ISEE – What to expect at ISEE
The Independent School Entrance Examination (ISEE) is created by the Educational Records Bureau (ERB). It is used as a component of the admissions process at many private schools. There are three levels of testing. lower level for students who go to class 5 or 6; Intermediate level for students going to grade 7 or 8; Finally, the upper level is for students moving into grades 9 through 12. Each level tests students’ knowledge in four areas: verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning, reading comprehension, mathematical achievement, and essay writing. Although the format of each exam is the same, the material covered in the higher level exams will necessarily be more difficult than that in the lower levels. This article will discuss the material on the test, what to expect on test day, how to prepare, and how to interpret your ISEE score.
The Verbal Reasoning section of the ISEE contains three types of items: Synonyms, One-word Sentence Completion, and Sentence Completion. The next section, Quantitative Reasoning, consists of primarily logical problems. Arithmetic accounts may not be required. In the reading comprehension section, students are expected to read a passage and then identify main and supporting ideas, draw conclusions from the text, identify words based on context, determine the organization and logic of a passage, and identify tone, style, and figurative language such as personification and irony. Finally, the achievement section in Mathematics tests students on generally grade-appropriate mathematics, and problems include arithmetic, algebra, geometry, measurement, and probability. Finally, the essay is based on a prompt and is not scored, but is sent to the school to which the student is applying.
When actually taking the exam, students should be aware of its structure. Each section is timed. Times vary for the lower, middle and upper levels, so parents should find the appropriate information on the ERB website. All exams include a five-minute break for students during the exam. On test day, students must bring four #2 pencils and a black or blue pen (erasable ink allowed). Most other items, including clippings of paper, calculators, and reference materials, are not permitted. Mobile phones and other electronic devices are strictly prohibited and cannot be taken into the examination room.
Preparation is essential for success at ISEE. The ERB does not recommend preparing students for levels they do not take (eg, teaching fifth graders subject matter from the Higher Level Examination). An official guide to help students prepare for the ISEE is available on the ERB website. If a student needs further assistance, you should consider the ISEE Test Preparation Program to help consolidate the student’s knowledge and boost their confidence in their abilities prior to the test. The test preparation program will help the student learn test-taking strategies and apply them to practice tests, ideally, tests that accurately reflect the time and other constraints of the real test. Taking the ISEE can be stressful for a student and preparation will help them get the most out of it.
