19% Both 9-12SSAT or ISEE required

(grades9&10)

Pomfret School 62 Pomfret,CT 39% Both 9-12SSAT required (grades9&10)

Portsmouth Abbey School

66 Portsmouth,RI 37% Both 9-12SSAT required (grades9&10)

Proctor Academy 54 Andover,NH 50% Both 9-12SSAT required (grades9&10)

Salisbury School 54 Salisbury,CT 37% Both 9-12SSAT(preferred),ISEE,PSAT,SAT,orACT

required

St.George’sSchool 70 Middletown,RI 25% Both 9-12SSAT,ISEE,PSAT,or

SAT required

St.Mark’sSchool 85 Southborough,MA 32% Both 9-12 SSAT or ISEE required

St.Paul’sSchool 89 Concord,NH 16% Boarding 9-12SSAT(preferred)or

ISEE required

SuffieldAcademy 68 Suffield,CT 29% Both 9-12SSAT required (grades9&10)

Tabor Academy 67 Marion,MA 35% Both 9-12 SSAT required

The Taft School 83 Watertown,CT 21% Both 9-12 SSAT required

Trinity-PawlingSchool 50 Pawling,NY 60% Both 9-12SSAT required (grades9&10)

Vermont Academy 50 SaxtonsRiver,VT 68% Both 9-12SSAT required (grades9&10)

Westminster School 69 Simsbury,CT 26% Both 9-12SSAT required (grades9&10)

Westover School 60 Middlebury,CT 46% Both 9-12 SSAT required

Wilbraham & Monson Academy(upperschool)

68 Wilbraham,MA 59% Both 9-12SSAT,PSAT,orSAT

required

Williston NorthamptonSchool

61 Easthampton,MA 33%

Day: grades 7-12

Boarding:grades9-12

7-12SSAT required (grades7–10)

Source:boardingschoolreview.comandstartclass.com

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TAKE-HOME MESSAGE

YourSSATorISEEpercentileranksmaybelowerthanexpected.

Rest assured that schools understand the competitive nature of

theSSATandISEE.Yourtestpreparationcanhelpimproveyour

standingamongthisgroupoftest-takers.

THE COMPETITIVE TESTING POPULATION

ThegroupofstudentstakingtheISEEandSSATis

particularlywell-educatedandwell-prepared.Most

studentstakingthesetestsarecurrentlyattending

independentschools,asdemonstratedinthechart

below.BoththeEducationalRecordsBureau(ERB)

andtheEnrollmentManagementAssociation(EMA,

formerlytheSSATBoard)cautionthatyourpercentile

ranksforthesetestsmayseemsurprisinglylow.

Achievingabetter-than-averagepercentilerankin

thisgroupofespeciallycompetitiveandskilled

test-takersisagreatchallenge.

AccordingtotheERB,ISEEtest-takersare“avery

select group of students who are applying to

competitiveschools.Therefore,ISEEpercentileranks

aregenerallylower—anywherefrom10to40

percentile points lower—than those on other tests

thatusenationalnorms.”

AccordingtotheEMA,“theSSATnormgroupishighly

competitive; your results are compared only with

otherstudents(samegrade/gender)whotakethe

SSAT to apply for admission to some of the most

selectiveindependentschoolsinthecountry.”

Types of Schools Attended by All StudentsVersus

Types of Schools Attended by SSAT Students


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Source: National Center for Education Statistics and Enrollment Management Association, 2013

National Students taking the SSAT

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60

50

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20

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Parochial

Public

Private Charter

Public

Private

Charter Parochial

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TEST PREP & PLANNING T

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Source: SSAT Board

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TEST DATES & ADMINISTRATIONS

Standard Testing

A Standard test is a group administration of the SSAT

heldatsitesworldwideoneightSaturdayseachyear.

MoststudentswilltakeaStandardtest.

YoumaytakeasmanyStandardtestsasare

available.

The following list shows upcoming Standard test

dates:

• October15,2016 •February11,2017

• November12,2016 •March4,2017

• December10,2016 •April22,2017

• January7,2017 •June10,2017

Flex Testing

A Flex test is a group or individual administration of

theSSATonanydateotherthantheStandarddates.

Families might prefer the scheduling convenience of

aFlextest,andstudentsmightfindtheFlex

administrationsmorecomfortable.Youmaytake

onlyoneFlextestinatestingyear(August1-July

31).

Flex tests may be given by educational consultants

ormemberschools.Checkwiththeschooltowhich

youareapplyingtoaskiftheyprovideFlextesting.

Go to www.ssat.org/test/about-the-ssat/flex-test-

standard-testtofindalistofeducationalconsultants

whoprovideFlextests.

Choose Test Date and Site

Toviewavailabletestingsitesandbeginregistration,

go to www.erblearn.org/parents/admissions-testing-

isee.TheISEEisofferedatschools,Prometrictest

centers,andtestingoffices.

Toregisteratatestingoffice,contacttheoffice

directly.ToregisterataschoolsiteorPrometrictest

center,usetheregistrationlinksatwww.erblearn.

org/parents/admissions-testing-isee.AtPrometric

testcenters,theISEEmaybeavailableinbotha

paper-pencilandonlineformat.

Testing Windows

TherearenostandarddatesforISEEtesting.

Availability is based on what is provided by the

differenttestingprovidersinyourarea.

YouareabletotaketheISEEonceper4-month

testingwindow.

ISEE TESTING WINDOWS

FALL WINTER SPRING/SUMMER

Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul

SSAT

ISEE


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FOUNDATIONS OF GOOD TEST PREPARATION

Goodtestprepwillstrengthenunderlyingskills,

developcomfortandconfidence,andultimately

enablestudentstomeettheirpotential.

While there are many components to a successful

testpreparationprogram,therearethreekey

fundamentals.

PR

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STR

ATEG

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CONTENT MASTERY

Students who score best on the SSATandISEEhaveafirmgraspoftheacademicskillsthataretested.Reviewingcontentareasandreinforcingnecessaryskillsare essential for improving your score.Noamountoftest-takingstrategy can compensate for gapsinfoundationalknowledge.

Successfultest-takersnotonlypossess the necessary academic skillsbutalsounderstandhowtotakeastandardizedtest.Pacing,processofelimination,andquestion-typerecognitionareallstrategies that will help you maximizeyourscore.Havinganarsenal of tools at your disposal putsyouincontrolofthetest.

Just as with a scrimmage or a dress rehearsal,themoreyourtestprepsimulatestherealthing,thebetter.Takingapracticetestunderrealisticconditions removes the mystery of the test,reducesanxiety,andincreasesconfidence.Theresultsofthesetestsalso provide a valuable tool for trackingyourprogressandassessingwhatareasstillneedimprovement.

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ADMISSION & TESTING TIMELINE

MAY JUNE JULY AUGUST SEPTEMBER OCTOBER

Consider what schools would

be the best fit for you. Here are

some features that may be

important in your decisions:

• Culture

Ineachschool,thereisauniquepersonalityor“vibe”ofthe student population and faculty.

• Academic Rigor

Some schools expect their students to handle intense workloads,whereasotherschools are less academically demanding and have more formalsupport.

• Offerings

Schoolsdifferinwhattheycanofferforacademics,athleticcompetitivenessandfacilities,and extracurricular opportunities.

• Student/Teacher Ratio

Low student/teacher ratios generally lead to more personalized and attentive instruction.

• Logistics

Geography,financialaid,andboarding options may limit yourschoolchoices.

Schedule visits and interviews.

• Schedule interviews no earlier thanOctobersoyouhavetimeto gain experience in your classesandextracurriculars,which can be brought up duringtheinterviews.

• YoushouldhaveinterviewsscheduledforOctoberandNovember.Ideally,youwillbefinishedwithinterviewsbytheendofNovember.

