| Being accepted into a private school is an | | | | competitive, and they will use any tool at their |
| intensive process. If your dream is to have your | | | | disposal to weed out what they think of as |
| child attend a private school, making your dream | | | | weaker students. One of their major criteria is a |
| a reality will take preparation and focus. The | | | | student's exam scores. You want your child to do |
| private school exam is one of the many hurdles | | | | above-average on the test, so they will have |
| your child must successfully clear in order to | | | | more of an advantage compared to their peers. |
| receive admission. | | | | Start by having your child review the practice |
| The two most common exams are the SSAT, or | | | | questions in each section. Both the SSAT and the |
| Secondary School Admission Test, and the ISEE, | | | | ISEE offer online practice questions. The next |
| the Independent School Entrance Exam. These | | | | step is to have your child take the practice exam |
| tests usually offer several exam dates during the | | | | under the time constraints. This will give them the |
| year, with many students electing to take the | | | | essential practice in answering the questions and |
| exams during the late fall. | | | | writing the essay in a timed environment. |
| Both of these tests consist of multiple-choice | | | | The best way to have your child succeed on the |
| sections that cover your child's verbal, reading, | | | | test is to provide them with additional practice |
| and math skills. In addition, there is also an essay | | | | and resources that cater to the exam specifics. |
| requirement, which is passed on to the schools to | | | | More than likely, your child will have some areas |
| review directly. Preparing for these exams is | | | | of weakness on the practice exam. These are |
| essential. | | | | the areas to focus on for additional study. Instead |
| While it is true that these tests do not cover | | | | of hiring an expensive private tutor, you can find |
| specific knowledge, but instead engage your child's | | | | any reasonable interactive solutions that will help |
| abilities and skill sets, there is still ways to practice | | | | increase your child's score. |
| and prepare. Private schools are notoriously | | | | |