The SAT isn’t the only standardized test out there. For some, standardized admissions tests begin even earlier. There are a few different kinds of high school and middle school admissions tests that students planning to attend private school should know about.
The SSAT (Secondary School Admissions Test):
The SSAT is the admissions exam for elite private middle and high schools. There are three different levels to the exam: the elementary level (for 3rd and 4th graders), the middle level (for 5th, 6th, and 7th graders), and the upper level (for 8th graders and above). All forms of the exam are composed of three sections, which are quantitative, reading comprehension, and verbal reasoning. There is also an unscored writing sample, which schools use to evaluate writing skills, and a short unscored experimental section. The middle and upper-level exams have two quantitative sections, whereas the elementary-level exam only has one.
The SSAT is administered monthly from October to April, along with another June date (flex dates, which are additional testing days outside of the standard Saturdays offered, are also an option). The middle and upper-level test is 3 hours and 5 minutes long. Middle and upper-level students have the option of taking either the paper-based SSAT, the computer-based SSAT at a testing center, or the computer-based SSAT at home. Middle and upper-level students can take at most 6 standard tests and two flex tests that are paper-based. For the computer-based option, they are permitted up to three total combined SSAT tests either at home or a testing center per year (the testing year is from August 1st to July 31st).
The elementary level exam is shorter, at just 1 hour and 50 minutes. Elementary-level students can take at most two standard tests or one standard and one flex exam. They do not have a computer-based option.
The SSAT is a norm-referenced test, meaning that students are scored in relation to the performance of others. It is a highly competitive exam, as students are seeking admission to some of the country’s top private schools. Students can register and choose which SSAT option they would like to take using this link.
The ISEE (Independent School Entrance Exam):
The ISEE is another admissions exam for private middle and high schools, and many will accept either the ISEE or the SSAT. The ISEE is composed of a quantitative reasoning section, a reading comprehension section, a verbal reasoning section, a mathematics achievement section, and an essay portion. It has four levels and starts even younger than the SSAT: the primary level (for those applying to grade 2, 3, and 4), the lower level (for those applying to grade 5 or 6), the middle level (for grade 7 or 8 applicants), and the upper level (for grade 9, 10, 11, or 12 applicants). The primary level is further divided into three different exams depending upon grade level, all of which are approximately an hour. The lower-level exam is 2 hours and 20 minutes, and the middle and upper-level exams are each 2 hours and 40 minutes. At-home, at-school, and at-office testing options are offered.
Although the two exams are very similar, there are some subtle differences that may influence the exam students choose to take. In the verbal section, the SSAT makes use of synonyms and analogies to test students, whereas the ISEE uses synonyms and sentence completion. The ISEE also has slightly longer reading passages, but the SSAT has a wider variety of genres (such as poetry). The scoring is also slightly different between the two exams: students will get a different score report for each of the four sections on the ISEE, but the SSAT combines the two math sections into just one number. In the writing sample, SSAT students can choose between creative prompts at the middle level and creative and expository prompts at the upper level, but ISEE students only have an expository section. The SSAT, unlike the ISEE, also has a guessing penalty, and students are deduced ¼ of a point for every incorrect answer. Lastly, the ISEE allows students to take it only three times annually (once per “testing season”), whereas the SSAT is offered at least monthly. The ISEE’s testing seasons are August-November, December-March, and April-July. Students can register here.
The HSPT (High School Placement Exam):
The HSPT is another form of admissions exam and one that is usually taken by 8th graders seeking admission to Catholic high schools. It’s composed of five different sections: verbal skills, quantitative skills, reading, mathematics, and language. The exam has 298 questions and is 2 hours and 23 minutes long. There is no written portion and no penalty for incorrect answers. Students are only able to take the exam one time. Like the SSAT and the ISEE, it is a norm-referenced exam. Students can register through the school to which they are applying.