This article explores the differences between the Upper Level SSAT (Secondary School Admission Test) and ISEE (Independent School Entrance Exam). For transparency, our daughter took the SSAT—and it was not a question for us, simply because we were familiar with the "SAT" brand and didn't question it further. And while I think—even if more informed—we still would have landed on the SSAT, I would have liked to at least explored the ISEE as an option.
This article is organized into three sections: a quick comparative table to ground you on basic differences, section comparisons, and considerations about how to decide on a test.
A Simple Comparison Table
The SSAT and ISEE measure similar underlying abilities: Critical Reading, Rhetorical Understanding, Vocabulary Knowledge, Mathematical Reasoning, Processing Speed, and Written Communication. Nonetheless, there are key structural and characteristic differences that your child may do better with.
Based on limited experience (but having taken a quick glance at both tests), my take is:
The SSAT may fit your child if they:
- Have a strong natural vocabulary
- Are comfortable with analogies
- Are quick thinkers who like pattern-heavy questions
- Are aware of SSAT "tricks"
The ISEE may fit your child if they:
- Are math-strong, rule-oriented, and detail-accurate
- Dislike analogies
- Tend to be cautious test takers
- Prefer more straightforward reading passages
| Feature | SSAT Upper Level | ISEE |
|---|---|---|
| Testing Focus | Measures: Verbal, Quantitative, and Reading, and an Experimental section (not scored) Requires an essay (not scored) |
Measures: Verbal, Quantitative, Reading, and Mathematical achievement Requires an essay (not scored) |
| Guessing Penalty | Yes (a quarter point is deducted for incorrect answers) | No (students are encouraged to answer every question) |
| Attempts Allowed | Multiple (based on test format) | Up to three times per 12-month admission cycle, but only once per season (fall, winter, spring/summer) |
| Scoring | Scale score (600-900 per section) Percentile score comparing the student to other students in the same grade |
Stanines (1-9) Percentile score comparing the student to other students in the same grade |
| Duration | ~3 hours, 5 minutes (with breaks) | ~2 hours, 40 minutes (with breaks) |
| Sections | 5 scored sections + 1 unscored experimental section | 5 scored sections |
| Analogies | Yes | No |
| Math | Trick-based | Concept-dense |
| Sections (detail) |
Quantitative #1: 30 minutes, 25 Qs Reading: 40 minutes, 40 Qs Verbal: 30 minutes, 60 Qs (30 synonyms, 30 analogies) Quantitative #2: 30 minutes, 25 Qs |
Verbal: 20 minutes, 40 Qs Quantitative: 35 minutes, 37 Qs Reading: 35 minutes, 36 Qs Math: 40 minutes, 47 Qs |
| Essay (unscored) | 25 minutes Choose between 2 prompts |
30 minutes 1 prompt |
| Experimental Section (unscored) | 15 minutes 16 questions (split between verbal, quantitative, and reading) |
N/A (21 experimental questions are embedded within the scored sections) |
Section Comparisons
| Section | SSAT Upper Level | ISEE |
|---|---|---|
| Verbal | Tests word mastery and abstract reasoning | Tests ability to use context clues efficiently and effectively |
| Quantitative | Topics: Pre-algebra and early algebra, focusing on calculation, geometry, and data interpretation | Tests logical and comparative mathematical reasoning (rather than just computation) |
| Mathematics Achievement | N/A | Broad assessment of a student's cumulative math skills - typically taught around late 7th through early 9th grades |
| Reading Comprehension | Tests ability read actively and analyze dense text | Tests capacity for interpreting specific types of academic texts |
| Essays | Both require an essay | |
| Example | SSAT Upper Level | ISEE |
|---|---|---|
| Synonyms |
Choose the word most similar to ELUCIDATE (B) Clarify; (C) Conceal; (D) Destroy; (E) Summarize |
Choose the word most similar to FICKLE (B) Resolute; (C) Temperamental; (D) Deliberate |
| Analogies |
FISH is to SCALES, as BIRD is to ... (B) Feathers; (C) Wing; (D) Beak; (E) Air |
N/A |
| Sentence Completion | N/A |
The speaker's _____ manner was offset by the _____ ideas in his lecture (B) Charming ... Boring; (C) Smooth ... Languid; (D) Casual ... Silly |
| Quantitative |
Word problem example: (B) 50(0.13)(h); (C) 50 + 1.13h; (D) 50(1-0.13)(h); (E) 50(1.13)(h) what is the value of 2x + 1 (B) 9; (C) 10; (D) 11; (E) 13 |
Compare Quantity A and Quantity B. Quantity A: 4(3), and Quantity B: 2(6) (B) B > A; (C) A = B; (D) Cannot be determined |
| Mathematics Achievement | N/A |
Which inequality describes all values of x for which |2x -5| < 3 (B) x < 4; (C) 1 < x < 4; (D) -1 < x < 4 |
| Reading Comprehension | Excerpt: The village had always relied on the river, but the river was a capricious friend. Sometimes it was a glassy, benevolent ribbon, inviting children to wade in its shallows. Other times, it was a tempestuous, muddy beast, clawing at the embankment and demanding tribute from the fields. Old Man Tiber, the former mayor, held fast to the ancient belief that the river demanded respect, but the younger generation, having installed a new, complex system of earthen dams and spillways, called his warnings quaint. They saw efficiency where he saw arrogance. (A) Explain the unpredictable nature of the village's water source; (B) Introduce the historical setting of the village's conflict; (C) Establish a playful, light-hearted tone for the story; (D) Symbolize the generational divide between the old and the young; (E) Provide a literal detail about the river's depth and speed. |
Excerpt: The first industrial revolution was fueled primarily by steam power and coal, resulting in the rapid growth of textile factories and localized urban centers. However, the second industrial revolution, which began in the late 19th century, was fundamentally different. This shift was marked by three key technological innovations: the harnessing of electricity, the development of the internal combustion engine, and the mass production of steel. These innovations not only sped up manufacturing but also facilitated unprecedented geographic expansion and global communication. (A) Draw a conclusion regarding the failures of the first industrial revolution; (B) Introduce the main topic of the passage, which is the history of coal use; (C) Present a contrast and signal a shift in the focus of the historical discussion; (D) Provide specific details about the global communication improvements mentioned later. |
Considerations About How to Decide on a Test
Do a simple diagnostic. Have your child complete: SSAT (i) synonym, (ii) analogies, and (iii) quantitative sections; and then also complete an: ISEE (i) synonym, (ii) sentence completion, and (iii) math achievement section.
And ask a few "feelings" questions:
- Which felt more natural
- Which felt more stressful
- Which felt more unfair
- On which test did they guess more
As to whether both tests should be taken: your call; for us, we would not have had the time or patience to bother with preparing—with intention—for both tests.