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The ISEE stands for Independent School Entrance Exam. The ISEE was developed by the Educational Records Bureau (ERB) for its member schools as part of their admission process. Like other standardized tests, the purpose of the ISEE is to establish a standard method of measurement for the skills that have been acquired by school applicants.
Founded in 1927, the ERB’s mission is to create testing and learning solutions that help schools develop improved curriculum, teaching, and learning through diagnosis of assessment results that address essential learning standards. The ISEE has four levels:
If a student is applying to a private school, there is a good chance that the school will require students to submit standardized test results. The two most frequently accepted tests are the ISEE and SSAT. Students should check with the schools to which they are applying which tests the schools accept or require. If the school accepts both the ISEE and SSAT, then students should take a practice test of each to determine which test fits them best.
To determine which test to take, students should take a diagnostic of both to see which one fits them best.
Note: Because the ISEE can only be taken once in any given testing season (Fall: August t0 November. Winter: December to March. Spring: April to July), students are likely to only have one try on the ISEE when they are fully prepared for it. There is variability in any test date: Students could have a good or bad day, the content tested on that test date might fit them particularly well or not, etc. Given that variability, there’s higher risk inherent with going with the ISEE. For that reason, if a student scores significantly higher on the ISEE, they should prepare for the ISEE. If they only score slightly higher on the ISEE diagnostic, then it’s still safer for them to prepare for the SSAT, because they can easily take the SSAT multiple times. And, if a student does prepare for the ISEE, they still might want to register for and take an SSAT as a back-up, just in case they get unlucky on the ISEE test day and the test does not go as planned.
Students cannot use a calculator on any portion of this exam (unless they have special accommodations that require them to be able to do so).
Students in 1st, 2nd, and 3rd grade take the Primary Level 1, 2, and 3 exams for entrance into the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th grades.
Note: Students applying only to schools located in New York City do not participate in the essay section because New York City schools do not require this portion of the exam.
For students in 1st grade applying to 2nd grade.
| Section | Number of Questions | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Auditory Comprehension | 6 | 7 minutes |
| Reading | 18 | 20 minutes |
| Break | 0 | 5-10 minutes |
| Mathematics | 24 | 26 minutes |
| Writing Sample | 1 picture prompt | No time limit |
| Total | 49 | 53 minutes + break + essay |
For students in 2nd grade applying to 3rd grade.
| Section | Number of Questions | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Reading | 24 | 28 minutes |
| Break | 0 | 5-10 minutes |
| Mathematics | 24 | 26 minutes |
| Writing Sample | 1 picture prompt | No time limit |
| Total | 49 | 54 minutes + break + essay |
For students in 3rd grade applying to 4th grade
| Section | Number of Questions | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Reading | 28 | 30 minutes |
| Break | 0 | 5-10 minutes |
| Mathematics | 28 | 30 minutes |
| Writing Sample | 1 prompt | No time limit |
| Total | 57 | 60 minutes + break + essay |
| Section | Number of Questions | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Verbal Reasoning | 34 | 20 minutes |
| Quantitative Reasoning | 38 | 35 minutes |
| Break | 0 | 5-10 minutes |
| Reading Comprehension | 25 | 25 minutes |
| Mathematics Achievement | 30 | 30 minutes |
| Break | 0 | 5-10 minutes |
| Essay | 1 prompt | 30 minutes |
| Total | 128 | 2 hr and 20 min + two breaks |
Students in 6th and 7th grade for entrance into 7th and 8th grade, respectively.
| Section | Number of Questions | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Verbal Reasoning | 40 | 20 minutes |
| Quantitative Reasoning | 37 | 35 minutes |
| Break | 0 | 5-10 minutes |
| Reading Comprehension | 36 | 35 minutes |
| Mathematics Achievement | 47 | 40 minutes |
| Break | 0 | 5-10 minutes |
| Essay | 1 prompt | 30 minutes |
| Total | 161 | 2 hr and 40 min + two breaks |
Students in 8th, 9th, and 10th grade for entrance into 9th, 10th, and 11th grade, respectively.
| Section | Number of Questions | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Verbal Reasoning | 40 | 20 minutes |
| Quantitative Reasoning | 37 | 35 minutes |
| Break | 0 | 5-10 minutes |
| Reading Comprehension | 36 | 35 minutes |
| Mathematics Achievement | 47 | 40 minutes |
| Break | 0 | 5-10 minutes |
| Essay | 1 prompt | 30 minutes |
| Total | 161 | 2 hr and 40 min + two breaks |
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