Test Preparation (ISEE, SSAT, SAT, ACT, SHSAT, GMAT, GRE, LSAT, MCAT) Archives

CTP

September 1, 2011

General Information

The Comprehensive Testing Program (CTP) is an assessment of students in grades 1-11 often administered at ERB-member schools in person or remotely, but it is also available for students being homeschooled. Results from the test are used both to inform teachers and parents of individual student needs as well as to help teachers and administrators make curriculum and classroom instruction decisions.

Content

It is not one test, but rather a series of tests generally administered over several days or weeks. It covers reading, listening, vocabulary, writing, mathematics, and science. Beginning in 3rd Grade, verbal and quantitative reasoning subtests are included. While the majority of items are multiple-choice, the tests include some fill-in-the-blank and open-ended questions. The number of questions per section differs depending on the level of the test.

There are 10 levels; a different level is used with each grade from 1 to 11. Schools prepare their own testing schedule either in the Fall or Spring testing cycles.

Format

The test can be administered in either a paper-pencil version (CTP-5) or a computer-based version (CTP Online or CTP At Home).

Scoring

The CTP provides percentile and stanine comparisons to national, suburban public, independent school, and association norms. Reports such as the Individual Student Report, Class Roster, and Administrator’s Summary are available to help administrators and teachers identify students’ strengths and weaknesses. Parent reports are among the various report options available to schools. Like the ISEE, also published by the ERB, there is no wrong answer penalty on either of these assessments. Students are encouraged to answer every question.

Testing Schedule

Fall testing: September to February
Spring testing: March to August

Additional Information

Visit the official ERB CTP website to learn more

ACT

August 31, 2011

General Information

The ACT is a college entrance exam administered by ACT, Inc. It consists of five sections: English, Math, Reading, Science Reasoning, and Writing.

Format and Content

SECTION # & LENGTH	SUBJECT	QUESTION TYPE	# of QUESTIONS
1 - 45 min	English	Usage, Mechanics, Rhetorical Skills	75 MC⁴ questions (7 reading passages)
2 - 60 min	Math¹	Primary topics: Arithmetic, Algebra I and II, Geometry, Data Analysis	60 MC questions
3 - 35 min	Reading	4 Passages: 1 Prose Fiction, 1 Social Science, 1 Humanities, 1 Natural Science	40 MC questions (10 questions per passage)
4 - 35 min	Science²	Interpret Charts and Graphs	15 MC questions (3 reading passages)
4 - 35 min	Science²	Examine Experimental Results	18 MC questions (3 reading passages)
4 - 35 min	Science²	Compare Conflicting Hypotheses	7 MC questions (1 reading passage)
5* - 40 min	Writing (optional)³	Essay Question	1 essay based on a given prompt

¹ It is NOT specifically designated how many questions will test each math topic, but the content tested is always the same. The primary topics tested are arithmetic, algebra I and II, geometry, and data analysis. Calculators are permitted.
² Calculators are NOT permitted for the Science Reasoning section.
³ The essay portion of the exam is technically optional although some schools require it.
⁴ Multiple choice.

Total length with standard time

3 hours and 35 minutes with Writing
2 hours and 55 minutes without Writing

Total length with extended time

5 hours and 23 minutes with Writing
4 hours and 23 minutes without Writing

Scoring

Students receive a score between 1 and 36 for each section other than the Writing section. The Writing section is scored out of 12. A composite score out of 36 is calculated by averaging the four section scores. There is NO wrong answer penalty on the ACT, so a student should never leave a question blank.

2024-2025 Testing Schedule

September 14, 2024 (registration deadline is 8/9/24; late registration deadline is 8/25/24)
October 26, 2024 (registration deadline is 9/20/24; late registration deadline is 10/7/24)
December 14, 2024 (registration deadline is 11/8/24; late registration deadline is 111/22/24)
February 8, 2025 (registration deadline is 1/3/25; late registration deadline is 1/20/25)
April 5, 2025 (registration deadline is 2/28/25; late registration deadline is 3/16/25)
June 14, 2025 (registration deadline is 5/9/25; late registration deadline is 5/26/25)
July 12, 2025 (registration deadline is 6/6/25; late registration deadline is 6/20/25)*

*No test centers are scheduled in New York for the July test date.

Cost

Registration without Writing Section: $69
Registration with Writing Section: $94
Test Option Change (removing or adding the writing section prior to late registration deadline): $25
Late Registration: $38
Change Fee: $44

Registration Site/Additional Information

Visit the official ACT website to register and learn more.
View a comparison of the current SAT and ACT tests.

