I’m applying for the 2017 Fall in Exter, Andover, Choate, and Deerfield. I started studying in August(vocabulary) and REALLY BEGAN STUDYING in October- I’m taking the ISEE twice, one in late November and other in early January. My math percentile is 85% and vocabulary/reading comp is 80% as of October 1st. I’ve rapidly improved since August, where my scores were in the50 percentile though so I know I will improve by January. Any tips on how to improve my vocabulary, reading comp and stamina? I would be thrilled if any current boarding students or people with experience to share their stories.
Thank you so much!!
Are you applying to NYC day schools as well? Is that why you’re taking the ISEE? Also, I thought that you were only allowed one sitting per academic for the ISEE, or has that changed?
@GMC2918 yes it recently changed so u can take 1 test every 4 months. No, I’m only applying to the schools I listed above though-ISEE is acceatable for the standard testing part of the application process for all the schools I listed. ISEE is not only acceptable for NYC schools
Most of the students who apply to the schools for which you are interested take the SSAT and not the ISEE. Is there a reason you opted for the ISEE?
@MAandMEmom yes, I am a good math student, but my reading comprehension and verbal skills are terrible, as u can see I am in the 80%. The verbal section in the ISEE has sentence compensations rather than analogies, and in s ntence completion U can sometimes guess the word from the sentence. Also, the reading passages are all nonfiction which are easier to understand and have easier questions
I suggest that you consider adding to the variety of schools for which you will apply as each of the schools you listed have acceptance rates at or even below 20%. I agree the vocabulary section is very difficult for the “untrained” student and my DD was one of those. She didn’t have any prep at school nor through private tutoring, came from a public school, and was able to get through the SSAT. She had some good outcomes but did cast a much wider net than your initial list. She applied to three of the four schools you listed, was accepted at two, and wait listed at the third. It was suggested to us by an admissions person that, much like college, you should apply to two in each category: safeties, matches, and reaches and that’s pretty much what we did. Your reading and comp scores aren’t terrible at all but they might not be a match for a school where the average is in the low- to mid-90s. Unless of course you have a hook – talented musician, impact athletic, development donor, etc.
@MAandMEmom Thank you so much!! Because my current school is a ‘good’ school compared to others, I only want to apply to an exceptional schools if I am going to attend. My ‘hook’ is that I play the alto sax, took a cty course, tutor students, AMC winner, student government president, have gotten many awards in painting and calligraphy, conpetitive ballroom dancer,regular competitive dancer, and an actress. Also, I would love to pursue biomed which most of the students that attend these schools are into literature so I stressed this point as well.