Independent School Entrance Examination
ISEE Test Practice 2025


The Independent School Entrance Examination (ISEE) is a standardized test composed of a set of multiple-choice questions and a written test. It is used for entry to private elementary and secondary schools. You’ll have to take this test if you want to attend an elite private middle or high school.

Since ISEE helps assess students to be admitted to private middle and high schools, different test levels are given depending on what grade you are in your education. The Upper Level is intended for candidates in Grade 9 and above. The Middle Level is for students in grades 7 and 8 and the Lower Level for students in grades 5 and 6.

How long is the ISEE test? All three ISEE levels can be done online or in the conventional pencil/paper format. The entire exam lasts a little shorter than three hours, in which you will be working on five various sections. The writing sample is unscored. The remaining four portions of the test will be graded, and the performance sheet will display the scaled scores.

No matter what level of the exam you are taking, the ISEE will always measure the same sections, but there are some variations within the sections depending on the level of the examination. The exam also requires an unscored essay that is sent to the colleges that you apply for.

 

Take the ISEE Practice Test Online!

ISEE Test Structure and Format

The ISEE exam is composed of five different portions: ISEE Verbal Reasoning, Quantitative Reasoning, Reading Comprehension, Mathematics Achievement, and Essay. The three levels use the same scale of ranking. Students are given four scaled scores ranging from 760 to 940.

There are several significant differences between the Lower, Middle, and Upper Level exams. There are, however, some variations in the content; for example, vocabulary on the Middle Level test is less difficult than on the Upper Level test. The Middle and Upper Level assessments incorporate the same basic ISEE mathematical concepts (algebra, geometry, arithmetic, charts, and graphs). However, the Middle Level Test would naturally ask a little easier questions than the Upper Level Test. The Lower Level test is 20 minutes shorter than the others.

● ISEE Lower Level Test

SectionsNumber of ItemsDuration
Verbal Reasoning34 questions20 minutes
Quantitative Reasoning38 questions35 minutes
Reading Comprehension25 questions25 minutes
Mathematics Achievement30 questions30 minutes
Essay (ungraded)1 essay topic30 minutes

● ISEE Middle Level Test

SectionsNumber of ItemsDuration
Verbal Reasoning40 questions20 minutes
Quantitative Reasoning37 questions35 minutes
Reading Comprehension36 questions35 minutes
Mathematics Achievement47 questions40 minutes
Essay (ungraded)1 essay topic30 minutes

● ISEE Upper Level Test

SectionsNumber of ItemsDuration
Verbal Reasoning40 questions20 minutes
Quantitative Reasoning37 questions35 minutes
Reading Comprehension36 questions35 minutes
Mathematics Achievement47 questions40 minutes
Essay (ungraded)1 essay topic30 minutes

ISEE Scoring System

Generally, ISEE scores show what a student has progressively learned over a time period. The score report gives an overview of the student’s performance of each sub-test relative to that of students in the same grade throughout the last three years. The ISEE test results also details the performance of the student on each exam subdivided by subsection. All ratings are translated to grade-appropriate “stanine,” which is the percentile scale. Essays are unscored; however, schools will still obtain a copy of it.

                Sections

Lower Scaled

Scores Range

Middle Scaled

Scores Range

Upper Scaled

Scores Range

Verbal Reasoning760-903782-926797-935
Quantitative Reasoning766-911791-927815-940
Reading Comprehension764-913799-940825-940
Mathematics Achievement769-899774-907806-940

Scale scores and percentile rankings don’t really count for admissions. The percentile rank is converted into stanines, which range from 1 to 9, with 1 being the lowest and 9 the highest. Around 50% of students would score 5 in any section — over 5 is above average and below 5 is below average. These stanine ratings are what the admissions committees are concerned about.

While raw to scaled score conversions and percentiles may differ slightly depending on when the ISEE was taken, percentile to stanine conversions are still the same. Below is the official breakdown:

Percentile RankStanine
1-31
4-102
11-223
23-394
40-595
60-766
77-887
89-958
96-999

ISEE Registration

To register for the ISEE test online, you must:

       1. Visit the ISEE website, www.iseetest.org.
       2. Set up an online account.
       3. Register for the ISEE.
       4. Select preferred ISEE test site school or Prometric Test Center in your area.

