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g n i n n i W s e i g e t a Str T A S S e h t t a e E E to b S I e h t and

Bell Curves

Get Ahead of the Curve!

SSAT Registration
When: The SSAT is offered on 8 national test dates each year. The following dates are
for the 20112012 academic year.

Test Date
October 15, 2011 November 12, 2011 December 10, 2011 January 7, 2012 February 4, 2012 March 3, 2012 April 21, 2012 June 9, 2012

Registration Deadline
September 23, 2011 October 21, 2011 November 18, 2011 December 16, 2011 January 13, 2012 February 10, 2012 March 30, 2012 May 18, 2012

How often: The SSAT can be taken as many times as you choose, but in most cases
it should be taken only 23 times. However, you can only take an SSAT administered on a date other than the national testing dates once a year.

How much: The cost is $116.00. (Fee waivers may be available for families with
financial hardships.)

Score reporting: Your scores will be kept on record until August 1, 2013. When

you register for the SSAT, you can select schools to receive your scores. After you have completed the test, you can request additional reports online for free.

For more info: Visit www.ssat.org or call 609-683-4440.

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ISEE Registration
When: The ISEE test dates are scheduled by individual testing centers. This means

that there are no national test dates and scheduling is much more flexible. You can find testing dates by searching for testing centers at http://erblearn.org/

How often: The ISEE can only be taken once every six months. How much: The cost is $95.00. (Fee waivers may be available for families with
financial hardships.)

Score reporting: When you register for the ISEE, you must select at least one
school to receive your scores. After you have completed the test, you can request additional reports online for $25 per testing date.

Contact info: Visit erblearn.org or call 1-800-989-3721.

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Learn the differences between the SSAT and the ISEE!
SSAT
Guessing Penalty Scoring Each wrong answer deducts 1/4 of a point from your raw score. Unanswered questions do not add or subtract points from your raw score. 500 800 for each section 1500 2400 cumulative score 2 sections 1 section 1 section 1 essay (not graded) Problem Solving Reading Comprehension Synonyms, Sentence Completions

ISEE
Each wrong answer does not add or subtract points from your raw score. Unanswered questions do not add or subtract points from your raw score. 760 940 for each section 1 9 Stanine score 2 sections 1 section 1 section 1 essay (not graded) Problem Solving, Quantitative Comparisons Reading Comprehension Synonyms, Analogies

Skipping

Scaled Score Math Sections Reading Verbal Writing Sample Question Types Math Reading Verbal

To find out which test is better suited for you, make sure to take a practice test of both the SSAT and the ISEE under timed conditions. Individual schools vary on their policies about whether they require the ISEE, the SSAT, or both. Research the schools you are interested in so you know which test to prepare for.

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Build your endurance with real practice!
The SSAT and ISEE each consist of almost three hours of testing. Taking practice tests will build your endurance and stamina. Like an athlete, you will perform at your best only if you train and practice realistically.

SSAT Section
Verbal (60 questions) Quantitative (25 questions) Reading Comprehension (40 questions) Quantitative (25 questions) Essay Total Time

Timing
30 minutes 30 minutes 40 minutes 30 minutes 25 minutes 2 hours 35 minutes

ISEE Section
Verbal Reasoning (40 questions) Quantitative Reasoning (35 questions) Reading Comprehension (40 questions) Math Achievement (45 questions) Essay Total Time

Timing
20 minutes 35 minutes 40 minutes 40 minutes 30 minutes 2 hours 45 minutes

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Work smarter, not harder...
Most students attempt to answer every question on the SSAT, but shouldnt! To get a great score, you should focus on achieving the highest possible accuracy rather than finishing as quickly as possible.

SSAT Scoring James Smith

Question 1 E 1 D 2 A 2 C 3 B E 3 A 4 A C 4 B 5 A D 5 C B 6 E 6 C E 7 E 7 E A 8 C 8 E A 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 C A B D B C E E D C C B A E A A D B C C E A B E D -

2
Quantitative

Correct Student Question

Section 2 results:

Total Correct: 9

Total Wrong: 11

Total Skipped: 5

9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 D B D B B A C A D B E B A D E B D C A C D E D E A B -

Correct Student

Section 4 results:

Total Correct: 10

Total Wrong: 13

Total Skipped: 2

Bell Curves Student

Question 1 D 1 E 2 A 2 C 3 E 3 D 4 A 4 B 5 D 5 B C 6 D 6 A 7 B C 7 B D 8 B 8 C 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 C A A B B D D C C C E B E B D E D B D B

2
Quantitative

Correct Student Question

Section 2 results:

Total Correct: 14

Total Wrong: 4

Total Skipped: 7

9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 D A A C C A D B E A C A C B C E D D C B

Correct Student

Section 4 results:

Total Correct: 10

Total Wrong: 5

Total Skipped: 10

SSAT Scaled Scores

Score 53 52 51 50 49 48 47 46 45 44 43 42 41 40 39 38 37 36 Reading 800 796 785 779 776 769 764 758 752 747 742 737 731 725 720 715 710 704 Quant 800 800 800 794 788 782 777 772 767 761 755 750 745 740 736 Verbal 800 782 767 752 737 Score 35 34 33 32 31 30 29 28 27 26 25 24 23 22 21 20 19 18 Reading 698 693 688 683 677 671 666 661 656 650 644 639 634 629 623 617 612 607 Math 725 720 715 710 704 698 692 684 678 672 668 663 658 653 647 641 636 631 English 722 716 710 704 698 692 686 680 674 668 662 656 650 644 638 632 626 620 Score 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 Reading 602 596 590 585 580 575 569 563 557 551 545 539 533 528 523 518 512 506 Math 626 620 614 608 602 596 590 584 579 574 569 563 557 552 547 542 536 530 English 614 608 602 596 590 584 578 572 566 560 554 548 542 536 530 524 518 512

Raw Scores
Correct Answers = +1 Wrong Answers = 1/4 Blank = 0

You can increase your score by slowing down and focusing on the easy and medium questions and skipping the harder questions.

