ISEE Upper Level practice: the format, the pace and what is harder
160 questions · 130 minutes · scored the moment you finish · no sign-up
The ISEE Upper Level is for students applying to grades 9 to 12. It has exactly the same sections, question counts and clocks as the Middle Level: Verbal Reasoning 40 questions in 20 minutes, Quantitative Reasoning 37 in 35, Reading Comprehension 36 in 35, Mathematics Achievement 47 in 40, and a 30-minute essay. The questions are pitched at older students. Our free mock below is written at Middle Level: it rehearses the Upper Level pace and question types exactly, but its vocabulary and math do not go as far.
- 9–12
- grades applied to
- 160
- questions, same as Middle
- 2 h 40
- of testing with the essay
- Middle
- level of our mock: see below
Last checked · Upper Level facts from ERB's guides, checked 13 November 2026
160
questions
130 min
time limit
Free
instant score
4 timed parts, each on its own clock: Verbal Reasoning, 40 questions in 20 minutes, then Quantitative Reasoning, 37 questions in 35 minutes, then Reading Comprehension, 36 questions in 35 minutes, then Mathematics Achievement, 47 questions in 40 minutes. A part's clock starts when you begin it, and you cannot go back to an earlier part.
By the LifeScore Editorial Team · Updated · How we check facts · How this is scored
What is on the ISEE Upper Level?
The same four scored sections and essay as the Middle Level, in the same order and on the same clocks, with questions written for applicants to high school.
ISEE levels, questions and minutes by section (ERB)
Lower
- Who takes it
- Applying to grades 5 and 6
- Verbal
- 34 in 20 min
- Quantitative
- 38 in 35 min
- Reading
- 25 in 25 min
- Math Achievement
- 30 in 30 min
- With the essay
- 2 hours 20 minutes
Middle
- Who takes it
- Applying to grades 7 and 8
- Verbal
- 40 in 20 min
- Quantitative
- 37 in 35 min
- Reading
- 36 in 35 min
- Math Achievement
- 47 in 40 min
- With the essay
- 2 hours 40 minutes
Upper
- Who takes it
- Applying to grades 9 to 12
- Verbal
- 40 in 20 min
- Quantitative
- 37 in 35 min
- Reading
- 36 in 35 min
- Math Achievement
- 47 in 40 min
- With the essay
- 2 hours 40 minutes
Because the structure is identical, the skills that decide pace are identical too: about 30 seconds a Verbal question, just under a minute a Quantitative or Reading question, and about 51 seconds a Mathematics Achievement question. A student who has rehearsed that rhythm on any full-length mock will not be surprised by the clock.
Is this practice test written for the Upper Level?
No, and we would rather say so. It is written at Middle Level. It matches the Upper Level exactly in sections, counts, clocks and question types, so it is a fair rehearsal of the pace, but Upper Level vocabulary, passages and math go further.
| Part of the test | Matches the Upper Level? | What to add |
|---|---|---|
| Sections, order, counts and clocks | Yes, exactly | Nothing |
| Question types (synonyms, sentence completion, quantitative comparison, passages) | Yes | Nothing |
| Vocabulary | Partly: Middle Level words | Harder word lists and wider reading |
| Reading passages | Partly: Middle Level length and style | Longer, denser nonfiction and older literature |
| Mathematics Achievement | Partly: through basic algebra and geometry | More algebra, functions and geometry from grades 8 and 9 |
| Score | No stanine from any outside test | ERB's free Upper Level guide for official examples |
For a strong Upper Level applicant, a high percent correct on our mock is a pace check, not a sign the content is covered. Use it to fix timing and unfamiliar formats early, then spend the remaining weeks on the harder material.
Rehearse the Upper Level clock four times
Four full mocks on the identical clocks and 16 section drills, every answer explained. Middle Level content, said plainly.
The ISEE Pass Pack gives you 4 full mocks on the real clock, 16 drills of 12 questions for the sections that cost you points, and a predictor that turns your mocks into the odds of reaching your target. One payment, no subscription, and your free score stays free.