SHSAT

August 23, 2011

General Information

The Specialized High School Admissions Test (SHSAT) is an entrance exam for the specialized high schools in New York City taken by 8th and 9th graders who reside within the five boroughs. After two decades with the same format, the test was redesigned for the 2017-2018 school year in order to be better aligned with New York State Learning Standards and daily classroom instruction. Please note that Fiorello H. Laguardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts requires an audition in lieu of the SHSAT.

NYC Specialized High Schools

Format and Content

SECTION # and LENGTH	SUBJECT	QUESTION TYPE	# OF QUESTIONS
1 - 90 min¹	Verbal (57 total items)⁵	20 revising/editing questions	5-8 stand-alone questions and 2 passages with 6-8 questions each⁴
1 - 90 min	Verbal (57 total items)⁵	6 reading passages³	5-7 questions each⁴
2 - 90 min¹	Math (57 total items)⁵	Grid-ins and multiple choice items²	5 grid-in questions and 52 multiple choice word problems and computational questions⁴

¹ The SHSAT is now 3 hours instead of 2.5 hours. Students can still work between the two sections freely the whole time. 90 minutes per section is only a suggestion.
² It is NOT specifically designated how many questions will test each math topic. Students will be asked to solve problems involving addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division as well as fractions, decimals and statistics. Calculators are NOT permitted.
³ All reading passages for 2017 testing will be nonfiction passages. Starting in 2018, the DOE may revise the test to include persuasive and literary passages.
⁴ All multiple choice questions on the redesigned test will provide four answer choices (instead of 5 choices).
⁵ Though each section is comprised of 57 items, only 47 items are scored. The other 10 items in each section are field test items that are not used to determine a student’s score. Students will not be able to determine which items are field test items.

Scoring

First, a raw score is calculated for each student. There is no wrong answer penalty, so the raw score is simply the total number of correct answers.

The raw score is converted into a scaled score using a formula that the New York City Department of Education does not release. The scaled scores for the verbal and math sections are then added together to create a composite score out of 800. Each of the specialized high schools creates their own cut-off score, which varies from year to year depending on the students’ scores and the number of open spaces at the school.

Admissions Process

On the day of the exam, students choose which schools they would like to apply to and then rank their preference. If their score meets or exceeds the cut-off score of their first choice school, they will be accepted there. If it does not, then it is compared in the same way to the cut-off score of their second choice school and so on. In 2016, over 28,000 students took the SHSAT.

Testing Schedule/Registration

The SHSAT is administered once annually, typically in late October for 8th graders and early to mid-November for 9th graders. Results are used for admissions for the following school year.

2024-2025 Testing Schedule

The DOE shares updated information about the testing schedule on this page.

Cost

It is FREE to take the SHSAT exam.

Additional Information

Visit the official SHSAT website to learn more.

Click to preview the 2024 specialized high schools admissions guide.

SAT

August 23, 2011

General Information

The dSAT is a college entrance exam that is administered by the College Board. It consists of two sections: 1) the Reading and Writing Section (RW), and 2) the Math Section.

Digital SAT Content and Question Types


	Reading and Writing Section (RW)	Math Section
Administration	Two-stage adaptive test design using AI: 1 Reading and Writing section administered via two separately timed modules. The first module is a "baseline module". Performance on the baseline module determines whether students progress to an "easier" or "harder" second module.	Two-stage adaptive test design using AI: 1 Math section administered via two separately timed modules. If 0-14 questions are answered correctly in the 1st module (baseline module), then students progress to the "Easier Adaptive Math Module". If 15-20 questions are answered correctly in the baseline module, then students progress to the "Harder Adaptive Math Module".
Total # of Questions	54 questions (27 questions/module) 1st Module: 25 operational questions (scored) and 2 experimental questions (non-scored) 2nd Module: 25 operational questions (scored) and 2 experimental questions (non-scored)	44 questions (22 questions/module) 1st Module: 20 operational questions (scored) and 2 experimental questions (non-scored) 2nd Module: 20 operational questions (scored) and 2 experimental questions (non-scored)
Total Time Allotted	64 minutes (32 minutes/module)	70 minutes (35 minutes/module)
Average Time Per Question	1.19 minutes	1.59 minutes
Question Types	4-option, multiple-choice questions	4-option, multiple-choice questions (~75%) Grid-in (~25%) questions called "Student Produced Responses"
Subject Areas	Literature, History & Social Studies, Humanities, and Science	30% of the Math section questions are in the context of Science, Social Studies, and Real-World Topics; the remaining 70% are "pure" math questions. Content: -Algebra 1 and 2 (~35%) -Advanced Math (~35%) -Problem-Solving & Data Analysis (~15%) -Geometry and Trigonometry (~15%) -Statistics, Probability -Emphasis on word problems and questions in real-world context
Word Count	25-150 words per passage	~30% are word problems called "Questions in Context; most have 50 words or fewer.
Informational Graphics	Tables, Bar Graphs, and Line Graphs	Yes

Total Length

2 hours 14 minutes
There is a 10-minute break between the Reading and Writing Section and the Math Section.

