SSAT and ISEE For Dummies

Your ticket to the private school of your choice If you′re a parent or student looking to apply for admissions at a private, military, or boarding school, SSAT & ISEE For Dummies is your family′s ticket to success. Here, you′ll get all the prep needed to score higher on the SSAT and ISEE, the most up–to–date information on the tests, hundreds of practice questions, six full–length practice tests (three of each test and all with detailed answer explanations), and solid test–taking advice. Pave the way to success — get an overview of the SSAT and ISEE, what′s on each exam, the different levels available, how to register for an exam, and ways you can prepare for test day Read all about it — gear up for the verbal, reading, and essay sections with a vocabulary primer that includes word lists, plus review and practice for reading comprehension and essay writing Talk up verbal reasoning — dig into analogy and synonym questions by looking for clues and finding relationships between words, and brush up on sentence completion questions Demystify math — take a tour of the math concepts you′ll need to know, like arithmetic, algebra, geometry, and word problems Practice makes perfect — take six full–length practice tests that model the real exams (complete with answers and explanations) Open the book and find: What skills the SSAT & ISEE test for and how the tests are scored Study skills and techniques that apply to all portions of either test Plain–English explanations of the verbal and reading sections 200 vocabulary terms defined How to pick out roots, prefixes, and suffixes in vocabulary words Ways to plan out and write a winning essay Math strategies that work Practice problems in arithmetic, algebra, geometry, and word problems Ten ways to calm your nerves on test day Learn to: Ace the math sections with ease Analyze reading passages using trusted tips and tricks Master the most common vocabulary words Prepare for the requirements of each test with problems, exercises, drills, and practice exams

Introduction 1 Part I: Paving the Way to Private School: Introducing the SSAT and ISEE 5 Chapter 1: Getting to Know the SSAT and ISEE 7 Chapter 2: Picking Up Study Skills and Techniques for Testing Success 19 Part II: Ramping Up for the Verbal, Reading, and Essay Sections 25 Chapter 3: Defining Your Vocabulary Skills 27 Chapter 4: Talking Up Verbal Reasoning 41 Chapter 5: Practicing Verbal Reasoning 53 Chapter 6: Comprehending Reading Comprehension 75 Chapter 7: Practicing Reading Comprehension 87 Chapter 8: Writing a Winning Essay 101 Chapter 9: Practicing Writing Essays 111 Part III: Tackling the Math Sections 117 Chapter 10: Adding Up Arithmetic 119 Chapter 11: Practicing Arithmetic 133 Chapter 12: Acing Algebra 147 Chapter 13: Practicing Algebra 159 Chapter 14: Jamming with Geometry 173 Chapter 15: Practicing Geometry 187 Chapter 16: Cracking Word Problems and Quantitative Comparisons 205 Part IV: SSAT Practice Exams 213 Chapter 17: SSAT Upper Level Practice Exam 215 Chapter 18: Answers to SSAT Upper Level Practice Exam 243 Chapter 19: SSAT Lower Level Practice Exam 1 255 Chapter 20: Answers to SSAT Lower Level Practice Exam 1 283 Chapter 21: SSAT Lower Level Practice Exam 2 295 Chapter 22: Answers to SSAT Lower Level Practice Exam 2 323 Part V: ISEE Practice Exams337 Chapter 23: ISEE Upper Level Practice Exam 339 Chapter 24: Answers to ISEE Upper Level Practice Exam 371 Chapter 25: ISEE Middle Level Practice Exam 387 Chapter 26: Answers to ISEE Middle Level Practice Exam 419 Chapter 27: ISEE Lower Level Practice Exam 431 Chapter 28: Answers to ISEE Lower Level Practice Exam 457 Part VI: The Part of Tens 469 Chapter 29: Ten Tips for Test Day 471 Chapter 30: Ten Ways to Calm Your Nerves 475 Index 479

Vince Kotchian is an elite test–prep tutor and admissions consultant who has helped hundreds of students get into the schools of their choice. Curt Simmons is a professional educator and freelance writer who has authored several test–prep titles on a variety of topics, including many For Dummies titles.