About the ISEE
Overview
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The ISEE (Independent School Entrance Examination) is a 3-hour test used to assess your math and verbal abilities prior to entering private school at grades 5 through 12. The test has two components: a multiple-choice segment and a 30-minute essay. There are three levels of testing: lower (for entrance into grades five and six), middle (for grades seven and eight), and upper (for grades nine-twelve).
The following information refers only to the upper level of the test. It is recommended you take the ISEE before entering grades 5, 7, or 9. The exam may only be taken once every six months, and it must be for admission to a specific school (you cannot sit for an official exam as though it were a practice test). The test includes the following sections:
Synonyms give you a capitalized word, followed by a list of four answer choices. You must select the choice that is most nearly the same in meaning as the word in capital letters.
Sentence completions ask you to choose a word or words to fill in the blank(s) in a given sentence. They test how well you can use context clues and word meanings.
Multiple-choice math questions present you with problems in arithmetic, geometry, or algebra. You choose the correct answer from four choices. Mathematics achievement questions also present you with you arithmetic, geometry, or algebra problems.
Quantitative comparisons test your skills in comparing information and estimating. You'll see two quantities, one in Column A and one in Column B. Your job is to compare them and decide if one is greater than the other, if they are equal, or if no comparison is possible.
Reading comprehension questions relate to a passage that is provided for you to read. The passage can be about almost anything, and the questions test how well you understand the information presented.
The essay portion of the test requires you to write an essay on an assigned topic. It is not scored, but it is sent to each school as a sample of your ability to express yourself in writing.
Test Dates
The ISEE can be taken either by appointment at professional testing centers or on specific dates at high schools across the United States and abroad. Check with your guidance counselor or contact the Educational Records Bureau for further details.
Test Locations
The ISEE is offered at professional testing centers and at high schools across the United States and abroad. Check with your guidance counselor or contact the Educational Records Bureau for further details.
Test Structure
| Verbal Reasoning | |
| Question Type | Number of Questions |
| Synonyms; sentence completions | 40 |
| Time Allotted: 20 minutes | |
| Quantitative Reasoning | |
| Question Type | Number of Questions |
| Arithmetic, algebra, and geometry; applications; quantitative comparisons | 35 |
| Time Allotted: 35 minutes | |
| Reading Comprehension | |
| Question Type | Number of Questions |
| Passages from the humanities, science, and social studies | 40 |
| Time Allotted: 40 minutes | |
| Mathematics Achievement | |
| Question Type | Number of Questions |
| Arithmetic, algebra, and geometry; skills; comprehension; and applications | 45 |
| Time Allotted: 40 minutes | |
| Essay | |
| Question Type | Number of Questions |
| Response to a topic | 1 |
| Time Allotted: 30 minutes | |
Scoring
Your score report, also known as an Individual Student Report (ISR), includes both scores and diagnostic results. You will receive scores for each of the multiple choice sections; the essay is not scored, but is provided to the schools to which you are applying.
