Parents often contact me to talk about test prep for private school admission, and they are very confident that their child will do well on the test. This belief is often based on the fact that their child attends a math enrichment program outside of school (many of my students attend such programs). They also believe their child will do well on the test, because they do well on state standardized test like MCAS. The ISEE and the SSAT are MUCH harder tests than MCAS (or most other state administered standardized tests).
One of the reasons we meet with parents and students privately to conduct a diagnostic evaluation is so that they can learn about the test, and we can evaluate the student’s skills relative to the test material. Parents are often shocked at how challenging the test material is for their child. The evaluation also helps identify how well students can pace themselves on a high stakes, high stress test, with very limited time per question.
The diagnostic also helps to identify gaps in a student’s math skill set (some students do not have their times tables memorized). We also learn how well (and how quickly) students can think under pressure, how good they are at using logical thinking, their ability to apply techniques to standardized test questions, and whether or not they can apply higher level thinking skills (such as inference and extrapolation) when answering challenging questions.
These tests are hard. They are meant to be hard. The tests are used to screen the best students in the country, applying to the most elite schools in the country. The tests measure the skills schools want in top students: advanced math skills, sophisticated reading skills, an expansive vocabulary, solid writing skills, an ability to think critically, and problem solving skills. The tests are meant to flesh out these strengths in students, and also identify weaknesses in key areas necessary for academic achievement at a high level.
The tests should not be taken lightly! Schools use the tests results as a way to evaluate a diverse group of applicants coming from private, public, charter, parochial, Montessori, and even home school environments. There is often no one standardized curriculum used consistently by these schools. Private schools need a way to evaluate an applicant’s skill set using a standardized measure, and so they use test scores from the ISEE, SSAT, or HSPT as a key piece of the application process.
Students who score at the upper end of the test scale often have their pick of schools, and they will often also receive generous scholarship offers. School want good students, with solid skills, who are good test takers. They are willing to “pay” (or at least discount their tuition) in order to get these students in the door.
It is critical to learn as much as you can about the test and to prepare your child for the test. We often see families who send their child to take the test with little to no preparation, and their child does not do well. Subsequently, the student is not admitted to the school(s) of their choice. The parents realize the mistake they made, and they are now ready to respect the test. Sometimes it is possible to apply to the schools again, with better test scores, and get a different outcome, but other times it is too late.
Don’t set your child up to fail. As with most things in life, the better prepared you are, the better the outcome.
Anne Yount Boston ISEE Prep 617-553-8083 www.bostoniseeprep.com - Test Prep for the ISEE & Latin School Exam Boston Tutoring Center 617-553-8083 www.bostontutoringcenter.com - Tutoring Grades K-12 Boston Private School Search 617-553-0540 www.bostonprivateschoolsearch.com - Your Resource for Private School Admissions Follow my Blog - http://privateschoolguru.com/blog/