• Schedule interviews early in theday,whenyourinterviewerwillhavemoreenergy.

Create your testing plan.

• Contactadmissionsofficestosee what standardized test scoresarerequired.

• RegisterfortheSSATorISEE.

• YoumayalsoneedtoregisterfortheTOEFLifEnglishisyoursecondlanguage.

• Allowforasufficientamountofpractice and study before your testdates.Dependingonstudents’needs,typicalprepprogramsmaylastfrom5-16weeks.Longerprogramsmayhave diminishing returns and maycause“burnout.”

Begin your test preparation at

the beginning of the school

year.

• Startwithadiagnostictest,which will establish a baseline score and identify areas for improvement.

Prepare for the personal

interviews.

• Youshouldbereadytoanswerquestions about your academicsandinterests.

• Youshouldalsoprepareyourown questions about each school.

• Dressappropriately.

• Some schools require you to complete a writing sample duringthevisit,sobeready!

• Writeathank-younotetoyourinterviewer.

Attend open houses and school

events, if interested.

• InOctober,schoolswilloftenhostoptionalopenhouses,allowing you to tour the campuses,visitclassrooms,andmeetfacultyandstudents.

The calendar below shows how a typical testing plan

fitsintothelargertimelineofindependentschool

applications.Planningforapplicationsshouldbegin

inthesummer,about18monthsbeforeyouplanto

enrollinyournewschool.

Earlyintheapplicationsprocess,craftatestingplan

thataddresseswhichtestsyou’regoingtotake,

whenyou’regoingtotakethem,andhowandwhen

you’regoingtoprepareforthem.


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NOVEMBER DECEMBER JANUARY FEBRUARY MARCH APRIL

Take the SSAT or ISEE.

• WerecommendtakingyourfirsttestinNovembersoyoucantakeitagaininDecemberorJanuary.

• TheISEEcanbetakenonceper4-monthtestingwindow.TaketheISEEinNovember,whichisinthefallwindow,soyoucantakethetestagainin

thewinterwindow.

Complete your applications.

• Finish school visits and interviews by the end of November.

• Give recommendation forms toteachersinNovemberorearlyDecember.Thiswillbeearly enough for application deadlines and late enough to ensurethatteachersknowyouwell.

• Writeyourapplicationessays.Youwillbeabletowriteamoreknowledgeableandeffectiveessayafteryouhavedone your interviews and schoolvisits.

Begin your financial aid forms.

Take the SSAT or ISEE again, if

needed.

• Werecommendtakingthetesttwicetomakesureyoureachyourhighestpotential.

• Avoidovertesting.Takingthetest too many times will not guarantee higher scores and willbringunnecessarystress.

Submit your completed school

applications.

• Completeyourfinancialaidforms.

• Review the requirements for eachschooltomakesureyouhaven’tforgottenanything.

• Try to submit your applications with a few days to spare beforethedeadlines.Youwillwanttoleaveabufferincaseanythinggoeswrong.

Wait patiently for responses

from schools. Most schools will

notifyyouonMarch10.

Dependingontheschool,this

notificationmaybesentbymail

ormadeavailableonline.

Finalize your choice. Schools

will usually send you an

invitationtorevisitcampus.

Considerlookingatthese

schoolsagaintohelpmakeyour

decision.

Notify schools of your decision.

Whetheryouacceptordecline,

most schools need to be

notifiedbyApril10.

Agoodtestingplanissensibleandstrikesabalance

with the student’s academic and extracurricular

activities.Iteliminatestheneedforovertestingand

helps students and families maintain perspective

throughwhatcanbeastressfuladmissionprocess.

Withtheinformationprovidedinthisguide,youcan

confidentlynavigatetheconsiderationsandtasks

involvedinmakingatestingplan.

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Studentswhohavedocumentedlearningdifferences

are eligible for accommodations from both the

EnrollmentManagementAssociation(EMA)andthe

EducationalRecordsBureau(ERB).Becausethese

aredistinctinstitutions,approvalfromone

organization does not guarantee approval from the

other,asbothhavetheirownapplicationprocesses.

Forbothtests,anaccommodationsapplication

needs to be approved only once per testing season

(fromAugust1sttoJuly31st).Forexample,ifyouare

approved for accommodations for an SSAT in

November,yourapprovalisvalidforanyotherSSAT

untilJuly31st.Accommodationsapplications,along

withfulldocumentation,mustbesubmittedatleast

4weeksbeforethetestingdate.

The chart below is intended as a guide to help

familiesnavigatetheapplicationprocess.Families

shouldreviewtheofficialguidelinesandschool

timelinesearlyintheprocesstoaskquestionsandto

ensure that the required documentation is gathered

andsubmittedinatimelyfashion.

SSAT & ISEE ACCOMMODATIONS

SSAT ISEE

INFORMATIONssat.org/about-ssat/testing-accommodations

www.erblearn.org/parents/accommodations-isee

ELIGIBILITY

Youmusthaveanidentifieddisablingcondition or impairment which substantially limits your ability to perform a major life activity,includingsight,hearing,speech,reading,concentration,thought,communication,andlearning.

Youmusthavecompleteandspecificdocumentation that establishes a current needfortherequestedaccommodations.

Youmustcurrentlyreceiveandutilizeaccommodations,duetoyourdisability,forschool-basedtestinginyourschool.

APPLICATION PROCESS

1.Applyonlineforaccommodationsandprovide the contact information of your approver(professionalwhocanconfirmthevalidityofyouraccommodations).

2. Providedocumentation,ifnecessary.

3. After being contacted by the Enrollment ManagementAssociation(EMA),yourapproversubmitsapprovalandidentificationforms.

4. Ifnecessary,documentationisreviewedbytheEMA.

5. The EMA processes request and sends confirmation(thismaytakeupto2weeks).

6. RegistertotaketheSSATwithaccommodations.

1. RegisteronlinetotaketheISEEwithaccommodations.

2. YouwillreceivetheISEEAccommodationsForminanemailfromtheERB.

3. Currentschoolmustfilloutportionofform.

4. Submit completed form with required documentation.

5. After3-4weeks,theERBwillsendaverificationletterbyemail,confirmingthetestsite,date,andapprovedaccommodations.Thisletterwillserveasyourentrancetickettothetestingsession.

Source: ssat.org Source: erblearn.org


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SSAT ISEE

DOCUMENTATION TYPES

• IndividualizedEducationProgram(IEP)

• Section504Accommodation(s)Plan

• Testing results or documentation from a qualifiedprofessional

• Private School Service Plan or other formal documentation on letterhead

• Privateorschool-basedevaluationreports

• Documentation of accommodations for otherstandardizedtestsorschool-basedtesting

(Documents must be dated within the last three years of the date your request is submitted)

• IndividualizedEducationalPlan(IEP)

• Section504Accommodation(s)Plan

• Psycho-EducationalTestingEvaluation

• School Accommodation Plan from current calendar year

• Physician Letter detailing accommodations requiredduetoamedically-treatedissue(visionimpairment,deafness,paralysis,ADD,ADHD,etc.)oraphysicaldisability.

(Documents must be dated within the last six monthstothreeyears,dependingondocumentationtype)

SCHOOL OR PROFESSIONAL CONFIRMATION

Anapprovermustconfirmyourrequestedaccommodationsarevalid.

If your approver is from your school and the documentation is an Individualized EducationalPlan(IEP),504plan,orprivateschooldocumentation,youwillNOTneedtosubmitthedocumentationtotheEMA.

If your approver is a doctor or practitioner involvedwithyourdiagnosis,treatment,testing,orcarebutisnotfromyourschool,you will need to submit the documentation to theEMA.

