ISEE & SSAT Tutoring
The ISEE and SSAT aptitude tests are very different to school exams. We are highly experienced at tutoring ISEE and SSAT, and help numerous students gain places at American schools in the UK, and to elite schools in America.
ISEE & SSAT Tutoring
The ISEE and SSAT aptitude tests are very different to school exams. We are highly experienced at tutoring ISEE and SSAT, and help numerous students gain places at American schools in the UK, and to elite schools in America.
ISEE & SSAT
What are ISEE & SSAT?
The ISEE is used for application to independent secondary schools in the United States. There are three levels of the ISEE depending on whether a student is applying for entrance to Grades 5/6, 7/8 or 9-12. The ISEE assesses verbal and quantitative reasoning, reading comprehension, and mathematics. There is also an essay component that is sent to the schools to which a student is applying. The exam lasts between 2 hours and 20 minutes and 2 hours and 40 minutes.
The Secondary Schools Admissions Test (SSAT) is another examination that is used for application to secondary schools. It assesses the reading, writing, and mathematical skills of students. It is divided into two test types, lower and middle/upper, depending upon the age of the student.
These exams are excellent preparation for the SAT exams that students take in the 10th and 11th grade; indeed, many of our students have gone on to excel in the SATs. Nonetheless, it can be very difficult to choose between the two exams. We have therfore compiled a helpful guide on the differences between the ISEE and the SSAT and our recommendations on how to choose between them, if given the choice.
Our Experience & Approach
At Wentworth Education we have extensive experience teaching in the US syllabus, from ISEE and SSAT up to SAT, SAT II and AP. Katherine Wiles, one of our founders, has been tutoring the ISEE and SSAT since 2008, helping students in both America and the UK.
Our impressive track record at ISEE and SSAT tutoring has helped all of our students get into their first choice secondary schools. In London, we have tutored children whose families are moving out to America and need to transition to the American syllabus as well as children who are applying to an American school in the UK.
Our approach to ISEE and SSAT preparation is highly rigorous. Our tutors strike the right balance between engaging discussions and intensive problem-solving. Most of all, our tutors are experts in building up their students confidence and exam technique. We run practice tests, diagnose issues, and provide tactical advice strategies to maximise individual student performance on the day.
Testing & Monitoring Progress
We find the most important part of preparing for a test is to be comfortable with the format and the types of questions asked. This can be a particular challenge to students transferring from the UK syllabus or an international syllabus.
Therefore, we have teamed up with ISEE Practice Test and SSAT Practice Test, an online platform. With ISEE Practice Test we can organise our students one or more practice tests online. The student, you the parent, and our tutor will be able to see diagnostics of test performance and areas of relative strength and weakness against the population. We monitor accuracy and speed of answering by individual question and question type. Our tutors use this insight to tailor their tutoring to the individual needs of your child and with the multiple tests available track improving performance. Parents and students find this resource invaluable in identifying problem areas such as slow question reading or inappropriate time spent trying to solve the most difficult questions at the expense of others.
Selected ISEE & SSAT Testimonials
Please see below some example ISEE & SSAT Testimonials that we have received. If you would like to hear more, you may be interested to read about our tutor guarantee or to read about Wentworth Tutors' philosophy and approach in a letter to parents from Dr Katherine Wiles, our Founder. Alternatively, some more ISEE & SSAT Testimonials can be found on our dedicated testimonials page, where you can filter by subject.
Selected Profiles of our ISEE & SSAT Tutors
Please see below some example profiles of the ISEE & SSAT Tutors that we represent. If you would like to hear more, you may be interested to read about our tutor selection criteria or to read about Wentworth Tutors' philosophy and approach in a letter to parents from Dr Katherine Wiles, our Founder. Alternatively, some more profiles of our ISEE & SSAT Tutors can be found on our dedicated tutors page, where you can filter by subject.
