What is the ISEE?
The
Independent School Entrance Examination, also known as the ISEE, is the
leading admissions test for entry into private middle schools and high
schools in the US. To be considered for any of the top tier independent
schools in the US, the ISEE is the test that students will need to do well on.
What grade and age does it test for?
The ISEE has four levels, which test different age groups and grades:
Primary Level: Applicants to grades 2 through 4
Lower Level: Applicants to grades 5 and 6
Middle Level: Applicants to grades 7 and 8
Upper Level: Applicants to grades 9 through 12
What is the ISEE Test Format?
The Lower, Middle and Upper level
all have a similar format, differing only in difficulty and length.
They are comprised of 4 multiple-choice sections followed by a
hand-written essay section. All multiple-choice questions have four
answer choices.
Verbal Reasoning:
Vocabulary
& Sentence Completion. The vocabulary tests students on their
ability to recognize abstract words and identify an appropriate synonym
from four possible answer choices.
Mathematics Achievement:
This
section tests Mathematical knowledge and application, requiring
students to identify problems and use one or more steps to calculate the
answer.
Quantitative Reasoning:
Quantitative
word problems and comparisons. These problems are designed to test a
student’s aptitude for mathematical reasoning, requiring basic
calculation or simply inference.
Reading Comprehension:
This
section requires students to read a passage and then answer several
multiple-choice questions about the passage. Depending on the level,
there can be anywhere between 5 and 6 different passages, with topics
ranging from arts and history to science.
(This section is not scored by the ERB, rather it is sent direct to your selected school/s.)
Essay:
Vocabulary
& Sentence Completion. The vocabulary tests students on their
ability to recognize abstract words and identify an appropriate synonym
from four possible answer choices.
What is the Test length of the ISEE?
A
large part of the challenging nature of the ISEE is it’s length! For
most students, this will be the longest formalized examination they will
have taken. Students are only provided with two 5 minutes breaks; one
after the Quantitative Reasoning section and one after the Mathematics
Achievement Section.
