The ISEE & the SSAT: How they compare

The SSAT

vs.

The ISEE

Lower Level: for students currently in grades 5-7

Upper Level: for students currently in grades 8-11

Test Levels

Lower Level: for students currently in grades 4-5

Middle Level: for students currently in grades 6-7

Upper Level: for students currently in grades 8-11

verbal reasoning, vocabulary, quantitative reasoning, math, reading, and writing skills (unscored writing sample)

Content Covered

verbal reasoning, vocabulary, quantitative reasoning, math, reading, and writing skills (unscored writing sample)

synonyms and analogies

Verbal Question Types

synonyms and sentence completions

five-choice multiple-choice questions

Math Question Types

four-choice multiple-choice and quantitative comparison questions (middle and upper levels)

Five sections: 1, 25-minute writing sample; 1, 30-minute verbal section; 2, 30-minute quantitative sections; 1, 40-minute reading section (Total of 2 hours and 35 minutes)

Test Format

Five sections (lower level): 1, 30-minute writing sample; 1, 20-minute verbal section; 1, 35-minute quantitative section; 1, 25-minute reading section; 1, 30-minute math section (Total of 2 hours and 20 minutes)

Five sections (middle and upper levels): 1, 30-minute writing sample; 1, 20-minute verbal section; 1, 35-minute quantitative section; 1, 35-minute reading section; 1, 40-minute math section (Total of 2 hours and 40 minutes)

yes – you lose ¼ of a point for incorrect answers

Penalty for Wrong Answers?

no – you do not lose points for incorrect answers

Lower Level: Scale of 440-710 for Verbal, Quantitative, and Reading; scale of 1320-2130 total

Upper Level: Scale of 500-800 for Verbal, Quantitative, and Reading; scale of 1500-2400 total

Scoring

All Levels: Scale of 760-940 for Verbal, Reading, Quantitative, and Math

SSAT percentile rank between 1-99%; rank based on student’s performance as compared to the other students in the same grade and of the same gender who have taken the test within the past three years

Percentile Rank

ISEE percentile rank between 1-99%; rank based on student’s performance as compared to the other students in the same grade who have taken the test within the past three years; Stanine score between 1-9

Can choose which set(s) of SSAT scores to submit to schools

Score Report

Can choose which set(s) of ISEE scores to submit to schools

National Test Dates: Offered 8 times per year in January, February, March, April, June, October, November, December

Flex Test Dates: Flexible, but can only take one Flex Test per year

Regional Flex Test Dates: Set by regional consortia, but can only take one Flex Test per year

Testing Options

Offered on various test dates across the United States throughout the year; can only take the ISEE once every six months

www.ssat.org

More Information

www.iseetest.org