What's on the Isee?
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The Verbal section of the ISEE tests your knowledge of vocabulary using two different question types: synonyms and sentence completions. There are no analogies on the ISEE. The Reading Comprehension section tests your ability to read and understand short passages. These reading passages include both fiction and nonfiction. The Math sections test your knowledge of general mathematical concepts through two different question types: problem-solving questions and quantitative comparison questions. The quantitative comparison questions ask you to compare two columns of data. There are no quantitative comparison questions on the Lower Level ISEE. Remember, there is no guessing penalty on the ISEE. You should select an answer for every question.
The ISEE has three levels:
- Lower level for students in grades 4 or 5 applying for grades 5 or 6.
- Middle level for students in grades 6 or 7 applying for grades 7 or 8.
- Upper level for students in grades 8 or above applying for grades 9–12.
Each level has the same five sections, but the levels vary slightly in format.
You may take the ISEE only once within a six-month period. It’s important to note that you cannot take the ISEE for practice. It may be taken only for the purpose of submitting scores to a participating school as part of the admission process.