How to Prepare for the SSAT/ISEE (Barron's How to Prepare for the SSAT/ISEE) [Paperback]

Kathleen Elliott (Author), Carmen Geraci (Author), David Ebner (Author)

Book Description

Series: Barron's How to Prepare for the SSAT/ISEE

This entirely new manual prepares students to pass either the Secondary School Admissions Test or the Independent School Entrance Exam, tests that are nationally administered as admission requirements by many private secondary schools. Students will find practice and review exercises in verbal skills, reading comprehension, analogies, essay writing, and mathematics, with review material designed to help students pinpoint areas where they need more intensive study. Two practice SSAT exams and two practice ISEE exams are included with all questions answered and explained.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

[back cover]


Choose Barron’s Method for Test Success on the SSAT and ISEE

Read and understand the overview of the test you plan to take

Devise your personal study plan to strengthen your weak areas

Use this book’s subject reviews to improve your skills in all test topics

Take the book’s practice tests and score your results

Review the answers and explanations for all test questions



It’s Your Path To a Higher Test Score

Product Details

• Paperback: 368 pages
• Publisher: Barron's Educational Series (May 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0764129007
• ISBN-13: 978-0764129001
• Product Dimensions: 10.6 x 8.4 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 2.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #898,509 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Riddled with errors. A disaster., December 21, 2005

By 

West Coast - See all my reviews

This review is from: How to Prepare for the SSAT/ISEE (Barron's How to Prepare for the SSAT/ISEE) (Paperback)

I've coached reviews for the SAT I, SAT II subject tests, AP exams, PSAT and the SSAT/ISEE. I've used almost all of the test prep guides available. Barron's SSAT/ISEE 2005 edition has more typos and errors on the practice tests than any guide I've ever encountered. It's as if the authors made zero effort to proofread the practice sets. Very discouraging for the student.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Do NOT buy this book! Its answers are WRONG!, November 25, 2006

By 

Peregrinn - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: How to Prepare for the SSAT/ISEE (Barron's How to Prepare for the SSAT/ISEE) (Paperback)

I agree with the West Coast reviewer that this book is full of errors! On the math section, answers for the questions are often wrong! Wrong explanations are given, for THREE of the twenty questions in just one section I did (before throwing the book away). Some of it is poor editing, as the problem they solve is different from the problem presented in the test. Other errors just make no sense but are based on an incorrect understanding of the math concepts involved. Put this one in the trash!

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Buy a different prep book -- this one is terrible., October 6, 2007

By 

Alishya Kirshara (East Coast, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: How to Prepare for the SSAT/ISEE (Barron's How to Prepare for the SSAT/ISEE) (Paperback)

I've tutored students for the SSAT and ISEE for over 5 years now. Thankfully, I've only had the misfortune of having to use this book a few times. Barron's is a respected test prep company and they do publish good guides for other tests/subjects -- but not the SSAT/ISEE.

It's not just that there are too many errors in the book -- which there are. (There are far, far more than other test prep books.)

No, it's also that the questions in this book do NOT actually prepare you for the SSAT or the ISEE. Other test prep books (Princeton Review, Kaplan, etc.) for the SSAT/ISEE do a pretty good job of mirroring the question types, styles, and difficulty levels that are present in the official test prep books (which are only available from the SSAT and ISEE websites, and I highly recommend them). But the Barron's book seems to have barely attempted to mimic the real test questions. I remember trying to work through a math section with a student and giving up after about five questions because the questions were written so poorly AND clearly required the use of a calculator -- but calculators aren't allowed on the test! Obviously the test-makers thought they could just throw together a book of easier SAT problems and call it a day. Shameful.

Maybe someday I'll be able to update this review and say that they've completely updated the book and it now measures up. But that day hasn't yet come. For now, if you buy this book for your student, you will be doing them a disservice.