The ISEE test explained: levels, sections, scoring and fees

The ISEE measures reasoning (Verbal and Quantitative Reasoning) and achievement (Reading Comprehension and Mathematics Achievement). Your child takes one sitting, and ERB sends the same score report to every school you choose. That is why the test feels high stakes to families: one morning produces the numbers that every school on your list will see.

The ISEE is not the only private school admission test; some schools accept another test instead, so check each school's admissions page before you register. If your schools ask for the ISEE, the rest of this guide covers what your child will meet.

Primary Level (grades 2 to 4) is shorter again: Reading and Mathematics only, in about an hour. ERB's pages differ on whether the youngest children also give a writing sample, so check the Primary guide for your child's grade.

Middle and Upper Level share the same sections, question counts and clocks. Both compare your child only with applicants to the same grade, so an eighth grader applying to ninth grade is never ranked against older students. Our Middle Level practice test follows those counts exactly.

Every section includes a few trial questions that ERB is trying out for future tests. They are not scored and they are not marked, so your child should answer every question as if it counts. To see each type, with working, go to ISEE sample questions.

A stanine of 5 is the middle of the group. Because the comparison group is other applicants to independent schools, a strong student often sees a lower percentile than on a national school test: ERB itself notes the difference can be large. That is normal, and the schools know it.

What counts as a good stanine depends on the school; ERB does not publish cut-offs and most schools do not either. ISEE scores explained goes through the report line by line.

The prompt is a topic a child can answer from their own life or opinions, and there are 30 minutes to plan and write. Schools look for a clear answer to the prompt, organized paragraphs and specific details more than for long words. A tidy, honest essay of a few paragraphs is better than a long one that drifts.

Practise two or three essays before test day on prompts like the ones in the ISEE preparation guide, each in 30 minutes, then read them back with your child against the checklist there.

Rescheduling costs extra, and the amount depends on how and how late you change; at a Prometric center it rises as the date gets closer. ERB lists the current charges in its Quick Facts Guide, so check it before you book, and ask ERB or your schools about fee waivers if the cost is a barrier.

Many families applying for the following school year test in the Fall or Winter season, so scores reach schools before their deadlines. Testing early in Fall leaves room for a second sitting in Winter if the first did not reflect what your child can do. Schools may see every report you send them, so ask how they treat more than one.

Plan backward from the earliest deadline on your list, and leave six to ten weeks of steady practice before the first sitting.

The full plan, with essay prompts and a checklist, is in how to prepare for the ISEE.