ISEE
Taken in a digital format or on paper, the ISEE is a 2-hour and 40 min test used as an entrance exam by many independent middle schools and high schools across the U.S. There are three ISEE test levels. The specific test you take depends on the student’s grade level. Regardless of level, each test covers vocabulary, math, reading comprehension, and writing.
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Likely the first high-stakes test that middle schoolers will take, the ISEE presents a range of challenges that we help to demystify. Our ISEE students have been granted admission to many of the top private schools in the country. See our tutoring process below.
TUTORING PROCESS
Assessment
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We formulate a customized approach by getting to know our students on a deep level, including their personalities, learning styles, knowledge base, and test prep history.
Test-Taking Basics
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After the initial assessment, a student meets with their tutor for a few sessions to gain basic test-taking skills and to learn the format of the ISEE.
Diagnostic Test
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Once students have acquired basic test-taking skills and familiarity, we administer a practice test.
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We prefer to do this after introducing students to the test because it provides a clearer “diagnostic” score than if the student took this test with zero guardrails.
Curriculum Design
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Students analyze their diagnostic test results with their tutor.
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Then tutors and students co-design a curriculum best suited to their needs and progress.
Homework
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Independent practice is vital to success. Students are assigned homework after every session.
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The best results come from daily contact with test material, even in small chunks.
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Homework assignments vary depending on the student, but we establish a high standard of regular independent practice and have methods to hold students accountable.
Practice Tests
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Our goal is for students to begin their official ISEE on test day with the relaxed yet focused feeling of “Oh, I’ve done this all before.”
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Toward that end, we administer frequent practice tests along the test curriculum. These tests simulate the testing experience and provide benchmarks for student progress.
Timing Strategies
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Time limits constitute one of the major challenges. The strategic approaches that tutors tailor toward each student’s specific learning styles are designed to improve time efficiency.
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Alongside the curriculum, tutors work with students to provide additional timing strategies that maximize scores.
Fine-Tuning
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Once students have finished their content curriculum, which spans a vast range of math, grammar, vocabulary, and reading comprehension topics, they continue to work on fine-tuning their strategies and deepening their knowledge of the content.
Official Test Analysis
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After each official test that a student takes, they consult with their tutors to analyze the results and all areas of improvement.
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Then we adjust the plan accordingly and guide the student to perfect their processes for the next test.
WHEN TO TAKE THE TEST
Students are only permitted to take the ISEE once during one of the test's four "seasons." We recommend that students take one test in November (at the end of the fall season) and a second test in December (at the start of the winter season) to ensure that they maximize the chance of an ideal score. This timeline also permits students to prep during the summer and fall leading up to their admissions deadlines in the early winter.
WHEN TO START TUTORING
The summer before test season is the ideal time to begin test prep for the ISEE. While some students start during the fall, starting at this time ensures that students can comfortably achieve their desired score by the November and December tests.
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SCORING
The scoring system can seem cryptic, so we break it down in detail for students and parents. In brief, the raw score (number of correct problems out of total number of problems) is converted by the test-makers into a scaled score, which adjusts for slight differences on each test. However, this score is not as important as the percentile score, which compares your student's performance to all others who have taken the test (for example, the "90th percentile" means a student scored higher than 90 percent of all students). The percentile is further converted into a "stanine score" (1-9) which represents the percentile distribution across nine ranges (for example, a stanine score of 8 represents the 89-95 percentile range). Typically, the stanine score is what schools use to determine admissions.
A question we often hear: What’s a good score?
Our answer: A good score is one in the mid-to-high range of the specific middle schools or high schools that you wish to attend. All schools report their standardized test score ranges. Our tutors help you do that research.