Prep courses for these tests usually cost $19 to $129. The ISEE Pass Pack is US$39 (£29), once.
- 4
- timed mocks
- 16
- topic drills
- 1
- score predictor
How is the Upper Level harder than the Middle Level?
The question types are the same, but Upper Level questions are pitched at older students: less common vocabulary, longer passages with more abstract ideas, and math that goes further into algebra and geometry. Students are compared only with applicants to the same grade.
- Verbal Reasoning: expect more words from academic reading (the kind found in good newspapers and high-school texts) and closer distractors, so roots and context clues matter more.
- Quantitative Reasoning: comparisons and word problems that involve algebraic expressions more often, where testing several values is essential.
- Reading Comprehension: passages that argue rather than describe, with questions on the author's purpose, tone and how the argument is built.
- Mathematics Achievement: more multi-step algebra, linear equations and graphs, exponents and roots, and geometry with several facts combined.
Because percentiles compare each student with applicants to the same grade, a ninth-grade applicant is not ranked against eleventh-grade applicants even though they sit the same test.
How should an Upper Level student prepare?
Rehearse the clock first, then close the content gap. Take a timed full mock to find the sections where pace or formats cost points, fix those in short drills, and spend most of the remaining time on Upper Level vocabulary, reading and algebra.
- Take the free mock above, sections in order with breaks. Note blanks at the end of each section: those are pace, not knowledge.
- Drill the formats that were new, especially quantitative comparisons, on the [Middle Level practice page](/isee-middle-level-practice-test).
- Build vocabulary daily from real reading: ten words a day, each used in a sentence.
- Review algebra and geometry from the school curriculum, by hand, without a calculator.
- Work through ERB's free Upper Level "What to Expect" guide for official examples at the right difficulty.
- Write two or three timed essays using the checklist in [how to prepare for the ISEE](/how-to-prepare-for-the-isee).
How should an Upper Level student pace each section?
Know the seconds each question gets, check the clock at the halfway point of every section, and never leave a blank: wrong answers are not deducted.
| Section | Questions in minutes | Seconds a question | Halfway check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Verbal Reasoning | 40 in 20 | 30 | Question 20 by about minute 10 |
| Quantitative Reasoning | 37 in 35 | 57 | Question 19 by about minute 18 |
| Reading Comprehension | 36 in 35 | 58 | Question 18 by about minute 18 |
| Mathematics Achievement | 47 in 40 | 51 | Question 24 by about minute 20 |
Verbal Reasoning is the sprint: a word your student does not know is a quick guess and a move on, not a minute of staring. Reading Comprehension is the section most often lost to rereading, so one careful read and then answering from the lines is the habit to build. In Mathematics Achievement, the last section of a long morning, a steady rhythm and written working protect against the small slips that tiredness brings.
How are Upper Level scores reported?
The same way as every level from Lower up: a scaled score (760 to 940), a percentile and a stanine for each section, against applicants to the same grade over the past three years. The essay goes to the schools unscored.
High schools see the four stanines alongside transcripts, recommendations, the interview and the essay. As at every level, there is no pass mark. ISEE scores explained shows how to read the report, and why percentiles there often look lower than on a national test.
A student can test once in each testing season, so up to three times a year. The ISEE test guide lists the seasons and fees.
Frequently asked questions
Who takes the ISEE Upper Level?
Is the Upper Level longer than the Middle Level?
Do you have an Upper Level mock?
Is a calculator allowed at Upper Level?
Will this tell me my child's stanine or percentile?
Is this the real ISEE?
Fix the pace, then the content
Four full ISEE-style mocks on the Upper Level's identical clocks, 16 section drills and every answer explained, in one payment.
The ISEE Pass Pack gives you 4 full mocks on the real clock, 16 drills of 12 questions for the sections that cost you points, and a predictor that turns your mocks into the odds of reaching your target. One payment, no subscription, and your free score stays free.
Prep courses for these tests usually cost $19 to $129. The ISEE Pass Pack is US$39 (£29), once.
- 4
- timed mocks
- 16
- topic drills
- 1
- score predictor