Both standardized test companies offer tests ranging from the elementary, middle and upper grades. Typically, elite boarding schools prefer the SSAT, while New York City private schools prefer the ISEE. Many schools accept either test. But we suggest you contact the admissions office of each school to confirm they accept the test you prefer.

The two tests are similar in duration and content, requiring that students master verbal reasoning, vocabulary, quantitative reasoning, math and reading. Both also demand writing samples, which they send unscored with the test results directly to the schools where your child applies.

The formats for both exams are very similar. Both the ISEE and SSAT have reading comprehension, verbal, and two math sections, as well as an unscored essay section. 

The main difference is that the SSAT has two “Quantitative Reasoning” sections, whereas the ISEE has one “Quantitative Reasoning” and one “Mathematics Achievement” section.

However, they differ in that the SSAT has analogies, whereas the ISEE makes students complete sentences.

Both the ISEE and SSAT have an unscored essay section that is sent to schools as a writing sample. 

For the ISEE, students must write an expository essay; for the middle level SSAT, students have creative writing prompts, and for the upper level SSAT, students choose between a creative and expository essay.

The SSAT has two Quantitative Reasoning sections, whereas the ISEE has one Quantitative Reasoning and one Math Achievement section. 

Both tests cover similar math content, although the ISEE math sections are generally considered more difficult.

The SSAT and ISEE score differently. The SSAT gives 1 point for each correct answer and deducts one-quarter point for each wrong answer. But the ISEE does not penalize wrong answers. There’s no harm in guessing. This is where tutoring can really help: learning to strategize the overall test and learning the essential process of eliminating clearly wrong answers in multiple choice and then guessing among the best options.

Another key difference is that the ISEE provides a separate score for both math sections (Quantitative Reasoning and Math Achievement), while the SSAT rolls both math sections into one Quantitative Reasoning score. This is another reason students who are less strong in math may favor the SSAT.

The SSAT or ISEE will be more or less difficult for students depending on whether they are stronger in math or ELA. The verbal section on the SSAT is considered harder than that on the ISEE, while the math sections on ISSE are likewise considered more difficult than those on the SSAT.

Students can take the SSAT multiple times throughout the year. In fact, there are test dates offered every month.

The ISEE limits students to testing once every six months, or only once during each admissions’ cycle. Psychologically, this puts more pressure on students taking the ISEE, if they have no recourse to retake the test and improve scores. Make sure you register for these tests well in advance as the test sites fill up quickly. Registering any later than a month in advance may cost you a late registration fee.

have scored exceptionally well on standardized tests

 during their own school years. Subsequently, they are trained to teach the content and strategies for all the standardized tests. 

We also emphasize sensitivity to the emotional needs and learning differences of each of our students. The big question everyone asks: how much time will my child need for (ISEE or SSAT) test prep? This is, of course, relative to each student. 

How diligent a studier is she? What’s his baseline score? Ivy Tutors offers 

 and practice tests to our clients at our test center. We highly recommend an early evaluation test to establish a baseline and then at least one more test later in the process to chart progress and establish a comfort level with the test-talking process. 

If the practice test results come close to the goal score, we suggest about a month of light review, say 1,000 problems. Otherwise, if there is a large gap between the first diagnostic test and the target score, we recommend anywhere up to 4 months with 3,000 practice problems.

ISEE vs SSAT: What’s the difference between ISEE and SSAT?

What Is the AP English Language and Composition Exam?

The AP English Language and Composition exam, offered each year in May by the College Board, test students ability to critically analyze texts and write cogent, evidence-based essays in which they present claims and arguments. The texts studied for AP Lang are non-fiction, whereas those for the AP Literature exam are fictional. AP Lang is rigorous and demanding, requiring both strong critical reading and essay-writing skills. In this article, we’ll tell you everything you need to know about the AP Lang exam, and the best tips and strategies for cruising to a 5!

What does the AP English Language exam consist of?

The AP English Language and Composition exam consists of both a 

On the multiple-choice section, there are 23–25 reading questions, for which students are asked respond to questions based on a passage, and 20–22 writing questions, for which students are asked to suggest changes to a passage.

There are 3 Free Response question, one focusing on 

. For each question, students are given a text or texts to analyze, and then must write a well-organized, grammatically correct essay presenting their claims. 

How long is the AP English Language exam?

The AP English Language and Composition Exam is 

long. The multiple-choice section is 1 hour long and the free response section is 2 hours and 15 minutes long.

Is AP English Language and Composition hard?

The difficulty of the AP Lang exam depends almost entirely on the individual student and how comfortable they are with reading comprehension, english grammar, and writing timed essays. Two of the pre-requisite skills are the ability to read and understand college-level texts and also write in complete, grammatically correct sentences. It is much harder to do well on the exam if a student does not already have this skills. Writing essays under time constraints can also be a challenge for many students, but this also can be made easier depending on the amount of time they are willing to put into practicing. To give you a sense of the difficulty, in 2021, on 9.1% of test takers earned a 5, although 22.9% and 25.8% scored a 4 and 3 respectively. Still, the AP Lang exam is significantly easier that the AP Lit exam, for which only 4.9% of students earned a 5.