Students can sign up to take the ISEE one time during one or all of the three exam seasons. The ISEE test seasons are characterized as Fall (August – November), Winter (December – March), and Spring/Summer (April – July). Families don’t have to choose schools to obtain ISEE scores at the time of registering; they can add them at no extra cost after the test has been scored. The regular registration period for the ISEE is three weeks prior to the actual test date. The ISEE test registration fee varies by area and test day and can be paid through Visa, MasterCard, American Express, or through check.

● Late Registration

You can register at www.iseetest.org within one week after the official registration date is closed (up to two weeks prior to the ISEE test date). Late registration fees range from $145 (online) to $170 (by phone).

● Walk-in Registration

Walk-in enrolment is applicable at a limited amount of ISEE test sites on a first-come, first-served basis and cannot be guaranteed given the limitations on testing materials and personnel. There is an extra $40 charge for this service. If you are an applicant for a walk-in application, you should contact the school on the testing site directly to see if you could be accommodated.

 

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Best ISEE Test Prep Online and Tips

The ISEE exam tests even the smartest of graduates. Questions are hard, competition is tough, and the exam also covers advanced material not yet learned at school. By reviewing in an effective yet comprehensive manner and taking advantage of the variety of available ISEE resources, you can find holes or deficiencies in your ISEE knowledge and work to fill them; you can choose to take free practice tests organized by concept for each portion of the ISEE. The duration of the exam can be quite frightening, so here are a few tips that will make the students’ minds more comfortable:

1. Before reading the answer choices, come up with your own answers. The traps of the test are not in the questions  but in the answers. Avoid falling into the test makers trap by thinking of your own answer before reading the choices provided. Once you have determined your answer, pick the answer option closest to the one you’ve come up with.

2. Reading helps hone your brain, broaden your knowledge, increase your people’s understanding, extend your ISEE vocabulary practice, and improve your thinking skills. Make sure you read high-quality ISEE test prep books regularly like best ISEE prep books. Consider exploring a few that can improve your reading.

3. As you read, search for the meaning of unfamiliar words. Learning words in context will help you to remember what these words mean when you see them again at the ISEE.

4. Make yourself familiar with the format of the test and how it is scored. Take some time to review the sample tests so that you know how and what questions you would expect in the test.

5. The set of questions and the length of each segment varies depending on your grade, although the essay is always 30 minutes long. Do research in your ISEE test preparation to know how much time you will get and know what to expect. Make sure you’ve got time to do each segment and plan accordingly. It means that if you get stuck on a question, guess, and move forward. Don’t spend a considerable amount of time on a single question.

6. There is no deduction for an incorrect answer, and given that the test is a multiple-choice, there is no need to leave anything unmarked. If you don’t know the answer, make smart assumptions whenever possible or use the elimination process. Keep an eye on the time. If you run out of time on a segment, make sure that you put answers, or casually fill in the answers to the remaining questions. After all, you have a 1 in 4 luck of choosing the right one!

7. Prepare yourself physically and mentally for the test day by:

       ● Taking free ISEE practice test online or enrolling yourself in an ISEE tutoring session.
       ● Taking a day off before the test.
       ● Getting a good night’s sleep.
       ● Eating a good breakfast.
       ● Wearing comfortable clothes.
       ● Wearing a watch to help keep you on track with time management.
       ● Bringing extra pencils.
       ● Leaving your cell phone at home to avoid the risk of invalidating your ISEE test score.

 

ISEE Practice Test PDF

ISEE is a test that evaluates everything you’ve learnt in school throughout the years. It’s fine if the ISEE contains questions you’re unfamiliar with and don’t know how to answer. Remember that kids from all grade levels will be taking the same test. Taking practice tests allows you to become more comfortable with the content, style, and format of the test. We recommend taking a free ISEE test if you are looking for study materials such as ISEE middle level practice test PDF, ISEE lower level practice test PDF, and ISEE higher level practice test PDF for your preparation. Regular practice can help you improve and keep your material understanding as well as your test-taking abilities. Taking one practice exam every week or every other week, depending on how near your test date is, is one advised study schedule. 

 

ISEE Questions and Answers

What is ISEE?