Compare the Digital SAT with the ACT


	SAT	ACT
Format & Length	2 Sections: 1) Reading & Writing 2) Math Each section is divided into 2 equal-length, separately timed "adaptive" modules. The first module will present easy, medium, and hard items. A student's performance will then guide the 2nd module, which will employ AI to deliver easy, medium, and/or hard items. Items will be multiple-choice with 4 answer choices.	5 Sections: 1) English 2) Math 3) Reading 4) Science 5) Essay (optional but recommended) Items will be multiple-choice with 5 answer choices for math and 4 answer choices for other sections.
Scoring	Combined score: 400 to 1600 (sum of both sections) Reading Score Range: 200-800 Math Score Range: 200-800 The difficulty level of Module 2 for each section -- and the highest potential score -- will be determined by student performance on Module 1 of each section.	Composite score: 1-36 (average of the 4 multiple-choice sections) Section Scores: 1) English: 1-36 2) Math: 1-36 3) Reading: 1-36 4) Science: 1-36 5) Essay: 2-12 Notably the national average is 19.5 (a 30-year low).
Reading & Writing	27 passages per module: -Each passage will range from 25-150 words. -Some paired passages with 1 question -Reading passages come before Writing passages in each module. -Passages may include informational graphics. -Reading content includes: Literature, Humanities, History & Social Studies, and Science -Writing content includes: Grammar & Usage, Punctuation, Structure, and Rhetoric ~71 seconds/question	4 reading passages: -3 regular passages -1 paired passage -Each passage will range between 700-900 words with 10 questions per passage. Content (in order): -Prose Fiction -Social science -Humanities -Natural Science ~52.5 seconds/question
English	English topics are covered in the Writing modules as described above.	5 writing passages: -Revise and correct errors -Passages are 800-1,000 words -15 questions per passage Content: -Grammar and Usage -Punctuation -Structure -Rhetoric ~36 seconds/question
Math	Content includes: -Algebra 1 and 2 (~35%) -Advanced Math (~35%) -Problem-Solving & Data Analysis (~15%) -Geometry and Trigonometry (~15%) -Statistics, Probability -Emphasis on word problems and questions in real-world context Structure: -2 modules, 22 questions each -Mostly multiple-choice questions -5-6 grid-in questions -2 non-scored "experimental" questions -Math formulas provided -Calculator is allowed for both modules -Built-in Desmos graphic calculator ~95.5 seconds/question	Content includes: -Pre-Algebra -Algebra 1 and 2 -Geometry (~25%) -Statistics & Probability -Trigonometry Structure: -60 multiple-choice questions -No math formulas provided -Calculator allowed on all questions. ~60 seconds/question
Science	Science-themed passages embedded in the reading modules.	This section tests reasoning and non-fiction reading skills more than science knowledge. Embedded in this section are tables, charts, and graphs requiring analysis and data analysis without a calculator (e.g. mean, median, mode). Passage topics include: -Biology -Chemistry -Physics -Earth/Space Science Structure: -6 passages -40 questions ~52.5 seconds/question
Essay	No essay	Optional but strongly recommended to demonstrate writing prowess. The task requires students to read a background paragraph on an issue that doesn't particularly require any background knowledge and typically appeals to everyday experiences for a typical high school student. Students analyze and evaluate 3 given perspectives (stances) and then choose one to develop. A non-chosen perspective (stance) serves as fuel for a counterargument. The expectation is a well developed, 5-paragraph persuasive essay.

Scoring

The dSAT reports two section scores, each with scaled scores ranging from 200 to 800. The first section is Reading and Writing, and the second section is Math. These two section scores are added together to give a cumulative SAT score between 400 and 1600. Notably, each question has its own weighting, so answers certain questions incorrectly will have a bigger impact on your score. Therefore, there is no longer a conversion chart aligning the number of correct answers with a specific score.

Testing Schedule

The dSAT is administered seven times per year, typically once in each of the following months: August, October, November, December, March, May, and June.

