All you need to know about ISEE
What is ISEE?
The Independent School Entrance Exam (ISEE) is a standardized test developed by the Educational Records Bureau (ERB) for its member schools as part of the admissions process. Created by Measurement Incorporated in collaboration with the ERB and faculty from ERB member schools, the ISEE assesses the abilities of students seeking to enroll in independent schools, from Grade 2 to 12, both nationally and internationally. The ISEE evaluates each applicant's reasoning and achievement skills compared to other students in the same grade.
Which Schools Accept ISEE?
ISEE is accepted by over 1,200 independent schools worldwide, primarily high schools following the American system, including international schools like Taipei American School. These schools require the ISEE for all applicants from Grade 4 and above. For more information, visit erblearn.org.
Where to Take the ISEE?
When is the ISEE?
The ISEE is usually administered multiple times a month on Saturdays, but actual dates vary by test center. Check the schedule here.
The Independent School Entrance Exam (ISEE) is a standardized test developed by the Educational Records Bureau (ERB) for its member schools as part of the admissions process. Created by Measurement Incorporated in collaboration with the ERB and faculty from ERB member schools, the ISEE assesses the abilities of students seeking to enroll in independent schools, from Grade 2 to 12, both nationally and internationally. The ISEE evaluates each applicant's reasoning and achievement skills compared to other students in the same grade.
Which Schools Accept ISEE?
ISEE is accepted by over 1,200 independent schools worldwide, primarily high schools following the American system, including international schools like Taipei American School. These schools require the ISEE for all applicants from Grade 4 and above. For more information, visit erblearn.org.
Where to Take the ISEE?
- ERB Member Schools
- 400+ Prometric Sites Worldwide: Families should be aware that other students and adults may be taking different types of tests at these centers. A parent or guardian is required to stay on-site with the student for the duration of the test.
- ERB Offices in New York and Los Angeles: Paper-based only.
When is the ISEE?
The ISEE is usually administered multiple times a month on Saturdays, but actual dates vary by test center. Check the schedule here.
What does TrinityScholar offer for ISEE?
What Does Trinity Scholar Offer for ISEE?
Why Choose Trinity Scholar ISEE Prep?
- 1-on-1 Tutoring: Customized tutor program with veteran instructors, including materials and hours of your choice.
- Customized Groups: Tailored tutoring for groups of three or more students.
Why Choose Trinity Scholar ISEE Prep?
- Interactive and small classes provide personalized teaching focused on key concepts and exam strategies.
- Exclusive US course materials, including test-taking strategies and practice questions.
- Trinity Scholar practice tests to help students familiarize themselves with the test and identify strengths and weaknesses.
- Invaluable strategies to improve scores in verbal reasoning, reading comprehension, and math sections.
- Designed to enhance overall academic ability, forming a strong foundation for boarding school years.
Different Levels of Tests
The ISEE has four levels, Primary, Lower, Middle, and Upper. All levels of the ISEE test include both reading and mathematics multiple-choice questions as well as a writing prompt*. The number of questions and test timing vary by level. (*New York City schools do not require Primary Level students the writing sample.)
The Primary 2 Exam is
- Given to students applying for entering Grade 2
- available as an online administration only
- Total 53 minutes long, with 48 questions and one writing sample
- 6 Auditory Comprehension questions in 7 minutes
- 18 Reading questions in 20 minutes
- 24 Mathematics questions in 26 minutes
- one untimed Writing Sample with 1 picture prompt
The Primary 3 Exam is
- Given to students applying for entering to Grade 3
- available as an online administration only
- Total 54 minutes long, with 48 questions and one writing sample
- 24 Reading questions in 28 minutes
- 24 Mathematics questions in 26 minutes
- one untimed Writing Sample with 1 picture prompt
The Primary 4 Exam is
- Given to students applying for entering to Grade 4
- available as an online administration only
- Total 60 minutes long, with 56 questions and one writing sample
- 28 Reading questions in 30 minutes
- 28 Mathematics questions in 30 minutes
- one untimed Writing Sample with 1 picture prompt
The Lower Level Exam is
- given to students applying for entrance to Grade 5-6.
- It is 2 hours and 20 minutes long. Both online and paper based test are available.
