SSAT has a very wide range of reading passages whereas ISSE limits itself to the subjects of history and science.

Both include a timed essay, but the SSAT has it first and the ISSE concludes with the essay.

In the multi-choice sections on the SSAT there are 5 choices, as against 4 in the ISSE. The SSAT includes analogies, whereas the ISSE includes a section of sentence completion. In these multi-choice sections there is a ΒΌ point penalty for a wrong answer, which may mean that it is better to leave a question until later if they aren’t sure of an answer rather than taking a guess.

The SSAT has two levels, for grades, one for 5-7 an d a higher one for grades 8-11.

The ISSE on the other hand has three levels for grades 5-6, 7-8 and 9-12.

Each examination takes 3 hours with two breaks.

Both tests are designed to test a child’s language abilities, both in expressing themselves and in comprehension and width of vocabulary, their mathematical understanding.

They are only part of a school’s admission process, but important nevertheless, as your child will be measured against other children of his age in as fair a way as possible.
I will discuss this more in detail in future articles.