2024-2025 Test Dates

March 9, 2024 (registration deadline is 2/23/24; late registration deadline is 2/27/24)
May 4, 2024 (registration deadline is 4/19/24; late registration deadline is 4/23/24)
June 1, 2024 (registration deadline is 5/16/24; late registration deadline is 5/21/24)
August 24, 2024 (registration deadline is 8/9/24; late registration deadline is 8/13/24)
October 5, 2024 (registration deadline is 9/20/24; late registration deadline is 9/24/24)
November 2, 2024 (registration deadline is 10/18/24; late registration deadline is 10/22/24)
December 7, 2024 (registration deadline is 11/22/24; late registration deadline is 11/26/24)
March 8, 2025 (registration deadline is 2/21/25; late registration deadline is 2/25/25)
May 3, 2025 (registration deadline is 4/18/25; late registration deadline is 4/22/25)
June 7, 2025 (registration deadline is 5/22/25; late registration deadline is 5/27/25)

Cost

Exam Cost: $60
Late Registration Fee: $35
Change Fee: $25
Scores by Phone: $15

Score Choice™

Score Choice™ is a feature of the SAT that allows a student to take the test multiple times without having to worry about colleges seeing all of their results. Instead, they can select which test dates they want sent to schools. A student CANNOT, however, select from within a test date certain subject scores to send. For instance, they cannot send ONLY a math score from a certain test date.

Different colleges have different policies with regards to Score Choice™.
Learn more here

Registration Site/Additional Information

To register, visit the official College Board SAT website.

ISEE

August 23, 2011

ISEE Test Overview

The Independent School Entrance Exam (ISEE) is an entrance exam for private elementary, middle and high schools (day and boarding) administered by the Educational Records Bureau (ERB). The ERB is also the publisher of the CTP grade level achievement tests used by many independent schools.

There are four (4) versions of the test:

Primary Level (PL) for students applying to grades 2, 3 and 4. Because each of these entry points has its own grade level version, we have the Primary Level 2, Primary Level 3, and Primary Level 4.
Lower Level (LL) for students applying to grades 5 and 6.
Middle Level (ML) for students applying to grades 7 and 8.
Upper Level (UL) for students applying to grades 9 through 12.

Testing is offered 4 ways:

At-school testing either paper-based or online (group or individual)
ERB testing office either paper-based or online (small group or individual)
Prometric Test Center online (small group or individual)
At-home testing online (individual).

Primary Level ISEE Format and Content

Primary Level 2 (PL2):

SECTION	# OF QUESTIONS	LENGTH
Auditory Comprehension	6 MC³	7 minutes
Reading	18 MC³	20 minutes
Mathematics¹	24 MC³	26 minutes
Writing Sample²	1 picture prompt	untimed

Primary Level 3 (PL3):

SECTION	# OF QUESTIONS	LENGTH
Auditory Comprehension	6 MC³	7 minutes
Reading	18 MC³	20 minutes
Mathematics¹	24 MC³	26 minutes
Writing Sample²	1 picture prompt	untimed

Primary Level 4 (PL4):

SECTION	# OF QUESTIONS	LENGTH
Reading	28 MC³	20 minutes
Mathematics¹	28 MC³	26 minutes
Writing Sample²	1 picture prompt	untimed

¹
Math content is based upon the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) standards. Included on the test are: numbers and operations, algebra, geometry, measurement, data analysis, probability, and problem solving. Calculators are NOT permitted.
² The Writing Sample is not graded, but is sent to schools as part of the admissions materials. However, New York City independent schools are not currently requiring the writing sample.
³ Multiple choice.

Lower Level ISEE Format and Content

SECTION & LENGTH	SUBJECT	QUESTION TYPE	# OF QUESTIONS
1 - 20 min	Verbal Reasoning (34 items presented)	Synonyms and Sentence Completions (34 items presented)	30 MC³ questions scored (34 items presented)
2 - 35 min	Quantitative Reasoning	NCTM Standards¹	35 MC³ questions scored (38 items presented)
3 - 25 min	Reading Comprehension	Comprehension	20 MC³ questions scored (25 items presented)
4 - 30 min	Mathematics Achievement	NCTM Standards1	25 MC³ questions scored (30 items presented)
5 - 30 min	Writing Sample	Essay²	1 essay question (based on a given prompt)

¹
Math content is based upon the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) standards. Included on the test are: numbers and operations, algebra, geometry, measurement, data analysis, probability, and problem solving. Calculators are NOT permitted.
² The Essay is not graded, but is sent to schools as part of the admissions materials.
³ Multiple choice.