Talal Al-Nawab – Private Tutor in Central London
Having worked in the education space for over four years as a Senior Academic Mentor and University Admissions Counsellor, I have built up my experience of working with a wide range of students. My primary focus has been on SAT & ACT tutoring, US & UK University Admissions Counselling, and general high school Mathematics tutoring. I take a 'mentorship' approach to my work with students and focus on building a strong relationship based on trust and respect to ensure that students feel well-supported and are able to improve their abilities and performance levels. ...
Catriona Ramsay – Private Tutor in Hong Kong and Singapore
I graduated from Cambridge University (Newnham College) with a 2:1 in Social Anthropology (and a 1st in Development Studies) in 2009. I have been tutoring private clients since 2005 in subjects ranging from English, Maths, English as foreign language, Interview Technique and Preparation, Test & Exam Preparation and Mentoring. However, my current focus and speciality is tutoring students for all levels of the ISEE and SSAT test as well as tutoring the 11+ and 13+ entrance exams. As a child, I attended the Chinese International School in Hong Kong and Alice Smith International School in Kuala Lumpur and then boarded at school in the UK as an overseas student. As a consequence, I particularly enjoy working with students based in Asia applying to international schools and preparing them for the cultural and curriculum adjustment of becoming an overseas student. I am now based in Singapore and tutor students of all ages here and in Hong Kong primarily. I have an excellent track record of increasing test scores and helping tutees to have the confidence and ability to achieve the grades required for their desired schools whilst also acting as a mentor throughout the preparation process. ...
Alexander Peter – Private Tutor in London
I graduated from Cambridge University in 2015, where I studied Arabic and Spanish. Following graduation, I worked in a top boarding school in midtown Manhattan, New York supporting the students' preparation for SSAT/ISEE exams. On my return from the US, I began working for an educational charity in Cambridge, Red Balloon, which recovers severely bullied children who have self-excluded from mainstream education through a bespoke educational and therapeutic provision. Currently I am doing a social innovation graduate scheme, Year Here, I have introduced engaging new methods to support English language acquisition for participants of English Speakers for Other Languages (ESOL) courses at the Bromley by Bow community centre. Education has always been very important to me. My experiences above, in conjunction with teaching English to refugees in Jordan and supporting students in the US prepare for Spanish tests, leads me to having a broad understanding of education and the techniques that work for people of all levels. ...
Nicholas Fox – Private Tutor in Central London
Nicholas is a recent graduate of the University of Cambridge, where he studied Preclinical Medicine before moving to pursue global health projects. After a stint at the World Health Organisation Nicholas completed an MSc in International Health Policy at the London School of Economics and now works for the National Health Service in England. With a mother as a teacher, and many other family members working in education, he was exposed to the world of education at an early age, and has experience in working with children of all ages covering a variety of subjects. He has also spent time teaching in China and Kenya during university holidays. ...
Emily Hennah – Private Tutor in Central London
I’m a postgraduate medical student at King’s College London and Bristol University graduate with a passion for a wide range of subjects. Studying humanities to A level, focusing on crop genetics during my undergraduate degree and now working to become a doctor translates well into tutoring a varied curriculum and ensures I’ve had plenty of experience in the process of learning. I'm an enthusiastic tutor; effective tutoring raises children’s confidence and gives them skills which they can take far beyond our sessions, which is my favourite aspect of the job. ...
Arthur House – Professional Teacher in Central London
I am a friendly, encouraging teacher with over a decade's experience, particularly with students aged 11-13. Since graduating from Cambridge 13 years ago I have taught students of all sorts of abilities and ages (5-58) anywhere from Notting Hill to Nairobi. My curiosity about the world has drawn me to journalism as well as teaching. I worked at the Telegraph for two years and now I write about arts and culture for The Economist’s 1843, The Spectator and Apollo magazines. I am also the co-author of 'What on Earth is Going On? A Crash Course in Current Affairs' (HarperCollins, 2009 - Sunday Times 'Stocking Filler of the Year'). Both my teaching and writing are informed by a desire to understand the world, and to help others do so too. ...
