Demystifying the ISEE
There is often a lot of anxiety, questions, and specific concerns surrounding the Independent School Entrance Exam – ISEE. Between peer pressure, parents, and rumors about this exam, the admissions process can appear to be far more difficult and stressful for families than it is. The exam was designed to make the application and testing universal regardless of geographical location. In order to demystify the test, let’s go over some basics to help students, and parents alike.
What is the ISEE?
This exam is designed to determine if students are ready for a school’s academic program. It is the admissions test of choice for many independent schools throughout the country. Depending on the level (Lower, Middle or Upper), the exam takes from 140 or 160 minutes to complete with two short breaks given during the test. It is composed of five sections: Verbal Reasoning, Quantitative Reasoning, Reading Comprehension, Mathematics Achievement, and an Essay prompt. The essay is not graded. It serves as a writing sample for admissions files. The first four sections are made up of multiple-choice questions. There is no penalty for guessing. Scores are normed against a group made up of students applying to independent schools who have tested over the past three years.
Is Tutoring Necessary?
To be completely transparent, tutoring is not a necessity. However, it may be shocking to some students who are in 4th or 5th grade to sit through a multi-hour test. With that being said, practice exams may be helpful in order to get your student ready to sit through the timed test. If you feel that your child struggles in certain areas like math or reading comprehension, it is perfectly acceptable to seek out tutoring.
Looking Ahead
The test results are not required to be shared with the student. The ISEE scores do not leave a permanent mark in the students’ academic file. Parents must register online for the exam prior to the September-November testing period or before the December-March testing period at ISEEtest.org. Parents should check with schools regarding when scores are required prior to registering their child. Children are not required to test at the school where they are applying. Parents must remember to select school codes on the ISEE registration site so scores are delivered in a timely matter.
For more information about the ISEE test and ISEE test preparation, visit the ISEE services pages for answers, and you may contact us at Berkeley Hall School for test and admission information.
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Located in Los Angeles, CA, Berkeley Hall School is a private, coeducational school for students in preschool through grade 8. Rigorous academics in a supportive atmosphere and grounded character development allow students to become fearless scholars and conscientious citizens - gain a love of learning, leadership with social responsibility, creativity with moral integrity, and self-esteem with compassion for others and the environment.