Middle and Upper Level ISEE Format and Content


SECTION & LENGTH	SUBJECT	QUESTION TYPE	# OF QUESTIONS
1 - 20 min	Verbal Reasoning	Synonyms and Sentence Completions	35 MC3 questions scored (40 items presented)
2 - 35 min	Quantitative Reasoning	NCTM Standards1	32 MC3 questions scored (37 items presented)
3 - 35 min	Reading Comprehension	Comprehension	30 MC3 questions scored (36 items presented)
4 - 40 min	Mathematics Achievement	NCTM Standards1	42 MC3 questions scored (47 items presented)
5 - 30 min	Writing Sample	Essay2	1 essay question (based on a given prompt)

Math content is based upon the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) standards. Included on the test are: numbers and operations, algebra, geometry, measurement, data analysis, probability, and problem solving. Calculators are NOT permitted.
Deleted: ² The Essay is not graded, but is sent to schools as part of the admissions materials.
Deleted: ³ Multiple choice.
Deleted:

Total length with standard time

PL2: 53 minutes
PL3: 54 minutes
PL4: 60 minutes
LL: 2 hours and 20 minutes plus two 5-minute breaks
ML and UL: 2 hours and 40 minutes plus two 5-minute breaks

Total length with extended time

PL2: 80 minutes
PL3: 81 minutes
PL4: 90 minutes
LL: 3 hours and 30 minutes plus two 5-minute breaks
ML and UL: 4 hours plus two 5-minute breaks

Scoring

Raw scores are calculated by adding one point for every correct answer. There is no wrong answer penalty on the ISEE, so students should never leave a question blank. The writing sample is sent to schools to review but is not scored.

For the Lower Level, Middle Level, and Upper Level tests, raw scores are converted into scaled scores based on a formula that the ERB does not release. Students receive a scaled score between 760 and 940 for each section: Verbal Reasoning, Reading Comprehension, Quantitative Reasoning, and Math Achievement. The scaled score is derived from the raw score (the number of questions the student answered correctly) but is more useful than the raw score because the scaled score has the same meaning regardless of which version of the test was used. ERB administers many versions of the test each year, so the scaled score takes these slight differences into consideration.

Percentile rankings and stanines are provided along with scaled scores. Percentile rankings compare a test-taker’s performance with other students of the same grade who have taken the ISEE in the last three years. Percentile rankings are not the same as the percentage of questions the student answered correctly. Stanines are an abbreviated version of percentiles. Students are assigned a stanine score between 1 and 9 for each section.

Regardless of the number of students who take the test (at any level), the percentage breakdown remains standard:

4% of students will receive a 9
7% of students will receive a 8
12% of students will receive a 7
17% of students will receive a 6
20% of students will receive a 5
17% of students will receive a 4
12% of students will receive a 3
7% of students will receive a 2
4% of students will receive a 1

Stanines of 1 to 3 are below average
Stanines of 4 to 6 are average
Stanines of 7 to 9 are above average

Stanines are simply percentile ranges:

PERCENTILE RANK	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

NYC Test Dates

The test is offered at different locations throughout the five boroughs and beyond. Students may register for any test site or date. Testing is available for students entering grades 2-12 unless otherwise noted.

Test dates for the 2024-2025 school year are available from September to June. Registration typically opens in August. From September to early January, there are many options available. The options then become more limited from March through June. Please note that test dates and testing locations vary by grade level and whether or not a student has testing accommodations.
Click here to search for a test date on the ERB website.

Cost

Grades 5-12, Standard Registration Fee: $150
Grades 2-4, Standard Registration Fee: $125
Phone registration fee: $30

Test dates during the week occur at the ERB office at 470 Park Avenue South (between 32nd and 33rd streets) with a smaller group of 10-12 students.

Registration Site/Additional Information

Visit the official ERB ISEE website to register and learn more.
View a comparison of the ISEE and SSAT tests.

General Information

Content

Format

Scoring

Testing Schedule

Additional Information

General Information

Format and Content

Total length with standard time

Total length with extended time

Scoring

2024-2025 Testing Schedule

Cost

Registration Site/Additional Information

Related Posts

General Information

NYC Specialized High Schools

Format and Content

Scoring

Admissions Process

Testing Schedule/Registration

2024-2025 Testing Schedule

Cost

Additional Information

General Information

Digital SAT Content and Question Types

Total Length

Compare the Digital SAT with the ACT

Scoring

Testing Schedule

2024-2025 Test Dates

Cost

Score Choice™

Registration Site/Additional Information

Related Posts

ISEE Test Overview

Primary Level ISEE Format and Content

Lower Level ISEE Format and Content

Middle and Upper Level ISEE Format and Content

Total length with standard time

Total length with extended time

Scoring

NYC Test Dates

Cost

Registration Site/Additional Information

Related Posts

Company Overview

School Planning

Private Tutoring

Test Preparation