Cecilia March – Private Tutor in North London
I specialise in US exam preparation, reading comprehension, Art History, English (writing and literature), History, and French language. I have benefitted from one-on-one tutoring throughout my education in order to prepare for standardized tests (ISEE/SSAT, SAT/ACT, GRE), which helped me build confidence and was a huge factor in my success. Having grown up in Manhattan and having attended boarding school and university in the US, I am intimately acquainted with the American educational system and the testing and admissions processes for US high schools and universities. Because of my background, I am well equipped to provide admission advice and counselling.
In New York, I attended a private, all-girls school, Convent of the Sacred Heart, before continuing my education at Choate Rosemary Hall in Wallingford, Connecticut. At Choate, I took many Advanced Placement and honors courses. I achieved a 35 (of 36) on my ACT and 5's on my Art History, French, English Literature, and European History AP exams. I attended Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee where I double-majored in Art History and French. Before beginning my graduate studies in September 2019, in order to improve my German, I attended the Middlebury College Intensive Summer Language Program in Middlebury, Vermont, an 8 week, immersive program where all classes and socialising are conducted in German. I moved to London in 2019 to attend the master's programme in the History of Art at the Courtauld Institute (M.A. distinction, 2020; course: German Modernism: Politics, Utopia, and Times of Turmoil).
I am now the Project Curator of an online journal and exhibition space affiliated with MIT on art and migration and Performa director RoseLee Goldberg's research assistant for the fourth edition of her book Performance Art: From Futurism to the Present, focusing on performance and new media from 2010 onward. ...
Lily Edwards – Private Tutor in South West London
I am a graduate of Durham University, where I completed a BA in English and Philosophy. Although I went to university in the UK, I grew up in New York, and completed all of my schooling in America. I attended one of the top boarding schools in the country, Groton School, on an academic scholarship. I took the SAT and AP exams, earning some of the highest scores in my class for both. I have been tutoring since the age of 15, as part of a tutoring program at Groton. I continued at university for English and Philosophy students, and post-graduation, here in London. Having attended both US and UK education systems, I understand and can work with both curriculums, especially with school and university entrance exams and processes. ...
Siran Cao – Private Tutor in London
I grew up in a family that moved every few years, so I attended school first in private academies in Singapore, then the U.S. public school system. I went on to Harvard University, where I focused on the social sciences and graduated with a degree in Women & Gender Studies. After working in tech in the US, including over 3 years building and leading the customer support organization at Uber, I am currently pursuing a Master of Science at the London School of Economics.
As a lifelong bookworm and overall nerd, I look to bring that excitement for learning to those around me, be that within a classroom or in the workplace. During my undergraduate years, I focused my extracurricular time tutoring in and leading an organization that provided free English Second Language classes. At Uber, I personally coached 11 direct reports to develop leadership, analytical, and people management skills, either directly promoting or facilitating their promotion to higher level roles within the company.
I am well versed in the US system, including AP and college entrance exams, and I particularly enjoy working with students through the entire admissions processes, especially when it comes to personal essays. In addition, I can support any students looking to gain presentation and data analysis skills. You can always count of me to bring some humor and levity to facilitate learning, whether the topic is the SAT exam or using Excel. ...
Dr Caitlin Rea – Private Tutor in Edinburgh
Dr Caitlin Rea is a dual (US/UK) citizen, graduating from Harvard with a BA in Neurobiology and Anthropology in 2015. She graduated with a degree in medicine from Kings College London Graduate medical school in 2019 and has relocated from London to Edinburgh last year. She has been working for Wentworth since 2015 focusing on US school and college admissions. At Harvard, she worked for Veritas Education for 2 years and travelled to China to work as both a teacher and US college consultant. She also tutored children with Autism throughout college. Researching and teaching children who have learning difficulties is one of her main interests. Before Harvard, she completed her GCSE's and A-levels (Maths, Chemistry, Biology, Geography) in the UK. Alongside her final year of A-levels, she completed the SAT and SAT II exams and went through the US college application process alongside her UK UCAS application. She is well versed in the various US entrance exams and the US application process. ...