Private School Entrance Exam Prep

Which private school prep course is right for you?

ISEE Prep Course

The Independent School Entrance Examination (ISEE) is used for admission to private middle schools and private high schools. Students in fifth grade take the Lower Level, and students in eighth grade or above take the Upper Level.

ISEE Prep

SSAT Prep Course

The Secondary School Admissions Test (SSAT) is used primarily for admission to boarding schools and the military. Some private secondary schools also accept this test. Students in eighth grade or above take the Upper Level.

SSAT Tutoring

HSPT Prep Course

The High School Placement Test (HSPT) is a comprehensive placement test for students applying to ninth grade. Parochial schools often use the HSPT for the admissions process. Students will take the HSPT at the school to which they are applying.

HSPT Tutoring

Star Assessment Test Prep Course

The Star Assessment Test (Star) is a computer-based adaptive test. The Star assessment consists of 34 multiple choice reading questions and 34 math questions. It is currently required for admissions at Menlo School and some other Bay Area private schools.

Star Assesment Tutoring

Take This Quiz to Find The Test for You!

The advantage of a great ISEE, HSPT, SSAT, or Star prep tutor!

At AJ Tutoring, we know that middle school and high school entrance exams like the ISEE, HSPT, SSAT, and Star assessment test are important to a student’s future.

Our test prep courses are also an opportunity to pinpoint and remedy content or test-taking gaps before your student heads into middle school or high school. If your student needs more practice, we offer academic tutoring to boost math, science, reading, writing, or general study skills.

In addition to working toward a great score, preparing for the ISEE, HSPT, SSAT, or Star boosts students’ confidence and develops valuable skills. When students view it as a challenge that they can overcome with hard work and skill-building, standardized test prep becomes a fun and challenging opportunity to develop test-taking strategies and executive skills. The right test prep can set your student up for test-taking success for years to come.

The 3 components of private middle and high school admissions prep at AJ Tutoring

ISEE, HSPT, SSAT, & Star Assesment Tutoring

Although some private schools no longer require entrance exam scores, others continue to require test scores as part of their admissions process. The ISEE, HSPT, SSAT, and Star Assessments are challenging tests, and they’re often a younger student’s first encounter with a significant standardized test. Our tutors help students build confidence, strategy, and knowledge for high school entrance exams.

Writing Sample Prep

Every student applying for private school admissions will need to submit a timed and proctored writing sample, either as part of an entrance exam or taken separately. Our private school admissions tutors work with students on essay organization, timing strategies, writing mechanics, and adaptable content to prepare students for their writing sample.

Interview Coaching

Interviews are an important part of the admissions process for every private school, but anxiety can get in the way of students showing their best selves. Our tutors help coach their students on private school admissions interviews, preparing them for every step of the interview process from greeting to saying goodbye and practicing answers to the types of questions interviewers might ask.

Proctored ISEE, HSPT, & SSAT practice exams are included!

Taking a high school entrance exam is often a young student’s first experience with a high-stakes standardized test. Practicing the ISEE, HSPT, or SSAT in a realistic environment reduces stress and improves performance. Our proctored practice exams are included in the cost of tutoring for all our ISEE, HSPT, and SSAT prep students.

Learn More About Our Proctored HSEE Exams

AJ Tutoring is invested in your student long term.

Our tutors speak constructively with students and communicate frequently with parents. Thus, when issues arise, students and parents can collaborate to support our ISEE, HSPT, SSAT, and Star Assessment prep students.

No false promises. No shortcuts. Just knowledgeable and friendly educators, completely dedicated to your child’s success!

ISEE, SSAT, & HSPT FAQs

What are the major differences among the tests?

The tests have different kinds of questions. For example, the ISEE, HSPT, or SSAT are similar in the verbal and reading sections of the tests, but vary broadly in their quantitative sections. The Star Assessment is a unique short assessment required by a few Bay Area private schools. It tests students on Math and English content and skills that align with the public and private California course curriculum.

The ISEE covers more advanced algebra and geometry than the SSAT does. The ISEE also includes a Quantitative Comparison section that is not present in the SSAT. This Quantitative Comparison section can be one of the ISEE’s most challenging portions.

Many students comment that the HSPT is easier than the ISEE and the SSAT; however, it is faster-paced and places a greater emphasis on percentages and sequences in the quantitative section. It also includes an additional Language Skills portion that is not present on the other exams.

What do the scores mean?

The ISEE, HSPT, or SSAT scores compare your student’s performance against that of other students applying to private schools. This is a competitive group of test-takers, so percentiles may be lower than those on previous standardized tests the student has taken at school.

Each section of the test (ISEE, HSPT, or SSAT) carries a raw score, a scaled score, and a percentile rank. In addition, ISEE and HSPT scores include stanine ranks.

We’d be happy to help you make sense of your score report. Call or email one of our directors with the score report so that we can take a closer look at the types of questions missed and help recommend a test preparation plan.

How important are ISEE, SSAT, HSPT, or Star Assesment exam scores to the admission process?

It is hard to say exactly how big a role these scores play in application decisions. Each school uses the exam scores differently, and many factors affect admissions decisions, including grades, application essays, interviews, and school visits.

What is a good ISEE, HSPT, or HSPT score?

Keep in mind that these scores compare your student to a highly competitive group. Only a small fraction of students sit for private high school placement exams.

Percentiles of 75-99/stanines of 7-9. Schools generally consider these “above average” and see them as very strong scores.

Percentiles of 25-75/stanines 4-6. Schools consider these “average,” and they should not prevent a student from gaining admission.

Percentiles of 1-25 / stanines 1-3. These are considered “below average” and may raise questions about whether the school would be a good fit for the student.

Remember: Schools primarily focus on finding great students to fit within their school culture. Whether a student and school will be a good match depends on many factors, and we have seen students with lower than average scores gain admission to highly competitive schools.

What is a stanine?

A stanine is another way of ranking percentiles.

Percentile	Stanine
1-3	1
4-10	2
11-22	3
23-39	4
40-59	5
60-76	6
77-88	7
89-95	8
96-99	9

If you score in the 98th percentile, for instance, you receive a 9 stanine score.

Did you know that you can retake some entrance exams?

Students may take the ISEE and SSAT exams more than once. This reduces young students’ anxiety, reduces the score variability induced by a single testing environment, and gives you a better idea of what schools may be a good match for your student.

Each exam has its own rules about multiple testing.

ISEE

A student may take the ISEE once in each of the following windows:

Fall: August-November
Winter: December-January
Spring/Summer: April-July

SSAT

The SSAT is offered 8 times each year. Students may sit for as many test dates as they wish.

HSPT

Students applying to Catholic high schools in the San Jose, Oakland, or San Francisco Dioceses may take the exam only once.

Star

Students can only take the entrance exam version of the Star assessment once.

Our recommendation:

At the beginning of the process, sign up for the ISEE or SSAT twice (for example, one ISEE test date in November and one in January). Then, if your student scores well the first time, you can cancel the later date and test preparation tutoring sessions. Register early to guarantee your child a convenient test date and location.

Say hello to a better way to prepare for your ISEE, HSPT, SSAT, and Star Assesment private school entrance exams.

We're here to help you master private school test-taking strategies and the core content on these exams.

Talk to a Director Peninsula (650) 331-3251

Private school prep courses for ISEE, HSPT, SSAT, and Star Assessment tests.

AJ Tutoring helps students present their best self for private school admissions.