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ISEE (Independent School Entrance Exam)

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Complete guide to passing the ISEE (Independent School Entrance Exam) exam on your first attempt.

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Key Information at a Glance
Cost

$130-$205

Pass Rate

N/A (stanine scores)

Validity

1 year

Region

USA

Provider

ERB

Salary Impact

Private school admission

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Complete Overview

The Independent School Entrance Exam (ISEE) is an admission assessment for students applying to independent and private schools in Grades 2 through 12, and it is accepted by more than 1,200 independent schools worldwide. It is now published by E3n, the non-profit created on 1 March 2026 through the merger of the Educational Records Bureau (ERB) and the Enrollment Management Association (EMA), which also publishes the SSAT. Fees depend on the grade applied for and the testing option: registration runs USD 130 for a school-administered test for applicants to Grades 2 through 4, USD 170 for a school-administered test for applicants to Grades 5 through 12, USD 250 for a Prometric Test Center seat, and USD 250 for an at-home test proctored by E3n staff.

The ISEE has four levels, and the level is fixed by the grade a student is applying to rather than the grade they are currently in. Primary 2, Primary 3 and Primary 4 serve applicants to Grades 2, 3 and 4 and test only reading and mathematics, with an added Auditory Comprehension section at Primary 2. Lower Level covers applicants to Grades 5 and 6. Middle Level covers Grades 7 and 8, and Upper Level covers Grades 9 through 12, which makes the Upper Level a high school entrance exam. Lower, Middle and Upper each have four scored sections plus an unscored essay: Verbal Reasoning, Quantitative Reasoning, Reading Comprehension, Mathematics Achievement, and a single essay prompt.

The Middle and Upper Level tests carry 161 items in total, 160 multiple-choice questions plus one essay prompt, across 2 hours 40 minutes of timed testing and two breaks. The Lower Level carries 128 items across 2 hours 20 minutes and two breaks. Nothing is deducted for a wrong answer. E3n states students are scored only on correct answers, so there is no advantage to leaving a question blank, which is the single largest procedural difference from the SSAT, where Middle and Upper Level tests apply a quarter-point penalty for incorrect answers.

There is no pass mark. Each scored section returns a scaled score from 760 to 940, a percentile rank from 1 to 99, and a stanine from 1 to 9. Percentiles compare a student only against other applicants in the same grade who took the ISEE during the previous three years, a norm group that is stronger than the general school population. E3n advises member schools to read each section score separately rather than combining them. The essay is never scored. It goes to the schools a family designates, and families do not receive a copy of it.

Students may take the ISEE once per testing season, Fall running August through November, Winter running December through March, and Spring or Summer running April through July, for a maximum of three sittings in a school year. Score reports, called Individual Student Reports, are usually ready in three to five days after an online test and five to ten days after a paper test. The report does not tell a school how many times a student has tested in a 12-month cycle, and it does not list any other score recipients.

Why Get ISEE (Independent School Entrance Exam) Certified?

More than 1,200 independent schools worldwide accept the ISEE for admission, and E3n reports 2,260 or more member schools and over 100,000 annual family accounts across its services.

No points are deducted for a wrong answer. On the SSAT Middle and Upper Level tests a quarter point is subtracted for each incorrect answer, a difference E3n names explicitly in its own ISEE and SSAT comparison.

Students get up to three sittings in a school year, one per testing season, so a weak first attempt in October is recoverable in December or January before most score deadlines.

Four testing options exist at different price points: at school from USD 130, at home from USD 130, in a professional testing office from USD 185, and at a Prometric Test Center for USD 250.

Score turnaround is fast enough for a January or February application deadline: three to five days after an online test and five to ten days after a paper test.

Approved accommodations stay valid for 24 months from the approval date and are not flagged on the score report, so an approval obtained for one testing season carries into the next.

Fee waivers cover the full registration fee and Test Innovators preparation for eligible families. Two exist, the ISEE Universal Fee Waiver for school and at-home testing and the ISEE Prometric Fee Waiver for Prometric centres, both requested from the schools applied to rather than from E3n.

Exam Format & Structure

Duration

160 minutes (2 hours 40 minutes) of timed testing at Middle and Upper Level, plus two breaks of 5 to 10 minutes each. Lower Level is 140 minutes with two breaks. Primary 2 is 53 minutes, Primary 3 is 54 minutes and Primary 4 is 60 minutes, each with one break.