- There's practice test on the website or by clicking below to download
The Middle / Upper Level Exam is
- given to students applying for entrance to Grade 7 and 8 while the Upper Level Exam is given to Grade 9 to 12
- Both have same number of questions and last 2 hours & 40 minutes
- Both are available in online and paper based.
- There's practice test on the website or by clicking below to download
|
Section |
Number of Questions |
Time |
|
Verbal Reasoning |
34 |
20 minutes |
|
Quantitative Reasoning |
38 |
35 minutes |
|
Break |
|
5-10 minutes |
|
Reading Comprehension |
25 |
25 minutes |
|
Mathematics Achievement |
30 |
30 minutes |
|
Break |
|
5-10 minutes |
|
Essay |
1 |
30 minutes |
|
Section |
Number of Questions |
Time |
|
Verbal Reasoning |
40 |
20 minutes |
|
Quantitative Reasoning |
37 |
35 minutes |
|
Break |
|
5-10 minutes |
|
Reading Comprehension |
36 |
35 minutes |
|
Mathematics Achievement |
47 |
40 minutes |
|
Break |
|
5-10 minutes |
|
Essay |
1 |
30 minutes |
Test Formats
The ISEE is available in both online and paper formats. Both formats have the same number of questions, timing, and the opportunity for students to change their answers within a test section.
Online Tests
Online Tests
- Available for all levels
- Test questions and multiple-choice responses are presented and marked on a testing device
- The essay portion is typed
- Scratch paper and pencils are provided by the test site
- Available for students entering Grades 5-12 (Lower, Middle, and Upper Levels)
- Test questions are presented in a test booklet; multiple-choice responses are bubbled on a separate answer document
- Blank space in the test booklet can be used as scratch paper
- The essay is handwritten in the space provided on the answer sheet
How to Register ISEE
Register online for all test centers. Phone registration is available at 1 (800) 446-0320 or (919) 956-8524, except for Prometric centers, and has a $25 higher fee. Prometric sites offer online administration and are available for students entering grades 5-12. A parent or guardian must stay on-site for the test duration.
ISEE test dates and registration fees vary by year and location. Check the website for updates. Fees range from $125 to $245, depending on the registration and testing methods. Walk-in registration is available at limited test sites with an additional $40 fee. Rescheduling fees, cancellation fees, and refunds vary by location and advance notice.
For fee waivers, contact the school(s) to which the candidate is applying. Parents or guidance counselors can set up an account with several independent accounts for different students.
ISEE test dates and registration fees vary by year and location. Check the website for updates. Fees range from $125 to $245, depending on the registration and testing methods. Walk-in registration is available at limited test sites with an additional $40 fee. Rescheduling fees, cancellation fees, and refunds vary by location and advance notice.
For fee waivers, contact the school(s) to which the candidate is applying. Parents or guidance counselors can set up an account with several independent accounts for different students.
About the Score Report
Individual Student Reports (ISR) are released online to the parent's account, ERB schools, and/or consultants listed as recipients. Scores from online tests are ready in 3-5 days; scores from paper tests are ready in 5-10 days. The score report provides information about the student's performance on each section of the ISEE, except the unscored essay, which is shared with the schools to which the student is applying.
ISEE scores are reported in four ways in the Test Profile:
There is no penalty for incorrect answers.
ISEE scores are reported in four ways in the Test Profile:
- Scaled Score: Ranges from 760 to 940.
- Percentile Rank: Compares the student against other students.
- Stanines: A nine-point scale for normalized test scores.
- Stanine Analysis: Represents the percentiles.
There is no penalty for incorrect answers.
Sending Score Reports
Families automatically receive their student's score report and can choose to share it with schools. To share scores, add the desired school to the student's score recipient list at registration or after viewing the report. There is no extra charge for adding schools before or after the report is generated.
Only complete score reports can be sent to a school. Manage your student's school score recipient list online through your parent account. There is a $25 fee to manage the list by phone by calling ISEE Operations at 1 (800) 446-0320 or (919) 956-8524.
Only complete score reports can be sent to a school. Manage your student's school score recipient list online through your parent account. There is a $25 fee to manage the list by phone by calling ISEE Operations at 1 (800) 446-0320 or (919) 956-8524.