Yes — it sounds like alphabet soup.

SSAT. ISEE. HSPT.

And somehow your child is supposed to take one of these… while still being young enough to laugh at the word “butt.” Welcome to parenting.

Here’s the calm truth: these are national admissions exams used by many private schools to compare applicants from different schools and different grading systems. They’re not perfect, but they are common — and they’re very learnable.

Which tests do Miami schools use?

Many Miami independent schools accept either the SSAT or the ISEE. For example, Ransom Everglades explicitly requires SSAT or ISEE (either one is acceptable).  

And yes — Gulliver and Carrollton commonly use the SSAT or ISEE in their admissions ecosystem as well. Carrollton states that they accept the ISEE or SSAT for applicants to Grades 6 and up.   Gulliver references SSAT or ISEE scores for its applicant merit scholarship consideration.  

Catholic high schools often require the HSPT (High School Placement Test). The catch: HSPT registration is typically handled through the Catholic school(s) you’re applying to, not a single national registration site. Many dioceses/schools note that families should contact the schools they’re applying to for testing logistics.  

The sections on each test

SSAT sections

According to SSAT.org, the SSAT includes:

• Quantitative (Math)

• Verbal

• Reading

• Writing Sample (not scored)

• Experimental (not scored; mixed verbal/reading/math)  

SSAT is widely used by independent schools (and boarding schools especially).  

ISEE sections

According to ERB, the ISEE has five sections (in order):

• Verbal Reasoning (synonyms + sentence completions)

• Quantitative Reasoning

• Reading Comprehension

• Mathematics Achievement

• Essay (not scored)  

HSPT sections

The HSPT is commonly described as having five core sections:

• Verbal

• Quantitative

• Reading

• Mathematics

• Language  

(Individual Catholic schools may also add optional sections, but the five above are the core.  )

Where to register

Here are the official registration starting points:

SSAT registration is run through the SSAT’s official site.  
ISEE registration is run through ERB’s official ISEE portal.  
HSPT registration commonly runs through the schools themselves.  

The big takeaway

Most parents assume these tests are measuring “how smart” a child is.

They’re not.

They’re measuring a mix of skills plus something sneakier: test-format fluency.

I’ve seen plenty of very bright students underperform simply because they didn’t understand the pacing, the question styles, or the rules of the game. Once students learn the structure, anxiety drops, and scores often rise — because the test stops feeling like a surprise attack.

Structure breeds confidence.

Do your maximum.
— Mr. D