Questions

161 items at Middle and Upper Level: 160 multiple-choice questions plus 1 essay prompt. Lower Level has 128 items. Primary 2 has 48, Primary 3 has 48 and Primary 4 has 56, with no essay at any Primary level.

Passing Score

There is no passing score. Each scored section returns a scaled score from 760 to 940, a percentile rank from 1 to 99 against same-grade test takers from the previous three years, and a stanine from 1 to 9. Schools set their own expectations and E3n advises them to consider each section score separately.

Question Types

  • Verbal Reasoning synonyms
  • Verbal Reasoning sentence completions
  • Quantitative Reasoning problems that require little or no calculation, including estimation, comparison of quantities, data analysis and graphical interpretation
  • Reading Comprehension questions on passages, covering main idea, supporting ideas, inference, vocabulary in context, organisation and logic, tone, style, point of view and figurative language
  • Mathematics Achievement questions mapped to the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics strands, where calculation is expected
  • Auditory Comprehension questions at Primary 2 only, where the passage is heard rather than seen
  • One essay prompt, randomly selected per test date, unscored and sent to designated schools

Delivery Method

Four options. At school, in person, in paper or online format, group testing. At home, remotely proctored in online format only, individual testing. In a professional educational testing office, in person, paper or online, group or individual. At a Prometric Test Center, in person, online format, group testing, available for applicants to Grades 5 through 12 only. E3n states both modalities carry the same number of questions, the same timing and the same ability to change answers inside a section.

How scoring works

Score scale

Scaled scores from 760 to 940 for each scored section, reported alongside a percentile rank from 1 to 99 and a stanine from 1 to 9. Lower, Middle and Upper Level reports carry four scored sections. Primary 2, 3 and 4 reports carry two. The essay is never scored.

Score needed to pass

There is no cut score and no pass or fail. E3n publishes no minimum and advises member schools to consider each section score separately rather than combining them. What counts as competitive is set by each school's admitted-student profile, which families should ask the admission office for directly.

Roughly what that means raw

E3n does not publish a raw-to-scaled conversion table, and cannot, because the conversion changes for every form by design. The score report's Analysis area does give a breakdown of the number of questions in each section against how the student performed.

When results arrive

No unofficial score is shown at the end of the test. Individual Student Reports are usually ready in three to five days after an online administration and five to ten days after a paper administration, with E3n separately noting seven to fourteen days for paper tests taken by applicants to Grades 2 to 4. Reports post to the parent account at iseeonline.erblearn.org and an email notification is sent when they appear.

How the scale is built

Raw score is simply the number of correct answers, because nothing is deducted for a wrong answer. E3n releases new forms every year built to identical content and difficulty specifications, then creates a unique score conversion for each form so scores from different forms are fully comparable. Each multiple-choice section also contains several unscored field-test questions that may appear on future editions. Percentiles and stanines come from a norm group of same-grade ISEE takers over the previous three years.

Pacing and time budget

161 items at Middle and Upper Level: 160 multiple-choice questions plus 1 essay prompt questions in 160 minutes gives you Roughly 49 seconds per multiple-choice question overall, from 160 questions in 130 minutes of multiple-choice time. By section at Middle and Upper Level: 30 seconds per Verbal Reasoning question, about 57 seconds per Quantitative Reasoning question, about 58 seconds per Reading Comprehension question, and about 51 seconds per Mathematics Achievement question. per question.

Minute 10 of Verbal Reasoning

20 of the 40 Verbal Reasoning questions. This is the fastest section in the test and stalling on one synonym costs two other questions.

Minute 18 of Quantitative Reasoning

19 of the 37 Quantitative Reasoning questions, the halfway point of a 35-minute section.

Minute 18 of Reading Comprehension

18 of the 36 Reading Comprehension questions, roughly half the passages, with 17 minutes left for the rest.

Minute 20 of Mathematics Achievement

24 of the 47 Mathematics Achievement questions. Being behind here matters most, because this is the longest section and the last multiple-choice section before the essay.

Minute 5 of the essay

A finished plan, leaving 22 minutes to write and 3 minutes to proofread inside the fixed 30-minute allowance.