The student’s current school must verify that the accommodations requested are currently being used in classroom and testing situations.Theschoolshouldinitialthelistofaccommodationsthestudentrequires.Ifthestudent’sneedsarenotlisted,thencheck“other”andexplainonthelinesprovided.Ifforsome reason the student does not currently receive the accommodations requested in the currentschoolsetting,thisshouldalsobeexplained (such as the school already incorporatinganadaptedcurriculum).

APPEAL PROCESS

If your approver denies your accommodations,youmayresendtherequestorindicateadifferentqualifiedapprover.

IftheEMAdeniesyouraccommodations,theEMAwillexplaintheaspectsthataffectedthedecision and provide instructions for submittingfurtherdocumentationorfilinganappeal.

Ifyouraccommodationsaredenied,appealscanbeemailedtotheERBatiseeaccommodations@erblearn.orgforfurtherconsideration.

COMMON ACCOMMODATIONS

• 50%additionaltime

• Answerdirectlyintestbooklet

• Largeprinttestbooklet

• Calculator

• PersonallaptopwithspellcheckforWritingSample

• Extendedtime(PrometricTestCentersofferextendedtimefortheISEEOnlineonly)

• Answerdirectlyintestbooklet

• Largeprinttestbooklet

• Calculator

• ComputerwithspellcheckforEssay

Source: ssat.org Source: erblearn.org

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SSAT

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SS

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16

SS

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THE SSAT

TheSecondarySchoolAdmissionTest(SSAT)is

created by the Enrollment Management Association

(formerlytheSSATBoard)andisadministeredat

three levels based on the applicant’s grade:

Elementary,Middle,andUpper.Eachlevelofthetest

is intended for multiple grades:

• Lower Level

Studentsingrades4-5,applyingtogrades5-6

• Middle Level


• Upper Level


TheSSATmeasuresverbal,math,andreadingskills

needed for successful performance in independent

schools.

TheSSATisdesignedtobeacriticalthinkingtest,as

opposedtothecurriculum-basedexamscommonly

seeninschools.TheSSATisnotintendedtoreflect

thecontentseenintypicalschoolwork.

Different Grades, Different Testing Experiences

TakingtheSSATcanbeaverydifferentexperience

dependingonthegradelevelofthestudent.For

example,studentsingrades8to11taketheUpper

LevelSSAT,so8thgraderswilllikelyencounter

some material that is more advanced than what they

havelearnedinschool.Ontheotherhand,11th

graderswilllikelyhavepreviouslyencounteredallof

thematerialonthetest.

Keep in mind that your scores are compared only to

thoseofstudentsinthesamegrade,sothereisno

scoringadvantageordisadvantagetotakingthetest

atacertaingradelevel.


SS

AT

17

SSAT LEVELS & STRUCTURE

TEST LEVEL SECTION QUESTIONS TIME (MINUTES)

SCALED SCORES

Elementary LevelStudentsingrades3-4,

applyingtogrades4-5

QUANTITATIVE 30 30300-600

per section

900-1800

total

Essay not

scored

VERBAL 30 20

15-minutebreak

READING 28 30

WRITING 1 15

TOTALTIME:1hour50minutes

Middle LevelStudentsingrades5-7,

applyingtogrades6-8

WRITING 1 25

440-710

per section

1320-2130

total

Essay not

scored

5-minutebreak

QUANTITATIVE 25 30

READING 40 40

10-minutebreak

VERBAL 60 30

QUANTITATIVE 25 30

EXPERIMENTAL* 16 15

TOTALTIME:3hours5minutes

Upper LevelStudentsingrades8-11,

applyingtogrades9-12

WRITING 1 25

500-800

per section

1500-2400

total

Essay not

scored

5-minutebreak

QUANTITATIVE 25 30

READING 40 40

10-minutebreak

VERBAL 60 30

QUANTITATIVE 25 30

EXPERIMENTAL* 16 15


*The SSAT Middle and Upper Level tests also include a 15-minute Experimental section, which is used to test newly created questions. This section includes 16 questions, comprised of 6 verbal, 5 reading, and 5 quantitative questions. The Experimental section is not scored, so it will not affect the competitiveness of your application.

18

SS

AT


BoththeSSATandISEEreportscaledscores.However,independentschooladmissionofficeshavehistorically

reliedmoreonpercentileranksthanonscaledscores.

SSATessaysarenotscored.Copiesofyouressayaresenttoschoolsalongwithyourscorereport.The

importanceofyouressayinadmissionsdecisionsvariesfromschooltoschool,butitisgenerallymuchless

importantthanyourpercentilerank.

SSAT SCALED SCORES VS PERCENTILES

Raw Scores

EveryquestionontheSSATisworthonerawpoint.

The easiest question is worth just as much as the

mostdifficultquestion.Therearenopointsfor

skippedquestions.Eachincorrectanswerresultsina

¼pointpenalty.Thetotalnumberofcorrect

answers,minusthetotalpenaltyforincorrect

answers,istherawscore.

Scaled Scores

Yourrawscoreisconvertedtoascaledscore.Each

SSAThasaslightlydifferentscaletoaccountforany

smalldifferencesbetweentests.Asaresult,notest

dateiseasierorharderthananyother.A600onone

test indicates the same level of performance as a

600onanothertest.

Youreceiveascaledscoreineachofthethree

sections:Quantitative,Verbal,andReading.

Yourscaledscoresareaddedtocreateatotalscore.

Percentiles

Yoursectionscaledscoresandtotalscaledscore

aregivenpercentileranks,indicatinghowwellyou

scoredcomparedtoothertest-takersofthesame

gradeandgender.Forexample,a60thpercentile

score indicates that you performed the same as or

betterthan60%oftest-takers.Yourpercentilerankis

based on scores from all students in your grade who

havetakenthetestoverthepastthreeyears.

Percentile Ranks in Perspective

YourSSATpercentilemightseemquitelowbecause

your scores are being compared to those of other

SSATstudents,averycompetitivegroup.

Thegoodnewsis,dependingonwhereyouareon

thescoringscale,asmalldifferenceinrawscores

canresultinalargedifferenceinpercentileranking.

Forexample,astudentwhogetsarawscoreof25

(outof60)ontheVerbalsectionoftheUpperLevel

SSATwillincreasebynearly20percentilepointsby

gettingonly5morecorrectanswers.Havingan

effectiveplanofattack,buildingskills,andlearning

test-takingstrategiescanbringalargeimprovement

toyourSSATpercentilerank.

TAKE-HOME MESSAGE

Gettingjustafewmorequestionsrightcanmakeasignificant

differenceinyourscaledandpercentilescores.



SS

AT

19

SSAT SCORING

Raw scores for each section are calculated by

adding one point for each correct answer and then

subtracting a quarter of a point for every incorrect

answer.

Scaled scores for each section are calculated using

aconversiontable,asshownintheabridgedtable

below.Thesescaledscoresareaddedtogetherto

createatotalscore.

Scaledscoresareassignedpercentileranksbased

on the percentage of students who scored at or

belowthatlevel,asshownbelow.

RAW SCORE TO SCALED SCORE CONVERSION

Raw Score

Verbal Scaled Score

Quantitative Scaled Score

Reading Scaled Score

15 615 640 619

16 620 650 623

17 625 659 627

18 630 662 632

19 635 668 642

20 641 671 651

21 646 678 657

22 661 686 662

23 656 689 665

24 662 692 668

25 667 701 677

26 670 704 680

27 674 707 686

28 680 710 700

29 686 719 706

30 692 727 711

31 695 734 714

32 698 737 719

33 701 740 728

34 709 743 737

35 717 746 745

36 720 749 751

37 722 752 757

38 725 755 761

39 728 759 781

40 735 764 800

41 741 767

42 749 770

43 757 777

44 764 784

45 767 790

SCALED SCORE TO PERCENTILE RANK CONVERSION

Total Score

Percentile Rank

Total Score

Percentile Rank

1800 12 2120 80

1820 16 2140 84

1840 19 2160 85

1860 22 2180 90

1880 27 2200 91

1900 32 2220 93

1920 37 2240 95

1940 42 2260 96

1960 47 2280 97

1980 51 2300 98

2000 54 2320 99

2020 58 2340 99

2040 64 2360 99

2060 66 2380 99

2080 71 2400 99

2100 76

These conversion tables are estimated based on data for 8th grade students taking the Upper Level SSAT.

