Strategies for Top SSAT/ISEE Scores
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When you take the SSAT or ISEE, you'll want to do everything you can to make sure you get your best possible score. That means studying right, building good problem-solving skills, and learning proven test-taking strategies. Here are some tips to help you do your best.
Study Strategies
Get to know the format of the exam. Use the Practice Tests in this book to familiarize yourself with the test format, which does not change from year to year. That way, you'll know exactly what to expect when you see the real thing on test day.
Get to know the test directions. If you are familiar with the directions ahead of time, you won't have to waste valuable test time reading them and trying to understand them. The format and directions used in the practice exams in this book are modeled on the ones you'll see on the actual SSAT or ISEE.
Get to know what topics are covered. Get to know what specific topics are covered on the exam. You'll find all of them in the strategy sections and practice exams in this book.
Study hard. If possible, plan to study for at least an hour a day for two weeks before the test. You should be able to read all the strategy chapters in this book, work your way through the Practice Sets at the end of each chapter, and complete one or more Practice Tests during that time period. If you are pressed for time, focus on taking at least one Practice Test, reading the explanations, and then reviewing the question types that give you the most trouble.
Math Problem-Solving Strategies
Solve math problems in whatever way is easiest for you. There are usually several ways to solve a math problem and arrive at the correct answer. Do what is easiest for you. Remember that the SSAT and ISEE math questions are all multiple choice. That means that no one is going to be checking your work and judging you by which solution method you chose, so solve the problem any way you like.
Build good math problem-solving skills. When you tackle SSAT or ISEE math questions, try to follow this three-step process:
1. When you first read a question, make a list of the given values and variables and the units for the variables.
2. Ask yourself, "What do I know and what do I need to find out" The answers to those questions will help you figure out how to solve the problem.
3. Solve the problem and see if the answer makes sense. For example, if you know that one variable should be much larger than another, make sure your answer reflects that relationship. You'll see how this works with many of the problems in this book.
Make sure you know what the question is asking. The questions on the SSAT or ISEE are not deliberately designed to trick you, but it is still important that you look closely at each one to make sure you know what it is asking. Pay special attention to questions that include the word NOT. You may want to circle that word to make sure you take it into account as you choose your answer.
General Test-Taking Strategies
Answer all the easy problems first, then tackle the harder ones. Keep in mind that the longest sections on the SSAT and ISEE are only 40 minutes long. There isn't much time to spend trying to figure out the answers to harder questions, so skip them and come back to them later. There are two reasons why you should do this. The first reason is that every question counts the same in the scoring of the exam. That means that you are better off spending time answering the easier questions, where you are sure to pick up points. The second reason is that by answering the easier questions, you'll build your confidence and get into a helpful test-taking rhythm. Then when you go back to a question you skipped, you may find that it isn't as hard as you first thought.
Use the process of elimination. Keep in mind that on the SSAT and ISEE, like any other multiple-choice test, the answer is right in front of you. Try eliminating answer choices that you know are incorrect. Often this can help you select the correct answer.
On the ISEE, guess if you have to. On the ISEE, there is no penalty for wrong answers, so you have nothing to lose by guessing. If time is running out and there are questions you have not answered, you might pick up extra points by guessing answers to those questions.
On the SSAT, if you must guess, make an educated guess. The SSAT has a one-quarter-point penalty for wrong answers to discourage random guessing. So if you have absolutely no idea how to answer a question, you are better off skipping it entirely. However, you may be able to eliminate one or more answer choices. If you can do that, you can increase your odds of guessing the correct answer. If you can make this kind of educated guess, go ahead. If you guess correctly, you'll earn another point.
Tips for Test Day
Don't panic! Once test day comes, you're as prepared as you're ever going to be, so there is no point in panicking. Use your energy to make sure that you are extra careful in answering questions and marking the answer sheet.
Be careful when marking your answer sheet. Remember that the answer sheet is scored by a machine, so mark it carefully. Fill in answer ovals completely, erase thoroughly if you change your mind, and do not make any stray marks anywhere on the sheet. Also, make sure that the answer space you are marking matches the number of the question you are answering. If you skip a question, make sure that you skip the corresponding space on the answer sheet. Every 5 or 10 questions, check the question numbers and make sure that you are marking in the right spot. You may want to mark your answers in groups of 5 or 10 to make sure that you are marking the answer sheet correctly.
Watch the time. Keep track of the time as you work your way through the test. Try to pace yourself so that you can tackle as many of the questions as possible within the time limit. Check yourself at 10- or 15-minute intervals using your watch or a timer.
Don't panic if time runs out. If you've paced yourself carefully, you should have time to tackle all or most of the questions. If you do run out of time, however, don't panic. Make sure that you have marked your answer sheet for all the questions you have answered so far. If you are taking the ISEE, guess answers to any remaining questions. You have nothing to lose since there is no penalty on the ISEE for wrong answers. If you are taking the SSAT, however, do NOT mark answers to random guesses. Since there is a one-quarter-point penalty on the SSAT for wrong answers, you don't want to lose any credit!
Use extra time to check your work. If you have time left over at the end of the test, go back and check your work. Make sure that you have marked the answer sheet correctly. Check any calculations you may have made to make sure that they are correct. Take another look at any questions you may have skipped. Resist the urge to second-guess your answers, however, as this may lead you to change an already correct answer to a wrong one.