  • Sections are timed separately and strictly. Time saved in Verbal Reasoning cannot be carried into Quantitative Reasoning, so a section finished early is finished, not banked.
  • Never leave a blank. There is no deduction for a wrong answer, so with 30 seconds gone on a hard item the correct move is to mark a guess and move on.
  • Use skip-and-return inside a section. E3n endorses moving on and returning to skipped items if time allows, and both paper and online formats let you change answers within the section you are in.
  • Do not calculate your way through Quantitative Reasoning. E3n states its questions require little or no calculation, so long arithmetic is a sign the intended shortcut was missed.
  • Mathematics Achievement holds 47 of the 160 multiple-choice questions, more than any other section. A pacing failure there costs more marks than the same failure anywhere else.
  • The two breaks of 5 to 10 minutes fall after Quantitative Reasoning and after Mathematics Achievement. Snacks and drinks may only be consumed then, unless an accommodation says otherwise.

Where the marks are

Mathematics Achievement

not published; 47 of the 160 multiple-choice questions at Middle and Upper Level

The longest section and the only one where calculation is expected. Questions map to the NCTM strands and some require knowing the mathematical terminology those standards use.

Verbal Reasoning

not published; 40 of the 160 multiple-choice questions at Middle and Upper Level

Only synonyms and sentence completions, but 40 questions in 20 minutes gives 30 seconds each. Vocabulary breadth and root recognition decide it, and it is the slowest section to improve.

Quantitative Reasoning

not published; 37 of the 160 multiple-choice questions at Middle and Upper Level

Tests mathematical thinking rather than learned content: estimation, comparing quantities, logic, data analysis, graphical interpretation and measurement, with little or no calculation required.

Reading Comprehension

not published; 36 of the 160 multiple-choice questions at Middle and Upper Level

Passage questions cover main and supporting ideas, inference, vocabulary in context, organisation and logic, and tone, style, point of view and figurative language, which is the hardest cluster for most applicants.

Guessing discipline

not published; affects every one of the 160 multiple-choice questions

Nothing is deducted for a wrong answer, so every blank is a guaranteed zero that a guess could have converted. Students crossing over from SSAT preparation lose marks to a penalty that does not exist here.

The 30-minute essay

not published; 1 prompt, unscored, at Lower, Middle and Upper Level

It carries no score but goes to every designated school. Admission teams read it for clarity of expression, grammar and spelling, and many compare it against other application writing to confirm authorship.

Auditory Comprehension

not published; 6 of the 48 questions at Primary 2 only

The student hears a passage with no text on screen, then hears each question while its text appears. It tests main ideas, supporting details and vocabulary held in memory, and appears nowhere else in the ISEE.

The numbers

Verbal Reasoning 40 questions in 20 minutes, Quantitative Reasoning 37 in 35, Reading Comprehension 36 in 35, Mathematics Achievement 47 in 40, essay 1 prompt in 30. Total 161 items, 2 hours 40 minutes plus two breaks

Middle and Upper Level structure

Source: E3n, ISEE for Families, Levels, Test Sections, and Timing, admission.org/assessments/isee/about

Lower Level 128 items in 2 hours 20 minutes plus two breaks. Primary 2: 48 items in 53 minutes. Primary 3: 48 items in 54 minutes. Primary 4: 56 items in 60 minutes. No essay at any Primary level

Lower and Primary Level structure

Source: E3n, ISEE In-Person Paper Test Instructions, admission.org/assessments/isee/instructions/in-person-paper

Scaled scores 760 to 940 per section, percentile ranks 1 to 99, stanines 1 to 9. Stanines 4 to 6 cover the middle 54 percentile points; stanines 1 to 3 and 7 to 9 each cover 23 percentile points. Norms are built from same-grade ISEE takers over the previous three years

Score scale and norm group

Source: E3n, ISEE Score Reports for Families, admission.org/assessments/isee/score-reports

At school or school-administered at home: USD 130 for Grades 2 to 4, USD 170 for Grades 5 to 12. E3n-administered at home: USD 185 and USD 250. In office: USD 185 and USD 225 group, USD 210 and USD 255 individual accommodated. Prometric: USD 250, Grades 5 to 12 only. Late paper registration USD 175 and USD 215; walk-in USD 190 and USD 230

Registration fees by option

Source: E3n, ISEE Student Registration, Test Options, Locations and Pricing, admission.org/assessments/isee/registration