20

SS

AT


EachSSATproblemisamini-mysterytobeunraveledfromarangeofclues:thequestion,adiagramor

passage,theanswerchoices,andyourknowledgeofwhatcontentistestedandhowitistested.Youshould

neverignoreinformationfromanyofthesepotentialclues.Eliminatinganswerchoicesthatyouknowarewrong

getsyouclosertofindingtherightanswer.Italsomeansthatyouwilldobetterifyouneedtoguess.Improving

yourabilitytomakeeducatedguessesisanimportantsteptowardahigherscore.

StudentChasusedamethodicalandconsistentProcessofElimination(POE)strategyandscoressignificantlyhigherthanStudentAorStudentBbasedonPOEalone.Bynotguessing,StudentAgets0rawpoints.WhileStudentBanswerseveryquestion,thestudentdoesn’tusePOEandthereforedoesn’timprovetheoddsofgettingquestionsright.Furthermore,theSSAT’sguessingpenaltyreducesthestudent'searnedpoints.

PROCESS OF ELIMINATION

STUDENT A STUDENT B STUDENT C

All Blank Random Educated Guesses Guesses

correct 0 4 7 incorrect 0 16 13 blank 20 0 0 raw score 0 4 - (16 × ¼) = 0 7 - (13 × ¼) = 3 ¾ Raw Points Raw Points

A B C D E

A B C D E

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SS

AT


SSAT QUANTITATIVE OVERVIEW

TheQuantitativesectionsoftheSSATdifferfrom

whatyou'veseeninstandardmathcourses.While

SSATmathrequiresasolidfoundationinmathskills,

the questions themselves test the application of

thoseskillstomoreabstractandcomplexproblems.

TheSSAThastwoQuantitativesections,each

allowing30minutestoworkthrough25questions.

Bothsectionsarearrangedinroughorderofdifficulty.

Forexample,questions24and25willbemuch

harderthanquestions4and5.

MIDDLE AND UPPER LEVEL SSAT STRUCTURE

25 QUESTIONS, 30 MINUTES TOTAL FOR SECTION 1

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25

Easy g Medium gDifficult

25 QUESTIONS, 30 MINUTES TOTAL FOR SECTION 4

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25


TEST STRATEGIES

Know your limits.

Many students can raise their Quantitative scores by

simply slowing down and focusing on fewer

problems.Eachquestionisworthonerawpoint,so

you should put your time and energy into the

questionswithinyourcapabilities.Becarefultoavoid

mistakesontheeasiestquestions,makeeducated

guesseswhenyoucaneliminateanswerchoices,

andskipquestionsthataretoochallengingforyou.

Use the answer choices to work backward.

Don’tgettunnelvision.Ifyoucan’tsolveamath

problemintheforwarddirection,trytosolveitinthe

reverse direction by plugging in the answer choices

orbychoosingnumbersforvariables.


SS

AT

21

22

SS

AT


SSATmathspansfrombasicarithmetictoalgebraandbasicgeometry.Difficultyoftenstemsfromthenon-

standardpresentationofquestions.

Youarenotallowedtouseacalculator,sostrongcomputationalskillsarevital.

SSAT QUANTITATIVE SKILLS

22

COMPLETE LIST OF SSAT MATH SKILLS

Number Concepts and Operations

• Numberproperties

• Divisibility and remainders

• Multiples and factors

• Fractions

• Decimals and place value

• Rounding and estimation

• Percents

• Ratios and proportions

• Exponents and roots

• Orderofoperations

• Sequences and series

Data Analysis

• Averages

• Probability

• Charts and graphs

Algebra

• Algebraic expressions

• Algebraic equations

• Inequalities

• Functions

• Absolute value

Geometry

• Angles

• Parallel lines

• Triangles

• Area and perimeter

• Circles

• Volume

• Coordinate plane

• Slope

• Graphing lines


SS

AT

23

The Reading Comprehension section requires students to understand what’s explicitly stated and what’s

impliedinabroadrangeoftexts.TheReadingComprehensionsectionontheMiddleandUpperLevelSSAT

includes8-9shortreadingpassages,each250-350wordsinlength.

SSAT READING COMPREHENSION OVERVIEW

Passage Types• Fact passages address topics using details and

objectiveinformation.Forexample,apassage

might include a description of the way a volcano

eruptsorabiographyofFlorenceNightingale.

• Opinionpassagesexpressanopiniononatopic.

Forexample,theauthormightarguethatdrinking

watershouldcontainfluoride.

• Prosepassagestellastory,eitherfictionalor

biographical.Forexample,apassagemight

include a musician’s memories of how she

learnedtoplayaninstrument.

• Poetrypassagestellastory,expressanidea,or

describeanimaginedscene.Examplesmight

includeapoemabouttheocean,theemotionof

love,oraperson’sstruggle.

Question Types• Identify details

• Determine the main idea

• Derive the meaning of vocabulary from context

• Determine the author’s purpose and opinions

• Makeinferences

• Makepredictions

TEST STRATEGY

Read with your pencil.

Asyouread,takenotes,underline,andwritedown

themainideasofeachparagraph.


1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40

Notinorderofdifficulty


40 QUESTIONS, 40 MINUTES TOTAL

SS

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23

24

SS

AT


SYNONYMS

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30


ANALOGIES

31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60


TheVerbalsectioncontainstwotypesofvocabulary-basedquestions:synonymsandanalogies.Synonyms

progressfromeasytodifficult,asdoanalogies.

Sincevocabularyisbestlearnedthroughcontext,youcanprepareforthetestbyreadingregularly.Focuson

textsthataresomewhatchallenging,andrecordandstudythedefinitionsofnewwordsyouencounter.

SSAT VERBAL OVERVIEW

TEST STRATEGY

Know what you’re looking for before checking the answer choices.

Synonyms

Synonym questions test your ability to determine the

meaningofwordswithoutcontextualclues.You

must choose the word that is most nearly the same

inmeaningtothestemwordinthequestion.



Synonyms:Considerthedefinitionofthewordbefore

lookingattheanswerchoices.Notethatsome

questionstestsecondaryortertiarymeanings.Then

findtheanswerchoicethatmatchesbest.Forwords

youdon'tknow,considerthe"charge"(doestheword

haveapositiveornegativeconnotation?).

Analogies: State the relationship between the given

pairofwordsfirst.Then,searchforananswerchoice

thathasthatsamerelationship.Bespecific.Ifyouuse

avaguerelationship,morethanoneanswerchoice

mayseemcorrect.

24

SS

AT

Analogies

Analogyquestionsaskyoutoidentifythe

relationships between words and demonstrate a

nuancedunderstandingoftheirmeanings.Youmust

choose the pair of words with a relationship that best

matches the relationship between the stem words in

thequestion.



SS

AT

25

SSAT ANALOGY TYPES

TheSSATrepeatsseveralanalogytypesfromtesttotest.Familiarizingyourselfwiththesecommonstemswill

helpyouquicklyandconfidentlyidentifytherelationshipsinanalogyquestionsonthetest.