How is the AP English Language exam scored?

The multiple-choice section is worth 45% of your overall score, while the free-response section is worth 55%. So yes, the essays are very important! Each of the 3 free-responses is worth 6 points and is assessed individually by a reader who grades it based on a rubric of scoring guidelines, which you can find 

. It is very important that you familiarize yourself with these guidelines to ensure that your essays are earning the maximum number of points possible.

How to Study for AP English Language and Composition Exam

Have you ever heard someone say: “Sorry I did not have time to write you a shorter letter?” This seemingly ironic saying aims to teach us the lesson that concise, effective language and composition requires more time and effort than sloppy, long-winded writing. Well, the good news is that while we have endless effort at our disposal, time must be managed carefully for the 3hrs 15mins-long AP English Language & Composition exam you will take in May. So, how can you use your months of classwork, years of writing, and strong effort to perform well on the exam?

Comprehending composition and writing essays under time pressure can be overwhelming. Knowing the game (the format) inside and out will help you. First, know the two sections: Multiple Choice and Free Response. Second, familiarize yourself with the exam format, both paper and online, by visiting and reviewing the official 

For example, on the AP English Language Digital Exam, the format for multiple choice questions is: Writing, Reading, Reading, Writing, Writing. Free Response, in turn, is: Argument, Synthesis, Rhetorical Analysis. This is important to note because this is different from the paper and pencil exams! Knowing this ahead of time, will keep you from being thrown on the day of the exam, especially if this is a different order than how you’ve been taking your practice tests!

Now that you #KnowtheGame, it is time to make a study and practice plan. It is best to attack the section of the exam with which you are least comfortable. Don’t know? Take a practice exam and time yourself!

You’ve now knocked out two birds with one stone. You have a whole practice exam under your belt. You also know which areas you need to target in your studying before the exam. Tripped up on poetry? No problem! Find poems, read them, and break them down: identify the meaning and find literary devices. Had a hard time with prose? No worries! Visit 

 and randomly select three articles everyday to read and comprehend.

Did you run out of time on one of the essays? That’s ok! Ensure you are comfortable with each question type, Synthesis; Rhetorical Analysis; and Argument by practicing them and timing yourself. Make a plan to practice as many of the past questions from exams made available 

Tip 3: Empower Yourself with Rhetorical Devices

It is super helpful to study all the literary devices not only to answer multiple-choice questions well, but also to feel more confident on the essays. That is, if you have 5-10 rhetorical devices that you know inside and out, you can feel ready to use them in your analysis needed for the essays. 

Check out this list of rhetorical devices. It may be too short or too long, but it is a strong start! Now, let’s select 5 rhetorical devices we know are comfortable to use. Mine are anaphora, imagery, syntax, tone, and voice. I know that no matter how tricky or surprising an essay prompt may appear, I am empowered with my 5 devices that I am ready, willing, and able to employ!

. The guide is full of helpful resources to brush up on your grammar before the exam. The graders of the exam want you to “use appropriate grammar and punctuation in communicating your argument.” By brushing up on your grammar, you are helping yourself avoid silly mistakes when you are under the time constraints of the exam. Hopefully, you can brush up so well that you won’t even have to think of the comma rules or about parallelism. Your strong grammatical foundation will boost your confidence and impress the graders!

Strong writing is a lifelong skill. You will need it forever. So, have fun and know that you are building a toolbox of language and composition that you can use in almost every realm of your life! But if you’re not feeling totally confident yet, don’t hesitate to reach out to Ivy Tutors Network for help. Our amazing 

 are more than happy to pass on their expert reading and writing skills so that you too can cruise to a 5 on AP Lang!

Our team of 50+ brilliant and caring tutors have helped thousands of students gain confidence, improve test scores, and achieve their academic goals!

Cruise to a 5 on the AP English Language & Composition Exam

The AP US History Exam (or APUSH) covers the rich American story from the Native Americans to the present day. The exam contains a multiple-choice section, short and long essay questions, and one document-based question. Students must be able to recall specific historical facts, as well as form arguments about significant developments in the nation’s history. You have made it to May, so you know the course to be intense. But, there is good news! You can nail the AP US History exam by following a few basic study habits that are fun, low stress, and interactive.

The AP US History course consists of 9 units, each covering a different time period of American history. Here they are, courtesy of the 

You’ll learn about Native American societies as well as how and why Europeans first explored, and then began to colonize, the Americas.

You'll study the colonies established in the New World by the Spanish, French, Dutch, and British.

You'll explore the events that led to the American Revolution and the formation of the United States and examine the early years of the republic.

You’ll examine how the young nation developed politically, culturally, and economically in this period.

You’ll learn how the nation expanded and you’ll explore the events that led to the secession of Southern states and the Civil War.

You’ll examine the nation’s economic and demographic shifts in this period and their links to cultural and political changes.

You’ll examine America’s changing society and culture and the causes and effects of the global wars and economic meltdown of this period.

You’ll learn about the rivalry between the Soviet Union and the United States, the growth of various civil rights movements, and the economic, cultural, and political transformations of this period.