Three to five days for online administrations, five to ten days for paper administrations, and seven to fourteen days for paper tests taken by applicants to Grades 2 to 4

Score turnaround

Source: E3n, ISEE Score Reports for Families, admission.org, and ERB, What Is the ISEE Admission Test, erblearn.org/blog/what-is-the-isee

More than 1,200 independent schools accept the ISEE. E3n reports 2,260 or more member schools and more than 100,000 annual family accounts, and was formed on 1 March 2026 through the merger of ERB and EMA

Acceptance and organisation scale

Source: E3n, ISEE Score Reports for Families and Who We Are, admission.org

1.5x extended time totals 4 hours plus a break; 2x double time totals 5 hours 20 minutes plus a break. Approvals last 24 months and are not flagged on the score report

Accommodated timing at Middle and Upper Level

Source: E3n, ISEE Accommodations for Families, admission.org/assessments/isee/accommodations

If you fail

Wait before retaking

One full testing season. Students may register once per season, and the seasons are Fall covering August through November, Winter covering December through March, and Spring or Summer covering April through July. A student who tests in September cannot test again until December.

Attempt limit

Three sittings per school year, one in each of the three testing seasons.

Retake fee

The full registration fee again, at the same rates as the first sitting: USD 130 or USD 170 at a school or school-administered at home, USD 185 or USD 250 for E3n-administered at-home testing, USD 185 to USD 255 in a professional testing office, and USD 250 at a Prometric Test Center. Late paper registration adds USD 45 and walk-in registration adds USD 60. Fee waivers, requested from the schools applied to, cover the registration fee for eligible families.

A retake is not visible to schools. E3n states the Individual Student Report does not indicate how many times a student has tested inside a 12-month admission cycle and does not name any other score recipients, and families are never obliged to share a report. Schools can be removed from the recipient list only up until the test date, so decide before testing, not after. Only a complete report can be sent: sections cannot be mixed across sittings. Before paying for a full retake, note that the Stanine Analysis band on the report already spans one stanine either side of the observed score, so a single-stanine change is inside expected variation. Two paid alternatives exist: hand-scoring at USD 55 for paper tests only, and re-scoring for one grade above or below the registered application grade at USD 45, which is available for Lower, Middle and Upper Levels but not Primary.

Exam Domains & Topics

Verbal Reasoning
not published

Lower, Middle and Upper Levels only. 40 questions in 20 minutes at Middle and Upper Level, 34 questions in 20 minutes at Lower Level. E3n does not publish percentage weights, and each section is scored and reported separately rather than combined into a composite.

Key Topics to Master:

  • Synonyms, which test vocabulary breadth directly
  • Sentence completions, which test vocabulary together with reasoning about context
  • Word roots, prefixes and suffixes as a route to educated guessing
  • Recognising the logical relationship a sentence sets up before choosing a word
  • Speed, since this is the tightest section in the test at 30 seconds per question at Middle and Upper Level
Quantitative Reasoning
not published

Lower, Middle and Upper Levels only. 37 questions in 35 minutes at Middle and Upper Level, 38 questions in 35 minutes at Lower Level. E3n states this section measures how well a student thinks mathematically rather than how much mathematics they have learned, and that questions require little or no calculation.

Key Topics to Master:

  • Estimation instead of full computation
  • Comparing quantities and judging which is larger without solving
  • Applying logic to a described situation
  • Analysing data and interpreting graphical information
  • Understanding measurement relationships
  • Reaching statistical conclusions such as averages and ranges
Reading Comprehension
not published

All levels. 36 questions in 35 minutes at Middle and Upper Level, 25 questions in 25 minutes at Lower Level, and 18 to 28 questions at the Primary levels. Passages are followed by questions about those passages.

Key Topics to Master:

  • Main ideas and supporting ideas
  • Inference from what the passage states
  • Using context clues to define vocabulary
  • Analysing a passage's organisation and logic
  • Identifying tone, style and point of view
  • Recognising figurative language
Mathematics Achievement
not published

All levels. 47 questions in 40 minutes at Middle and Upper Level, 30 questions in 30 minutes at Lower Level, and 24 to 28 questions at the Primary levels. This is the longest section in the test and the one where calculation is expected. E3n maps it to the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics strands.