Synonym

frenetic is to energetic (freneticmeansenergetic)

Antonym

impudent is to respectful (impudentistheoppositeofrespectful)

Function or Use

aviary is to birds (anaviaryhousesbirds)

Person and Activity, Tool, or Creation

cobbler is to shoe (acobblermakesshoes)

Action/Result

insultistooffended (aninsultwillmakesomeoneoffended)

Characteristic

menace is to threatening (amenaceisthreatening)

Type

flyistoinsect (aflyisatypeofinsect)

Part/Whole

novel is to chapter (achapterisapartofanovel)

Degree of Intensity

cold is to frigid (frigidmeansextremelycold)

26

SS

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TheWritingsectionoftheSSATrequiresyoutowriteanessayin25minutes(15minutesfortheElementary

LevelSSAT).Practicewithtimedessaysisessentialforcreatingawell-structured,well-supported,andwell-

writtenessay.Writinganessayundersuchtimeconstraintsisanunusualassignment.Besuretotimeyourself

whilewritingpracticeessayssoyoucanfindtherightpace.

WhiletheSSATessayisnotscored,itissenttoschooladmissionscommittees,anditcanstillbeanimportant

partofyourapplication.

SSAT WRITING OVERVIEW

Upper Level

TheUpperLevelSSATgivesstudentsachoicebetweenacreativepromptandaformalprompt.Theformal

promptasksaquestionthatusuallyrelatestostudents’thoughtsoropinions.

Upper Level Writing directions:

"Schoolswouldliketogettoknowyoubetterthroughanessayorstoryusingoneofthetwotopics

below.Pleaseselectthetopicyoufindmostinterestingandfillinthecirclenexttothetopicyou

choose."

Middle Level

TheMiddleLevelSSATgivesstudentsachoicebetweentwocreativeprompts.Studentsshouldchooseone

promptasinspirationforashortstory.

Middle Level Writing directions:

"Schoolswouldliketogettoknowyoubetterthroughastoryyoutellusingoneoftheideasbelow.

Pleasechoosetheideayoufindmostinterestingandwriteastoryusingtheideaasyourfirstsentence.

Pleasefillinthecirclenexttotheoneyouchoose."

Sample Prompts

Creative prompts:

• Shehadneverseensomethingsobeautiful.

• Theywereallwaitingformetospeak.

• Shehadalwaysbeenahardworker,butshehadneverfacedsuchadifficultchallenge.

Formal prompts:

• What class or subject in school do you enjoy most? Why?

• Whoissomeoneyourespect?Explainwhyyoufeelthisway.

• Whichtwohistoricalfigureswouldyouliketomeetandwhy?


ISE

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ISEE

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ISE

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ISE

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THE ISEE

TheIndependentSchoolEntranceExam(ISEE)is

createdbytheEducationalRecordsBureau(ERB)

and is administered at three levels based on the

applicant’sgrade:Lower,Middle,andUpper.Each

level of the test is intended for multiple grades:

• Lower Level


• Middle Level


• Upper Level


TheISEEmeasuresverbal,math,andreadingskills

needed for successful performance in independent

schools.

TheISEEcontainselementsofbothaptitude(likethe

SSAT)andcurriculum-basedtesting.

Different Grades, Different Testing Experiences

TakingtheISEEcanbeaverydifferentexperience

dependingonthegradelevelofthestudent.For

example,studentsingrades8to11taketheUpper

LevelISEE,so8thgraderswilllikelyencountersome

material that is more advanced than what they have

learnedinschool.Ontheotherhand,11thgraders

willlikelyhavepreviouslyencounteredallofthe

materialonthetest.

Keep in mind that your scores are compared only to

thoseofstudentsinthesamegrade,sothereisno

scoringadvantageordisadvantagetotakingthetest

atacertaingradelevel.


ISE

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29

ISEE LEVELS & STRUCTURE

TEST LEVEL SECTION QUESTIONS* TIME (MINUTES)

SCALED SCORES

Lower LevelStudentsingrades4-5,

applyingtogrades5-6

VERBALREASONING 34 20

760-940

in each of

4

sections

Essay not

scored

QUANTITATIVEREASONING 38 35

5-minutebreak

READINGCOMPREHENSION 25 25

MATHEMATICSACHIEVEMENT 30 30

5-minutebreak

ESSAY 1 30


Middle LevelStudentsingrades6-7,

applyingtogrades7-8


760-940

in each of

4

sections

Essay not

scored


5-minutebreak



5-minutebreak

ESSAY 1 30


Upper LevelStudents in grades

8-11,applyingto

grades9-12


760-940

in each of

4

sections

Essay not

scored


5-minutebreak



5-minutebreak

ESSAY 1 30


* Each section of the ISEE (excluding the essay) includes several experimental questions that will not be scored but may be used on future editions of the test. You will not be notified of which questions are experimental.

30

ISE

E


Raw Scores

Yourrawscoreisthetotalnumberofcorrect

answers.EveryquestionontheISEEisworthone

point,sotheeasiestquestionisworthjustasmuch

asthemostdifficultquestion.Therearenopointsfor

skippedquestions.Thereisnopenaltyforincorrect

answers,soyoushouldguessaggressivelyonthe

ISEE.Donotleaveanyanswersblank.

Scaled Scores

Yourrawscoreisconvertedtoascaledscore.Each

ISEEhasaslightlydifferentscaletoaccountforany

smalldifferencesindifficultybetweentests.Asa

result,notestdateiseasierorharderthananyother.

An840ononetestindicatesthesamelevelof

performanceasan840onanothertest.

TheISEEprovidesscaledscoresineachof4

sections:VerbalReasoning,QuantitativeReasoning,

ReadingComprehension,andMathematics

Achievement.TheISEEdoesnotprovideacombined

totalscore.

ThesectionscorerangefortheISEEis760-940.

Percentiles

Yourscaledscoresaregivenpercentileranks

indicating how well you scored compared to other

test-takersofthesamegrade.Forexample,a60th

percentile score indicates that you performed the

sameasorbetterthan60%oftest-takers.Your

percentilerankisbasedonscoresfromallstudents

inyourgradewhohavetakenthetestoverthepast

threeyears.

Yourpercentilemightseemquitelowbecauseyour

scores are being compared to those of other ISEE

students,averycompetitivegroup.

Stanines

Rangingfrom1-9,staninesaregroupingsof

percentilescores.Seethetableonthenextpagefor

howpercentilesaregroupedintostanines.

A relatively small percent of students will achieve

staninescoresthatareveryhighorverylow.Stanine

scorescreateabellcurve,sothatthemajorityof

studentsachieve“average”staninescoresof4-6.

ISEE SCALED SCORES, PERCENTILES, STANINES

BoththeISEEandSSATreportscaledscores.However,independentschooladmissionofficeshavehistorically

reliedmoreonpercentileranksthanonscaledscores.TheISEEalsoprovidesstaninescores(explainedbelow),

whichsomeschoolsuseastheprimaryconsiderationforISEEresults.

ISEEessaysarenotscored.Copiesofyouressayaresenttoschoolsalongwithyourscorereport.The

importanceofyouressayinadmissionsdecisionsvariesfromschooltoschool,butitisgenerallymuchless

importantthanyourpercentilerankorstaninescore.


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ISEE SCORING

PERCENTILE RANK

STANINE SCORE

1-3 1

4-10 2

11-22 3

23-39 4

40-59 5

60-76 6

77-88 7

89-95 8

96-99 9

Raw scores for each section are calculated by

addingonepointforeachcorrectanswer.Thereare

nopointdeductionsforincorrectanswers.

Scaled scores for each section are calculated using

aconversiontable,asshownintheabridgedtable

below.

Scaledscoresareassignedpercentileranksbased

on the percentage of students who scored at or

belowthatlevel.

Percentileranksarethengroupedintostanine

scores,rangingfrom1to9,asshownbelow.

