As online testing becomes more prevalent, students need to adapt and learn new test-taking strategies. What does your child need to perform their best on the online ISEE or SSAT? Our testing experts at Private Prep have put together a list of strategies specifically tailored to the computer-based exam and designed to help students stay organized, manage their time effectively, and approach each section with confidence. Here are our top tips for students:
Overall Online ISEE and SSAT Strategies
Students looking to take the SSAT online have two options: testing at a Prometric center, or the Online at Home exam. While both forms of the exam are administered on a computer, and the test content itself remains the same in both exams, there is a key difference in how students are able to annotate while taking the exam. Students testing at a Prometric center will be provided with a dry-erase marker and a wipeable sheet, whereas students taking the Online at Home exam will be limited to two pieces of paper and will be allowed to use a pencil with an attached eraser. In this case we recommend keeping two or three freshly sharpened pencils available. Note that you are not allowed to use mechanical pencils.
No matter which form of the online exam you’re taking, be sure to do the following:
- Use your scratch paper/dry erase board for every problem. Jot down notes, summarize paragraphs, and work through problems. Get your thinking on the page and avoid doing work in your head.
- Keep your work organized. Rather than randomly writing calculations and notes all over your page or board, write in neat rows and columns. Number each question and draw a line beneath your work for each one. This will help you keep your thoughts organized and ensure you don’t miss any critical steps in your calculations or reasoning. If you’re taking the Online at Home exam, use one side of a page for each section of the exam. Keeping your scratch paper organized will also ensure that you’re using your limited space wisely.
- Use the platform’s test tools. Take full advantage of the tools available in the online testing platform. The highlighter tool allows you to mark important information in passages or questions, helping you quickly refer back to key details. Use the flag button to flag questions you’re unsure about, so you can easily find and return to them during your second pass through the section. The answer eliminator is particularly useful for crossing out incorrect answer choices, narrowing down your options. Finally, the navigation menu lets you jump back to any questions you skipped or want to review. These tools are designed to help you work efficiently and accurately, so make sure to use them strategically.
Verbal Section
Both built-in testing tools and scratch paper are helpful in the verbal section. Here’s how to make the best use of them.
- Number your scratch paper: Use the scratch paper to continue anticipating each answer. Numbering your scratch paper will help you keep track of which question you are working on and make it easier to review your answers.
- Use the answer eliminator: On the testing platform, you can use the Answer Eliminator to eliminate wrong answer choices to narrow down your options. Click the ‘strikeout option’ and then click on the answer choice you’d like to cross off.
Reading Comprehension
While taking the online ISEE or SSAT, it’s true that students can’t directly annotate passages and questions directly on the page in the same way they can while taking a paper-based test. However, there are a number of helpful tools and techniques they can use.
- Use the highlighter tool: Use the highlighter tool to highlight important information by clicking and dragging your mouse over the text you want to highlight. In each paragraph, highlight the main argument or idea of each paragraph. This will set you up for your next step: annotating each paragraph!
- Annotate paragraphs: Place a number on the scratch paper to represent each paragraph. Write down and label the main idea of each paragraph on the scratch paper. This method helps you keep track of key points and ensures a better understanding of the passage.
- Use techniques to help you focus: If you find you are struggling with reading passages on the screen, try using the scratch paper to cover all lines below where you are reading. Additionally, you can also mouth the words as you read to aid comprehension. These techniques help maintain focus and improve understanding.
- Flag main idea questions: You may want to flag the main idea question (usually the first question) to come back to at the end of the passage (ISEE only). This allows you to answer detail-oriented questions first, which can provide context for the main idea question.
Math
Whether you’re taking the online ISEE or SSAT, scratch paper is key on the math section! Here’s how to use it effectively.
- Chart out word problems. Write down the necessary information for word problems. Organizing the given information clearly on your scratch paper will help you understand and solve the problem more effectively.
- Write out all expressions. Clearly write out all mathematical expressions to avoid errors. This practice ensures that you don’t skip any steps and helps verify your work.
- Anticipate formulas. Immediately write down relevant formulas (e.g., the equation for a line y = mx + b, area of a circle, circumference). Having these formulas written out can save time and reduce the chance of mistakes.
- Show mental math on paper. Remember there is no calculator, so do all math on the page to keep track of your calculations. Writing out your math helps you avoid errors and provides a clear path to your solution.
By implementing these strategies, you’ll be better equipped to tackle online exams with confidence and efficiency. Remember, preparation and organization are key to success. Good luck!
Have more questions? Don’t hesitate to contact our test experts or reach out to your director.