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by focusing on accuracy, not speed!
There is no guessing penalty on the ISEE, which means you should answer every question. But that doesnt mean you have to spend time on every question. Since ISEE questions are not in a predictable order of difficulty, you should skip the hard questions and try them later. If you are running out of time, guess.

ISEE Scoring
Josefina Schmoe
Question Correct Student 1 B a 2 H J 3 C a 4 K F 5 C a 6 F J 7 E a 8 G a 9 D a 10 F G 11 D A 12 H a 13 C B 14 G a 15 D C 16 F a 17 B D 18 J a 19 B C 20 K F

Bell Curves Student

Question Correct Student 1 B a 2 H a 3 C a 4 K a 5 C A 6 F a 7 E a 8 G K 9 D a 10 F G 11 D C 12 H G 13 C a 14 G a 15 D B 16 F G 17 B a 18 J a 19 B C 20 K a

*highlighted columns are guesses

ISEE Scaled Scores

Raw Score Verbal Reasoning 910-940 904-934 898-928 892-922 886-916 880-910 874-904 868-898 862-892 Quant Reasoning 896-926 890-920 883-913 877-907 888-918 881-911 875-905 Reading 910-940 905-937 896-934 885-931 873-928 861-925 844-922 830-919 822-914 816-909 810-902 805-893 Quant 919-940 914-940 909-939 903-933 898-928 893-923 888-918 883-913 877-907 872-902 867-897 862-892 Scaled Score 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 Verbal Reasoning 856-886 850-880 844-874 838-868 832-862 826-856 820-850 814-844 808-838 802-832 796-826 790-820 Quant Reasoning 868-898 862-892 855-885 849-879 842-872 836-866 829-859 823-853 816-846 810-840 803-833 797-827 Reading 816-909 810-902 805-893 803-882 800-871 797-859 794-842 791-830 788-822 785-816 781-811 777-807 Quant 857-887 852-882 846-876 841-871 836-866 831-861 826-856 820-850 815-845 810-840 805-835 800-830

Raw Scores
Correct Answers = +1 Wrong Answers = 0

23 22 21 20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12

Use the time for each section to answer the number of questions that you need to achieve your target score.

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Estimate to simplify calculations!

Multiple-Choice Questions
1.  Which of the following is equal to (A) 4 (B) 8 (C) 12 (D) 38 (E) 96 3 of 32? 8

OFFICE BUDGET ALLOCATION

Other 5% Supplies Technology 9%

Wages 31% Rent 21%

2.  Mr. Chan purchased 841 square yards of cloth at a cost of $14,297 to make dresses. How much did Mr. Chan spend per square yard of cloth ? (A) $17.00 (B) $8.25 (C) $5.00 (D) $2.00 (E) $1.75

3.  If the monthly office budget is $30,000, what is the amount spent each month on rent? (A) $3,100 (B) $4,200 (C) $6,300 (D) $6,600

SSAT and ISEE math questions look more difficult than they are. Estimation and taking advantage of the multiple choices make the questions much easier.

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Answers: C, A, C

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Answer Sentence Completion questions in your own words before looking at the choices!
Sentence Completions (ISEE only)
4.  Because the evidence against the criminal was so insufficient, the presiding judge was not ------- by it. (A) convinced (B) surprised (C) aggravated (D) entertained 6.  To adequately portray the impact of Martin Luther King Jr.s fight for civil rights in a short presentation, Susan had to ------- the most ------- achievements in his life. (A) highlight . . trite (B) compare . . important (C) trivialize . . successful (D) emphasize . . significant

5.  Hardly -------, the companys new product shares many design elements with previous models. (A) damaging (B) outdated (C) innovative (D) possible

Learning vocabulary words will help your performance in sentence completions, analogies, synonyms, and passage-based reading. Trite: lacking in freshness or effectiveness because of constant use or excessive repetition Innovative: using new methods, ideas, etc | Aggravated: to make worse or more severe Trivialize: cause to appear unimportant
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Answers: A, C, D

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Make a sentence to form the relationship between words!
Analogies (SSAT only)
7.  Mountain is to peak as (A) hair is to head (B) house is to roof (C) moon is to sun (D) ice is to pole (E) water is to fountain 9.  Hint is to indirectly as (A) point is to graphically (B) cry is to sadly (C) scream is to loudly (D) reveal is to openly (E) whisper is to murmur

8.  Embark is to ship as (A) board is to airplane (B) deport is to country (C) regurgitate is to stomach (D) erase is to chalkboard (E) yacht is to boat

Analogies on the SSAT usually contain a few common relationships such as degree of severity, usage, similarity, and opposing ideas.

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Answers: B, A, D

Contact us for SSAT and ISEE Courses and Tutoring!

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