RAW SCORE TO SCALED SCORE CONVERSION

Raw Score

Verbal Reasoning

Scaled Score

Quantitative Reasoning

Scaled Score

Reading Comprehension

Scaled Score

Mathematics Achievement Scaled Score

15 842 859 843 852

16 845 862 848 854

17 848 866 852 857

18 852 869 856 859

19 855 873 860 862

20 858 876 865 865

21 862 879 869 867

22 865 883 873 870

23 868 886 878 872

24 871 889 882 875

25 875 893 886 877

26 878 896 891 880

27 881 899 895 882

28 884 903 899 885

29 887 906 903 887

30 891 909 908 890

31 894 913 893

32 897 916 895

33 900 898

34 904 900

35 907 903

36 905

37 908

38 910

39 913

40 915

41 918

42 921

SCALED SCORE TO PERCENTILE RANK CONVERSION

SectionPercentile

25th 50th 75th

Verbal Reasoning

847 863 879


853 867 882

Reading Comprehension

844 865 884

Mathematics Achievement

858 871 884

These conversion tables are estimated based on data for 6th grade students taking the Middle Level ISEE.

Stanine groupings stay the same for each test level and for every administration of the ISEE.

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TEST STRATEGIES

Consider multiple definitions for words.

Trickiersynonymquestionswilluselesscommon

definitions.Forexample,theword“train”canmeana

locomotive,apartofadress,ortheactofpreparing

foranevent.

Anticipate the answer.

Beforeyoulookattheanswerchoices,usecluesin

the sentence to anticipate what needs to go into the

blanktocompletethesentence.Youdon'tneedto

have an actual word in mind; a general idea is

enough.Then,seewhichanswerchoicematches

bestwithyouranticipatedanswer.

TheVerbalReasoningsectioncontainstwotypesofvocabulary-basedquestions:synonymsandsentence

completions.Synonymsprogressfromeasytodifficult,asdosentencecompletions.

Becausevocabularyisbestlearnedthroughcontext,youcanprepareforthetestbyreadingregularly.Focus

ontextsthataresomewhatchallenging,andrecordandstudythedefinitionsofnewwordsyouencounter.

ISEE VERBAL REASONING OVERVIEW

Synonyms

Synonyms test your ability to determine the meaning

ofwordswithoutcontextualclues.Youmustchoose

the word that is most nearly the same in meaning to

thewordinthequestion.

Sentence Completions

Sentence completions test your ability to understand

wordsincontext.Youmustchoosetheword(s)that

worksbestwithinagivensentence.


MIDDLE LEVEL ISEE STRUCTURE40 QUESTIONS, 20 MINUTES TOTAL

Synonyms(17-23questions)

Easy g Medium g Difficult

SentenceCompletions(17-23questions)


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ISEE QUANTITATIVE REASONING OVERVIEW

QuantitativeReasoningisthefirstoftwomathsectionsontheISEEandisdesignedtotestproblem-solvingand

criticalthinkingskills.Thequestionsoftenrequirelittleornocalculationbecausetheemphasisisonyourability

toreasonmathematically.

OntheMiddleandUpperLeveltests,theQuantitativeReasoningsectionhastwotypesofquestions:word

problemsandquantitativecomparisons.OntheLowerLeveltest,thissectionhasonlywordproblems.

Word Problems

Wordproblemsrequirelogicandhigher-order

thinking.Theymaybedifferentfromthestandard

questionsseenintypicalmathclasses.

Quantitative Comparisons

The quantitative comparison questions present

quantitiesintwocolumns:ColumnAandColumnB.

All comparison questions have the same four answer

choices,asshownbelow.

(A)ThequantityinColumnAisgreater.

(B)ThequantityinColumnBisgreater.

(C)Thetwoquantitiesareequal.

(D)Therelationshipcannotbedeterminedfromthe

informationgiven.

TEST STRATEGIES

Plan the steps you’ll need to get to the answer.

Whentryingtofigureouthowtosolveaword

problem,askyourself,“WhatinformationdoIneed

tofindtheanswer?”and“WhatcanIcalculatewith

theinformationI’vebeengiven?”

Test different values for variables.

Quantitativecomparisonsaskyoutodetermine

whichquantityisgreaterinallpossiblecases.When

aquantityinvolvesvariables,testdifferentvaluesto

see if one quantity is alwaysgreater.Forexample,try

afraction,anegativenumber,apositivenumber,and

zero.

MIDDLE LEVEL ISEE STRUCTURE37 QUESTIONS, 35 MINUTES TOTAL

WordProblems(18-21questions)


QuantitativeComparisons(14-17questions)


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ISEE READING COMPREHENSION OVERVIEW

TEST STRATEGY

Be an active reader.

Asyouread,youshouldsummarize,makeconnections,

andanalyzethepassage.Takenotes,underline,and

writedownthemainideasofeachparagraph.

The Reading Comprehension section requires students to understand what’s explicitly stated and what’s

impliedinabroadrangeoftexts.Thepassagescovertopicsinliterature,history,science,andmodernlife.

TheLowerLeveltesthasfivereadingpassages,eachfollowedbyfivequestions.TheMiddleandUpperLevel

testshavesixreadingpassages,eachfollowedbysixquestions.

Question Types

Passage1 Passage2 Passage3

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18

MIDDLE LEVEL ISEE STRUCTURE


Passage4 Passage5 Passage6

19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36

Notinorderofdifficulty

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• MainIdeaquestionsaskyoutoidentifytheprimary

purpose,message,orfocusofthepassage.

• SupportingIdeasquestionsaskforspecificfacts

andexplicitideasfromthepassage.

• Tone/Style/FigurativeLanguagequestionsask

youtoidentifytheauthor’sattitude,describethe

moodofthepassage,ordeterminethemeaningof

ametaphor.

• Vocabularyquestionsaskyoutodefineawordin

thecontextinwhichitisused.

• Inferencequestionsaskyoutodrawlogical

conclusionsbasedoninformationinthepassage.

• Organization/Logicquestionsaskyoutorecognize

the structure of ideas in the passage or the purpose

ofportionsofthepassage.


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Math Content

The Middle Level Mathematics Achievement section

spansthemathareasshownbelow.Sampletopics

fromeachcontentareaarelisted.

ISEE MATHEMATICS ACHIEVEMENT OVERVIEW

MathematicsAchievementisthecurriculum-basedsectionofthetwomathsectionsontheISEE.Whereasthe

questionsintheQuantitativeReasoningsectionareoftenabstract,thequestionsintheMathematics

Achievementsectionaremorestraightforwardandoftenrequireknowledgeofmathterminologyand

procedures.Thequestionsinthissectionarelikelysimilartowhatyouhaveseeninschoolmathcourses.

Dependingonyourgradelevel,though,youmayencounterconceptsthatyouhavenotyetlearned.

TEST STRATEGY

Check your work after each question.Insteadofwaitinguntiltheendtoreviewyouranswers,

doaquickcheckafteryousolveeachquestion.Didyou

answerthequestionasked?Didyoumakeanycareless

mistakes?Isyouranswerreasonable?


MIDDLE LEVEL ISEE STRUCTURE


1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47


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11-19%

9-13%15-21%

DECIMALS, PERCENTS, AND FRACTIONS 7-10 Questions • Percent-decimal-fraction

conversion• Rounding and estimation

ALGEBRAIC CONCEPTS 9-13 Questions • Equations• Functions• Inequalities

WHOLE NUMBERS 7-10 Questions• Add,subtract,multiply,divide• Positive and negative• Oddandeven

GEOMETRY 4-6 Questions • Angles• Triangles• Circles• Coordinate plane

9-13%

19-28%

MEASUREMENT 4-6 Questions • Area• Volume• Surface area

DATA ANALYSIS AND PROBABILITY 5-9 Questions • Mean,median,mode,range• Probability• Data plots

15-21%

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ISEE ESSAY OVERVIEW

TheEssaysectionoftheISEErequiresyoutowriteanessayin30minutes.Practicewithtimedessaysis

essentialforcreatingawell-structured,well-supported,andwell-writtenessay.Writinganessayundersuch

timeconstraintsisanunusualassignment.Besuretotimeyourselfwhilewritingpracticeessayssoyoucanfind

therightpace.