The ISEE, or “Independent School Entrance Exam,” evaluates a student’s abilities and compares them to those of other students in the same grade. It’s one way of determining an applicant’s qualifications for admission to high-achieving private schools.

What is ISEE test?

The Independent School Entrance Examination (ISEE) is a standardized test composed of a set of multiple-choice questions and a written test. It is used for entry to private elementary and secondary schools. You’ll have to take this test if you want to attend an elite private middle or high school.

What is a good score on the ISEE?

Most schools will accept students with a score of 5 or higher, while some elite private schools require applicants to have an ISEE exam score of 7 or above.

How long is the ISEE test?

All three ISEE levels can be done online or in the conventional pencil/paper format. The entire exam lasts a little shorter than three hours, in which you will be working on five various sections. The writing sample is unscored. The remaining four portions of the test will be graded, and the performance sheet will display the scaled scores.

How long for ISEE test results?

Depending on the test delivery method, score results are accessible between 2 and 10 days after the test.

What to bring to the ISEE?

The ISEE test can be taken either online or on paper, and each has its own set of criteria. Both types of tests need you to bring a verification letter as well as the student’s identity. A library card, a birth certificate, a social security card, a school report card, a school ID, or a passport or green card can all be used as identification. Unless the test is taken at a Prometric testing center, which needs originals as well as identification from the student’s parent or guardian, copies of these documents are acceptable. Bring four Number 2 pencils (and four erasers if the pencils don’t come with them) and two black or blue ballpoint pens if you’re taking the paper test (erasable pens are permitted).

How long is the lower level ISEE?

It lasts for two hours and twenty minutes.

What is ISEE middle level?

Students applying to grades 6–8 take the Middle Level ISEE. The Middle Level ISEE is given both on paper and on the computer.

How to study for ISEE?

To do well on the ISEE, you must prepare thoroughly. The easiest method to do well on the ISEE exam is to plan ahead of time and stick to it. Before taking the test, you should prepare by practicing ISEE practice test and studying various questions related to each test section.

How many questions are on the ISEE test?

This section of the ISEE test consists of 40 questions.

Is ISEE or SSAT harder?

The SSAT’s verbal component is harder than the ISEE’s, but the ISEE’s math section is harder. The passages on the SSAT include both nonfiction and fiction in the reading comprehension component, but the ISEE exclusively examines nonfiction.

What to expect on the ISEE test?

Verbal Reasoning, Quantitative Reasoning, Reading Comprehension, Mathematics Achievement, and an Essay written by the student in his or her own handwriting in response to a specific writing topic are the five sections that make up the ISEE (in sequence of testing).

What to expect on the ISEE upper level?

  • Verbal Reasoning — The Verbal Reasoning part consists of 40 questions with a 20-minute time limit.
  • Quantitative Reasoning – There are 37 questions in this portion that must be answered in 35 minutes.
  • Reading Comprehension – There are 36 questions in the Reading Comprehension portion, with a time limit of 35 minutes.

Are calculators allowed on the ISEE?

The ISEE allows students to bring a basic calculator with them. There are no graphing calculators allowed.

How long is the ISEE test for middle school?

The Middle Level and Upper Level tests are both 2 hours and 40 minutes long and include the same amount of questions.

How many times can you take the ISEE exam?

Students may take the ISEE three times in a 12-month admission cycle, once in each of the three testing seasons.

How to interpret ISEE test scores?

Always consider the “stanine” score while evaluating ISEE results. You may get a rough estimate of this score by taking the percentage of questions answered correctly on any section and translating the figure to the stanine score in the tens place.

How to study ISEE vocabulary?

Reading is the most effective approach to expand your vocabulary. You don’t have to read a boring textbook, but you should choose an intriguing book that is appropriate for your grade.

Set a weekly reading target of a specified number of pages or minutes. Your vocabulary and reading comprehension will improve if you read a fascinating but demanding material on a regular basis.

What does ISEE test stand for?

ISEE stand for Independent School Entrance Examination

What do ISEE scores mean?

ISEE scores are one scientifically proven measure used by ERB member institutions, including the ones your student is applying to, to make admission decisions, in addition to other criteria judged significant for acceptance to their school.

What is the difference between ISEE and SSAT?