You’ll learn about the advance of political conservatism, developments in science and technology, and demographic shifts that had major cultural and political consequences in this period.

But just as important as the content are the analytical thinking and writing skills required by the exam. According to the college board, these are the skills students need to learn in the course and apply on the exam. 

Analyzing the claims, evidence, and reasoning you find in sources

Putting historical developments in context and making connections between them

Coming up with a claim or thesis and explaining and supporting it in writing

How many questions are on the AP US History exam?

There are 55 questions on the multiple choice section of the AP US History exam, 3 short answer questions, and 2 longer free response questions, one of which is a document based question (DBQ).

The duration of the AP US History exam is 3 hours and 15 minutes. Students are allotted 55 minutes for the multiple choice, 40 for the short response, and 1 hour 40 minutes for the free responses.

Is it hard to get a 5 on the AP US History exam?

Yes, the AP US History exam is actually considered one of the harder AP exams due to the amount of memorization and writing skills required. It has a lower pass and 5 rate compared to most other AP exams.

What is the average score for AP US History?

The average score for AP US History is somewhere between a 2 and 3, approximately 2.71.

What percent of students earn a 5 on APUSH?

In 2021, only 11% of students earned a 5 on APUSH.

Tip 1: Find a Friend and Teach Them APUSH!

Teaching others actually helps you learn better. “Students who spend time teaching what they’ve learned go on to show better understanding and knowledge retention than students who simply spend the same time re-studying” according to the 

First, I want you to select the topic you have avoided. You know, the one that is “boring” or “hard” and conquer it by teaching yourself well enough to teach a friend! Preferably, find a friend who is unfamiliar with APUSH like a parent or a younger sibling. Speak and write thematically for your student and use the visuals from class that are meant to trigger your memory.

First, define the concept: White America was divinely ordained to expand to the West and conquer the entire North American continent. Next, break it down: divine means G-d wanted the people to do it. Westward Expansion encompassed the push and pull factors--economic development, agricultural machinery, growing population, the Homestead Act, to name a few--which collectively motivated folks to go westward. Finally, offer a visual as an easy way for your friend to remember the concept. 

 is the perfect painting to show how folks were guided west by a heavenly woman.

Tip 2: Divide & Conquer Terms into Facts & Concepts

Open a new spreadsheet on your computer. Type out 

 terms you need to learn in your review for the exam. Then label one column “Facts” and label the second column “Concepts”. Facts are pieces of information. Concepts are abstract ideas. Why make the columns? I’ll tell you!

The amount of information needed for the exam can be overwhelming. Yet, labeling your terms helps organize them more effectively in your brain. It’s also easy to tell yourself to simply memorize a fact as opposed to understanding a concept. For example, for the sake of reference, it is helpful to know the date that the framers signed the Declaration of Independence. 1776. That date is a fact. No need to overthink it.

A concept, however, requires a bit more brain power. For example, Manifest Destiny is a concept. Yes, it is helpful to commit the definition to memory as we demonstrated above.

However, the concept of Manifest Destiny requires more of a deeper understanding including Divine Intervention, Western Expansion, and the push and pull factors driving movement on the North American continent.

Now that you have divided the terms into two separate columns, it is time to conquer the terms. The facts should be written on index cards or punched into 

 and then committed to memory. If you find that the fact requires deeper thought, context, or understanding, it could be a concept. Slide the term over to the concept column. The concept you should teach to a friend like we demonstrated in Tip 1.

Tip 3: Write, Write, Write, Write, and Write Some More!

You should be practicing your writing for the Short Answer, Long Essay, and DBQ portions of the exam by finding as many old exams and practice essays as you can. Practice writing your thesis. Practice outlining the bodies. Practice keeping your transition sentences clear and crisp. And, practice a strong conclusion. You can do so by using resources provided by the College Board like the 

. A plan of action I would suggest would be: start with Short Answers then complete the Long Essay and outline the DBQ. Then the next day flip. Complete all the Short Answers, but complete the DBQ and outline the Long Essay. This practice will keep you sharp and confident for test day.

Not sure you can commit to writing every day before exam day? Pay very close attention to how you’re writing in APUSH essays and in other classes, doing your best to write all your essays in a way that gets straight to the point.

Knowing American history helps to shape our understanding of our present and future, which is an important education to have nowadays. Essay writing is also a lifelong skill, and above all, a college requirement. As long as you work hard to define the terms, explain the concepts, and keep your writing short and sweet, the APUSH exam won’t be as scary as you think! Of course, If you feel you need support, Ivy Tutors Network is more than happy to help. Our 

 have helped countless students score 5’s and 4's on their APUSH exams, excel in their AP courses, and earn college credit along the way!

AP US History Exam: The Ultimate Guide 2022

We’re happy to answer any test question you may have and to help take the stress out of test prep!

Start with the most experienced and inspiring tutors, focus on test subject matter and specific exam tricks efficiently, reach your highest potential scores, and move on with your life! Test prep isn’t only about beating the test, but about developing strong math and English skills, building stamina, and understanding that hard work pays off through a growth mindset.

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