About the ISEE and SSAT

ISEE

The Independent School Entrance Examination (ISEE) is produced by the ERB (Educational Records Bureau). It is used for admission to private middle schools, junior high schools, and high schools. The test consists of four multiple-choice sections; verbal reasoning (synonyms and sentence completions), quantitative reasoning, reading comprehension, and math achievement. The test also contains an essay section in which students are given 30 minutes to write on an assigned topic; the essay is not graded but a copy of it will be sent to each school that receives an ISEE score report. The entire test takes approximately two and a half hours to administer. There are three versions of the ISEE:

• Lower Level-for students in the 4th and 5th grades applying to the 5th and 6th grades
• Middle Level-for students in 6th and 7th grades applying to the 7th and 8th grades
• Upper Level-for students in 8th grade and above applying to the 9th grade and above
  

The ISEE is administered on various dates from November through March. It can be taken at several locations throughout New York City and elsewhere.

For more information on the ISEE, and to register online, please visit the ERB website, where you can also order a copy of their study guide, What to Expect on the ISEE.

SSAT

The Secondary School Admission Test (SSAT) is produced by the Secondary School Admission Test Board. It is used primarily for admission to boarding schools and military schools in the U.S., Canada, and elsewhere. Some private secondary schools also accept the SSAT. The test consists of four multiple-choice sections; two math sections, reading comprehension, and verbal (synonyms and analogies). The test also contains an essay section in which students are given 25 minutes to write on an assigned topic; the essay is not graded but a copy of it will be sent to each school that receives an SSAT score report. The SSAT takes slightly under three hours to administer. There are two versions of the test:

• Lower Level-for students currently in grades 5-7
• Upper Level-for students currently in grades 8-11

The SSAT is administered once a month from November through April and once in June. It can be taken at various locations throughout the New York City and elsewhere.

For more information on the SSAT and to register online, visit the SSAT website, where you can also order a copy of their study guide, Preparing and Applying for Independent School Admission and the SSAT.

The Bespoke Approach to Preparing for the ISEE or the SSAT

For many students, the ISEE or the SSAT represents their first experience with a high-stakes standardized test. Some students lack the academic maturity to demonstrate their full potential on these tests; these students can score poorly on certain sections because they are moving too quickly through the test. Other students have trouble getting through the sections; they may need help with reading passages or learning how to recognize and save the hardest questions for last. Some students are not natural standardized test takers; they will benefit from learning strategies specific to these kinds of exams. Our tutors can also help students who require specific content tutoring or vocabulary drilling to address areas of deficiency in their math or verbal skill sets.

The Bespoke approach begins with an assessment of the student's test-taking issues. We then make sure that the student is matched with a tutor suited to his or her needs. By working one-on-one, our tutors are able to adjust their teaching methods to the different learning styles of our students. They can focus on students' areas of weakness while building on their areas of strength. Students are encouraged to take several practice tests, which allows them to gain confidence through repeated exposure to the test. Feedback from these practice tests also allows tutors to locate areas where students can still do better. Our approach provides structured study with homework assignments that students complete between tutoring sessions. The end result of this mentoring relationship is that students acquire the test-taking skills, strategies, content knowledge, and confidence that will allow them to maximize their performance on the actual test.