ISEE and SSAT are standardized tests used in private US and international elementary, middle, and high schools. While there are parallels between the two tests, they differ in terms of content, guessing approach, test dates, and scoring. The choice between the ISEE and the SSAT is dependent on a variety of variables, including your strengths (for example, students who excel in arithmetic should prioritize the ISEE), the accepted exam in your intended private school, and the number of times you wish to take the tests. Finally, the decision to take the ISEE or SSAT, like the decision to apply to an independent school, is a personal one.

When do you get ISEE results?

ISEE scores are automatically delivered to the institutions you’ve selected, and most students receive their ISEE test scores within seven to ten business days of taking the test. Raw and Scaled Scores Students will earn a scaled score ranging from 760 to 940 for each component.

How hard is the ISEE?

The ISEE is a difficult test, with each level—Lower, Middle, and Upper—designed to push students across different grade levels. As a result, there will be some content on the test that you will not be expected to know. Keep in mind that you will only be judged against students in your grade level.

How is the ISEE essay scored?

The ISEE essay is not graded, and the schools that review it are unlikely to give it a grade.

How long is ISEE test upper level?

The ISEE Upper Level lasts 2 hours and 40 minutes, not including two breaks, and is for students applying to grades 9-12.

How long is the ISEE test for high school?

The ISEE test lasts three hours and is divided into five sections: Verbal Reasoning, Quantitative Reasoning, Reading Comprehension, Math Achievement, and an Essay.

How to ace the ISEE?

The answer is, as usual, smart preparation! Students who have been preparing for this test for over a year. This allows them to review content that REINFORCES their present grade level, which is beneficial when dealing with several grade levels. Because the ISEE is such a long exam, students should prepare not just for the content, but also for how to function under test conditions.

How to calculate ISEE?

Current ISEE is calculated using the last 12 months’ earnings (or 2 months, in that case the income will be multiplied by INPS – the Italian Social Security Institute – by six to put it in scale with the entire year).

How to send ISEE scores to schools?

Your ERB parent account is the most convenient way to access, manage, and send scores.

How to use ISEE password recovery?

iSeePassword Windows Password Recovery is a program that may be used to recover or reset admin passwords on any computer running Windows. iSeePassword’s Windows password recovery application works with all versions of Windows, including Windows 2000, XP, Vista, 7, 8, and 10.

What is a good ISEE score for 6th grade?

A Stanine Score of 7, 8, or 9 is considered a strong ISEE score. Scores of 4, 5, and 6 are regarded ordinary, while 1, 2, and 3 are considered below average.

What is a good stanine score on ISEE?

A stanine is a number between 1 and 9, with 5 being the halfway. Stanines are calculated by segmenting the complete range of students’ scores into nine segments; what constitutes a “excellent” ISEE score varies per school.

What to expect on the ISEE book?

Explains how to take the ISEE exam to a student. It has lesson plans that instructors can use to review with their pupils, and it has realistic practice examinations. It includes three practice tests: one for lower levels, one for middle levels, and one for upper levels.

What to expect on the ISEE lower level?

Through synonyms and sentence completion, the Verbal Reasoning component tests reasoning and vocabulary.

What to expect on the ISEE middle level?

ISEE Middle Level Exam The Independent School Entrance Exam (ISEE) for grades 7 and 8 is a national entrance exam used by independent schools to assess a potential student’s strengths in all of the fundamental academic skills required to achieve in their educational goals. ISEE Middle Level Flashcards ISEE Middle Level Study Guide.

When is the ISEE test given?

The ISEE tests are divided into three periods, with each period allowing a student to take the exam just once. The ISEE test sessions are as follows: Fall: August to November.

What is the average ISEE score?

The average ISEE test taker scores in the 50th percentile and has a stanine score of 5. Scores/percentiles that are greater than this are considered above average, while those that are lower are considered below average. A little more than half (54%) of students who take the ISEE obtain a score in the intermediate range of 4-6.

Which is better ISEE or SSAT?

If your child is more analytically minded, the ISEE may be a better fit. Consider the SSAT if your child excels in both verbal and written skills. The SSAT’s verbal component is more difficult than the ISEE’s, and the ISEE’s math section is more difficult than the SSAT’s.