<p>I scheduled my son's ISEE test on the testing deadline date (beginning of Jan, 2014) required by the school he is applying. Will this late ISEE test hurt his admission chance?</p>
<p>If it’s the latest testing date suggested by the school, then you are fine. They will wait for the testing result if other parts your kid’s application look promising.</p>
<p>You will be fine. Just make sure you put the schools’ names on the score recipient list when registering.</p>
<p>Thanks a lot for your assurance.</p>
<p>Even though my son does have a pretty decent track records in academics and ECs, I feel that it would be safer to schedule his test three weeks before the school deadline considering the fierce competition in the application to the school. On the upside, the earlier completion of his application package could give him a better position in the reviewing of applicants by the school. On the downside, my son will lose some time in preparation for the test (he could use these extra three weeks to boost up his test scores a little more). </p>
<p>I would appreciate any thinkings/inputs about my dilemma in the test scheduling.</p>
<p>Of course, ideally he could take it sooner and do it well, but if you have to choose then I think taking it a bit late but doing it well is more helpful.</p>
<p>Thanks, Benley. We could do it sooner rather than the last day.</p>
<p>There is always a small risk associated with taking a required test on the very last possible date:
- what if your child is very ill?
- what if there is some sort of weather event and the testing center is closed?
- what if there is some unforeseen issue (road closed due to accident, car trouble) that prevents you from getting to the testing site on time?</p>
<p>One strategy is to take the test earlier, and if you’re not happy with the results, then take it again on the later date.</p>
<p>I would have your kid take a test early, as well as on the last day. You never know how a kid feels that particular morning as mountainhiker said, and schools dont care if you take the test two or three times.</p>
<p>Are the schools you’re applying to accepting both ISEE and SSAT? Have him do both if you can. The SSAT you can take more than once per admissions season but the ISEE is a one shot deal…unfortunately it can only be taken once per admission season.</p>
<p>Thanks so much for all your helpful inputs. I feel more comfortable now with an earlier test. As mountainhiker mentioned, if the unexpected happens, we still get a chance to do it. As ISEE is the only test accepted by the school we are applying to and it can only be taken once per admission season (thx, NYCMomof3), we will go for this one shot deal and keep finger crossed.</p>