WhiletheISEEessayisnotscored,itissenttoschooladmissionscommittees,anditcanstillbeanimportant

partofyourapplication.

Essay Directions

"Theessayisdesignedtogiveyouanopportunitytoshowhowwellyoucanwrite.Youshouldtryto

expressyourthoughtsclearly.Howwellyouwriteismuchmoreimportantthanhowmuchyouwrite,

butyouneedtosayenoughforareadertounderstandwhatyoumean.

Youwillprobablywanttowritemorethanashortparagraph.Youshouldalsobeawarethatacopyof

youressaywillbesenttoeachschoolthatwillbereceivingyourtestresults.Youaretowriteonlyin

theappropriatesectionoftheanswersheet.Pleasewriteorprintsothatyourwritingmaybereadby

someonewhoisnotfamiliarwithyourhandwriting."

Sample Prompts

Lower Level prompts:

• What are the best qualities of a person you admire?

• Explainahobbyyouhavethatmakesyouspecial.

Middle Level prompts:

• Describeyouridealfuturecareer.

• Discussaproblemintheworldthatyouwouldliketosolveandhowyouwouldsolveit.

Upper Level prompts:

• Whataccomplishmentareyoumostproudof?Describethisaccomplishmentandwhyitmakesyou

feelproud.

• Describeanexperiencethathasinspiredyou.


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COMPARISONOF THE

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SSAT-ISEE COMPARISON

SSAT ISEE KEY DIFFERENCES

Format

and

Length

Elementary Level

• 4sections

• 1hour,40minutes

Middle and Upper Level

• 6sections(includingexperimentalsection)

• 3hours,5minutes

Lower Level

• 5sections

• 2hours,20minutes

Middle and Upper Level

• 5sections

• 2hours,40minutes

The SSAT and ISEE have similar structures.

Pacingisalmostidentical,exceptforthemathsections,wheretheSSAToffersslightlymoretimeperquestion.

The SSAT has an experimental section,whereastheISEEhasexperimental questions spread throughout.

Scoring

Incorrect answer penalty• ¼ raw score point

Scaled Score ranges

• Elementary–900-1800

• Middle–1320-2130

• Upper–1500-2400

Scaled scores are given percentileranks

Noincorrectanswerpenalty

Scaled Score range

• 760-940persection

Scaled scores are given percentileranks

Percentiles are grouped into stanine scores

The SSAT’s incorrect answer penalty means students need to be morecarefulaboutguessing.

OntheISEE,studentsshouldguessaggressively and never leave an answerblankbecausethereisnopenaltyforincorrectanswers.

Bothtestsconvertrawscorestoscaledscores,whicharethengivenpercentileranks.TheISEEalsogivesastaninescore.

Math

Arithmetic through geometry

Questions require knowledgeofmathconceptsandskills,aswellas problem solving and criticalthinking

Arithmetic through geometry


• Focus on problem solving andcriticalthinking

Mathematics Achievement

• Focusonknowledgeofmathconceptsandskills

Many of the math questions on the SSATaredifferentfromwhatstudents see in standard math courses.

The ISEE’s Math Achievement section has straightforward questions.TheQuantitativeReasoningsectionhastrickierandmoreabstractquestions,similartotheSSAT’smathsections.

Reading

SSAT passages are typically 250-350wordslong.

May include poem passages

ISEE passages are typically 300-600wordslong.

The SSAT and ISEE have similar readingquestiontypes.

SSAT reading passages are typically shorter than ISEE passages.

Verbal

Synonyms

Analogies

Synonyms

Sentence Completions

An extensive vocabulary is very helpfulonbothtests.

The SSAT’s analogies require more criticalthinkingandlessvocabularyknowledgethandotheISEE’ssentencecompletions.

EssayCreativeorformalprompt,depending on test level

Formal prompt Forbothtests,theessaysarenotscored but are sent directly to admissionsoffices.


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REFERENCES & RESOURCES

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SUMMIT LEADERSHIP

Anthony Aromando, Regional Director, Connecticut and New York

AnthonyhasbeenwithSummitforoverfouryears,firstasatutorandcurrentlyasRegional

DirectorforCTandNY.HebringstoSummitnearlytwentyyearsofhighschoolteaching

experienceandenthusiasmforguidingfamilies,counselors,andconsultantsthroughthe

test-prepprocess.AnthonyholdsaBAinEnglishfromtheUniversityofNotreDame.

Kristine Chochrek, Marketing Director

KristinereceivedaBAinEnglishfromMiddleburyCollege.Withover15yearsofmarketing

experience,sheisexcitedtobepartofthecontinuedgrowthofSummit.Kristinebelieves

intheeducationalbenefitsoftravelandhasenjoyedstudyingabroadandtravelingall

overtheworld.Inherfreetime,KristinevolunteerswithHorizonsforHomelessChildren,

acharityhelpingtoimprovethelivesofhomelesschildreninMassachusetts.

Michael Dean, Regional Director, Massachusetts

MichaelreceivedaBAinFilmfromEmersonCollegeandanMAinLibraryandInformation

SciencefromSimmonsCollege.Hehasheldseveraldifferentmanagementpositions

duringhis10+yearsatSummit,andhiscustomerservicefocusandintegritymakehim

well-suitedtohislatestroleasRegionalDirector,Massachusetts.Michaelishighlyregarded

amongschoolandindependentcounselorsthroughoutNewEnglandandNewYorkasa

trustedtest-preppartnerwhodoesallhecanonbehalfofhisclients.

Drew Heilpern, Chief Brand Ambassador

DrewgraduatedcumlaudefromDukeUniversitywithdegreesinBiologyandEducation.

Afterteachingmiddleschoolscience,DrewearnedhisPh.D.inImmunologyfromTufts

University.Soonafter,DrewbegantutoringforSummitwherehispassionasaneducator

quicklymadehimoneofSummit’smostrequestedtutors.AsSummit’sChiefBrand

Ambassador,hegetstopursuehispassionofhelpingtoguideeducationalconsultants,

schoolcounselors,andfamiliesthroughthestandardizedtestingprocess.

Brian Murphy, General Manager, Course Materials and Services

BrianMurphyhasbeenwithSummitforsevenyears.HeiscurrentlytheGeneralManager

oftheCourseMaterialsandServicesdivision.HehasaBAfromtheCollegeofthe

HolyCrossandanMAfromtheUniversityofConnecticut.Hespent10yearsasa

publicschoolteacherbeforejoiningSummit.Heenjoyshelpingschoolsruntheirown

test-prepprogramsandhelpingtutoringcompaniesgrowtheirtestprepservices.


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Charlie O’Hearn, President/Founder

WhileanundergraduateatYaleUniversity,Charlieprovidedpersonalized,in-hometutoring

servicestostudentsintheNewHavenarea.Seeinganeedforone-on-one,in-home

tutoringandtestpreparation,helaunchedSummitEducationalGroupinWellesley,MA,

in1988.Charliehaswrittenanumberofhighlyregardedtestpreparationbooks,which

areusedbytutoringcompaniesandschoolsaroundthecountry.Heisafrequentspeaker

andpanelistateducationconferences,forums,andschools.

