High School Entrance Tests

Frequently Asked Questions about High School Entrance Tests

Why Nurturing Wisdom?

Nurturing Wisdom's one-on-one in-person and online tutoring goes beyond just helping your child get a great score. With a strong tutor match, your child will look forward to tutoring sessions, follow through on independent work, and become a more confident learner. The high stakes high school entrance tests can be stressful for students, and our tutors are well-versed in how to help students overcome test anxiety so that their true ability can shine.

We're here to support parents as well! Your tutoring director will help you navigate through the high school entrance process by putting together an optimal timeline, keeping you posted on progress, reminding you of important deadlines, and answering any questions you have along the way.

Which high school entrance tests do you prepare students for?

We have had great success preparing students for the the HSPT, ISEE (all levels), SSAT (upper and middle levels), and CPS High School Admissions Test. Our students have been admitted to their top-choice schools including St. Ignatius, Loyola, Fenwick, Lab, Latin, Parker, Payton, Northside, Jones, Lane Tech, and Whitney Young.

Which test should my child take?

It depends on what type of school your child is applying to! Typically:

• The HSPT is used for admission to Catholic schools.
• The ISEE is used for admission to independent schools.
• The SSAT is used for boarding schools and San Francisco Bay Area independent schools.
• The CPS High School Admissions Test is used for admission to Chicago Selective Enrollment High Schools and Choice schools (including IB schools).

Interested in learning more? Our directors would be happy to answer any questions you have about these tests!

My child is taking more than one test. Can you prepare them for multiple tests?

Yes! Many of our students prepare for two, or even three, different tests. Your tutoring director will have a conversation with you about your top-choice schools so that we can build a customized tutoring plan.

When should my child start preparing for the high school entrance tests?

We recommend that students take pre-test(s) the summer before eighth grade so that they're not scrambling just before their test. Based on a score analysis of your child's pre-test(s), we'll create a tutoring timeline. It will include the recommended start date, number of sessions, and goal scores. Most students start tutoring in the summer or early fall so that they're able to get plenty of practice with academic content, test-taking strategies, pacing, and confidence-building. That said, if your child's test date is getting close, give us a call to see how we can help them prepare.

How do I get started?

All high school entrance test students start by taking a pre-test for each test they want to prepare for. After the pre-tests are complete, we'll put together a tutoring timeline outlining how much tutoring we recommend, goal scores, and which test dates we recommend preparing for.

You can request a test(s) to take at home, or sign up for one of our proctored pre-tests, a great opportunity to get a feel for the real test day.

We don't live in the Chicagoland area. Can you still tutor my child?

Yes! We love working one-on-one with students online to help them achieve their goals. Contact us to learn more!

Can my seventh grader start test prep tutoring now?

There are a few ways we can help seventh graders get a head start. One option, especially if it's before spring, is by sharpening the academic and general test-taking skills they'll need to do well on the exam (and beyond)! Many students also come to us for executive functioning tutoring. Give us a call so that we can make a plan specific to your child's needs and goals!