Regular Mock Exams are Worthless Ok, they’re not worthless. But they’re not as helpful as we’ve been led to believe, and in many cases, they do more harm than good. Scientific studies have shown that to be effective, practice needs focus and feedback. On most mock exams, this doesn’t happen. For example, Sarah’s taken …
The SSAT–An Introduction SSAT stands for Secondary School Admissions Test, and it’s created by the Enrollment Management Association (EMA). The SSAT is used for admission to private schools and boarding schools. Your SSAT scores are extremely important for admission, but they are not the only factor. Grades, sports, and a family’s personal connections also factor …
The SHSAT–An Introduction SHSAT stands for Specialized High School Admission Test. It’s available to 8th and 9th grade students in New York City and used to determine admission to test-in public high schools, a list of which can be found here. Admission to these schools is based solely on SHSAT scores. Students must register …
The SAT–An Introduction The SAT is created by the College Board and used for admission to college. Your SAT scores are important for admission, but they are not the only factor. A student’s grades, application essays, extracurricular activities and recommendations factor heavily. It is our understanding that an SAT score can get you into …
The PSAT–An Introduction The PSAT/NMSQT stands for Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. It has two functions: to award National Merit Scholarships and to give students and their parents a hint of what’s coming on the actual SAT. The test is created by the College Board, which also makes the SAT, and the methodology …
The ISEE–An Introduction ISEE stands for Independent School Entrance Exam, and it’s created by the Educational Records Bureau (ERB for short). The ISEE is used for admission to private schools and for some boarding schools. Your ISEE scores are extremely important for admission, but they are not the only factor. A student’s grades, sports and the …
The Dirty Secret About Standardized Tests The purpose of standardized tests is not to measure intelligence or future success. I know that’s what they claim, but don’t believe it. The purpose of a standardized test is to separate students along a spectrum to help school admissions counselors decide who gets to go to their …
The ACT–An Introduction The ACT is used for admission to college. Your ACT scores are important for admission, but they are not the only factor. A student’s grades, extracurricular activities and recommendations factor heavily. It is our understanding that an ACT score can get you into the conversation for admission, but it cannot alone guarantee …
UC System Drops the ACT and SAT Recently, the University of California School System announced it will end the use of ACT and SAT scores for admissions. You can read about it here: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/21/us/university-california-sat-act.html The logic behind the move is that these tests favor affluent students who can afford to hire tutors and to take …
The ISEE vs. the SSAT Many private schools accept both the ISEE and the SSAT, so which one should your child take? As with the SAT vs. the ACT, it depends on a student’s strengths. Before I go farther, however, know that the governing bodies of both exams haven’t released many actual tests (I’ve …