Anne Ouellette, Corporate Director of Tutor Services

AnneOuellettegraduatedinthetop10%ofherclassattheUnitedStatesNaval

AcademyandlaterstudiedNuclearEngineeringthroughtheNavy.Shehasbeen

atutorsince2010andcurrentlyworksastheCorporate Director of Tutor Services for

Summit.Inherfreetime,shecanoftenbefoundworkingonrestoringher

140-year-oldVictorianhome.

Jenn Prince, Director of Educational Partnerships

JenngraduatedfromBostonUniversitywithherMBAandhasbeenprovidingeducational

servicesformanyyears.PriortojoiningSummit,JennworkedasaRegionalCorporate

TrainerforEsteeLauderCorporation,aswellasaBoston-areaPre-CollegePrograms

DirectorforKaplan.InadditiontohertimeteachingatBeaverCountryDaySchooland

DanaHall,JennspentseveralsummersworkingfortheSteppingstoneFoundation,a

programwhichhelpstoprepareunderprivilegedkidsforentryintoindependentschools.

Catherine Thompson, Director of Operations

CatherinewasaNationalMeritFinalistandScholar.SheearnedherBBAfromthe

UniversityofTexasatAustinandlaterstudiedtobecomeateacher.Shespenttime

teachinghighschoolgeometryandalgebrainbothTexasandMassachusetts,before

movingontoprivatetutoringwithSummitin2003.Shecurrentlyrunsthefinanceand

HRdepartmentsforSummitwhilestillfindingthetimeforfamily,cooking,andreading.

Joshua White, Director of Curriculum, Instruction, and Training

JoshuaoverseesthedevelopmentandimplementationofSummit’scurriculum,

instruction,andtraining.PriortohisroleasDirectorofCurriculum,Joshuaspent3years

asaSummittutorandclassroomteacher,preparingstudentsfortheSAT,ACT,SSAT,ISEE,

andessaywriting.Withover10yearsoftutoringexperience,Joshuahastaughtstudents

fromkindergartenerstoseniorcitizensineverythingfromcookingtocomputers.

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RESOURCES

ISEE

(800)446-0320

Register for the ISEE: www.erblearn.org/parents/admissions-testing-isee

FreeISEEguideandofficialpracticetest:isee.erblearn.org/guide.aspx

SSAT

(609)683-4440

Register for the SSAT: www.ssat.org/test/registration

PurchasetheofficialSSATguide:www.ssat.org/test-prep/official-guide

StandardApplicationOnlineforSSAT:www.ssat.org/sao

Association of Independent Schools in New England

www.aisne.org

Informationonenrollment,applications,andschoolprograms

National Association of Independent Schools

www.nais.org

Informationonapplications,costs,andfinancialaid


www.mytutor.com

AlthoughpartsofthesitearedesignedspecificallyforSummitstudents,wemaintainanextensivefreesetoftestingresources,admissionslinks,andpreparationtipsforallstudents,parents,andcounselors.

Summit’s Blog

www.mytutor.com/blog

Afrequentlyupdatedresourceforallinformationregardingadmissionstests.

LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENTABOUT SUMMIT EDUCATIONAL GROUP

Experience MattersFor more than 25 years, Summit Educational Group

has been preparing students to maximize their

scores on standardized tests. Summit’s customized

One-on-One, In-Home Tutoring service helps

students prepare for the SAT, ACT, PSAT, SAT Subject

Tests, SSAT, ISEE, and even academic subjects. Our

proven approach centers on both skill-building and

test-taking strategies to help students reach their

full potential.

Personalized ServiceWe deliver exceptional service to all of our families.

From the first phone call, we make certain to

understand the needs and score goals of the

student. After recommending the appropriate

program, we’ll match him or her with a highly skilled

tutor. Maintaining strong relationships with our

clients and those who recommend our services is

important to us, so we encourage and actively solicit

feedback throughout the Summit experience.

Expert TutorsWe carefully match each student with an expert

tutor to ensure the best fit possible. A tutor who

understands the student, engages and motivates,

makes the lessons fun, and builds confidence makes

all the difference. This individualized approach

allows students of all learning styles to achieve their

testing and academic goals. What’s more, our tutors

come directly to the family’s home, or to a school

campus, to work with students at their convenience.

Online TutoringIn addition to our in-home tutoring, our world class

test prep and academic programs are now available

anywhere you are. Through an online whiteboard

and Skype, our expert tutors will bring their expertise

to you, anywhere in the world. You will receive the

exact same personalized service and can expect the

same stellar results on test day.

Summit PortalThis valuable tool allows families to manage their

tutoring programs online. They can monitor

homework records, score practice tests, view results,

and submit feedback.

Classroom Programs

Whether it is SAT, ACT, or SSAT prep, the answer is

simple: no other company offers the quality, results,

and care found in a Summit program. We currently

partner with many of the most demanding

independent and public schools in New England.

But no two schools are alike, and neither are any

two Summit programs. We know that every school

has a unique student body with different needs, and

we’ll work with them to customize the best program

for their students and culture.

Course Materials and Services

Summit has developed, and continues to perfect, a

suite of proven, results-driven course materials

which helps students improve critical thinking skills

and develop effective test-taking strategies, leading

to higher scores. Our course books, test analysis,

and professional development have helped

hundreds of schools and tutoring companies

worldwide generate higher test scores for their

students.

Practice TestingEach program begins with a diagnostic test and

detailed score report that identifies strengths and

areas for improvement. This allows our tutors to

customize their instruction accordingly. Real practice

tests throughout the program allow students to

practice what they’ve learned and provide valuable

information on how they’re progressing. We also

offer free proctored practice tests in the community,

affording students the opportunity to take “dress

rehearsal” tests, so they know exactly what to expect

on the real thing.

Dear Colleagues, Parents, and Students,

Not many events in a young person’s life produce as much stress, angst, and confusion as do

school admissions and standardized testing. The onslaught of information and questions can

be overwhelming.

• What score do I need to get into School Z?

• How important are my test scores?

• How much preparation do I need for the test?

At Summit, we pride ourselves on providing exceptional test preparation and tutoring, but we

also strive to be a trusted resource for counselors and families navigating this process. Our

complimentary annual SSAT/ISEE Testing Guide is a valuable tool that will answer the above

questions and many others. Hang onto it, and refer to it often as you make this journey.

When it comes to admission tests, we have always counseled students and parents to

maintain perspective and to craft a sensible, individualized testing plan early in the process—a

plan that addresses which tests you’re going to take, when you’re going to take them, and

how and when you’re going to prepare for them. A good testing plan is customized to the

student. It puts the student’s well-being front and center, prioritizes school work, and doesn’t

give the tests more life than they deserve.

As you plan and prepare, try not to bring unnecessary stress to the process. Look ahead so

that you can avoid unwelcome surprises and rest assured that you know what is coming.

This process can be confusing and it always creates some anxiety. However, don’t lose sight

of the positives. This should also be a time of excitement! These school applications are an

important step in setting up students for future opportunities.

If you’re looking for professional, thoughtful, personal guidance, expert tutors and teachers,

and exceptional test preparation, we are here for you. We have been for nearly 30 years. We

offer a variety of test preparation and tutoring programs, and I’m very proud that over 80% of

our families are referred to us by their friends, school counselors, private consultants, learning

specialists, and others. It means we’re doing well by our students and families and the rest of

our constituents.

Our commitment is to your testing success, on your terms. I encourage you to contact us.

We’d be delighted to help in any way we can.

Sincerely,

CHARLIE O’HEARN

President/Founder


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SUMMIT EDUCATIONAL GROUP

SSAT & ISEETESTING GUIDE

2016-2017

MASSACHUSETTS 90 Bridge Street, Suite 200

Newton, MA 02458800-698-8867

CONNECTICUT / NEW YORK 237 Elm Street

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