Key Topics to Master:

  • Numbers and operations
  • Algebra
  • Geometry
  • Measurement
  • Data analysis and probability
  • Problem solving
  • Mathematical terminology drawn from the NCTM standards
Auditory Comprehension
not published

Primary 2 only, for applicants to Grade 2. 6 questions in 7 minutes. The student listens to a passage without seeing the text, then hears each question while its text appears on screen.

Key Topics to Master:

  • Main ideas from a heard passage
  • Supporting details held in memory
  • Vocabulary understood by ear
  • Sustained listening without a written text to fall back on
Essay
not published

Lower, Middle and Upper Levels only. One prompt in 30 minutes, randomly selected for each test date. It is never scored. A copy goes to every school the family designates as a score recipient, and families do not receive a copy for test security reasons.

Key Topics to Master:

  • Organising thoughts under a hard 30-minute limit
  • Expressing ideas in written form clearly
  • Grammar, spelling and mechanics, which admission teams read directly
  • Personal thoughts and values, which the prompts are designed to draw out
  • Authenticity, since many schools compare the securely written ISEE essay against other written work in the application

Recommended Study Plan

Week 1: Confirm the level, the option and the deadline before studying anything
3-4 hours
  • 1Check which schools on your list accept the ISEE using the school search at search.admission.org, and ask each admission office when scores are due.
  • 2Fix the level by the grade being applied to, not the current grade. Primary 2, 3 and 4 for Grades 2 to 4, Lower for Grades 5 and 6, Middle for Grades 7 and 8, Upper for Grades 9 to 12.
  • 3Pick the testing option against the price and the deadline: at school USD 130 or USD 170, at home USD 130 to USD 250, in office USD 185 to USD 255, Prometric USD 250 for Grades 5 to 12.
  • 4If accommodations are needed, start the request now. E3n says review takes one to two weeks after a complete application and advises against registering for a test before the decision arrives, to avoid rescheduling fees.
  • 5Download the free ISEE Quick Facts Guide and the What to Expect on the ISEE guide from admission.org.
Week 2: Baseline full-length test
4-5 hours
  • 1Sit one full-length practice test on the Test Innovators platform, the only place E3n approves for full-length ISEE practice tests.
  • 2Run it in the exact format booked: online if the test will be online, paper if the test will be paper.
  • 3Keep the real section timing: Verbal Reasoning 20 minutes, Quantitative Reasoning 35, Reading Comprehension 35, Mathematics Achievement 40, essay 30, with two breaks.
  • 4Record percentile and stanine per section, not just the raw count, since that is what the Individual Student Report actually shows.
  • 5Note which single section produced the most unanswered questions, because pacing and accuracy need different fixes.
Week 3: Verbal Reasoning vocabulary engine
5-6 hours
  • 1Start a daily vocabulary routine of 15 to 20 new words, split between synonym practice and sentence completion practice.
  • 2Learn 20 high-frequency Latin and Greek roots, prefixes and suffixes so unknown words can be attacked rather than skipped.
  • 3Drill sentence completions by first predicting the missing word from the sentence logic, then matching it to the options.
  • 4Time yourself at 30 seconds per question, which is the actual Middle and Upper Level pace of 40 questions in 20 minutes.
  • 5Review every miss and label it: unknown word, known word misapplied, or misread sentence logic.
Week 4: Quantitative Reasoning without calculating
5-6 hours
  • 1Practise estimation and quantity comparison deliberately. E3n states Quantitative Reasoning questions require little or no calculation, so long arithmetic usually signals a missed shortcut.
  • 2Drill data analysis and graph interpretation items, which appear in this section rather than in Mathematics Achievement.
  • 3Work through logic and measurement problems where the answer follows from the setup rather than a formula.
  • 4Set the pace at about 57 seconds per question, matching 37 questions in 35 minutes.
  • 5Remember that no calculator is allowed unless it is a formally approved accommodation, so build mental arithmetic speed now.
Week 5: Mathematics Achievement by NCTM strand
6-7 hours
  • 1Split practice across the six strands E3n names: numbers and operations, algebra, geometry, measurement, data analysis and probability, and problem solving.
  • 2Learn the vocabulary of those strands, since E3n says some questions require knowledge of the mathematical terminology in the NCTM standards.
  • 3Give the most time to the strand with the lowest week 2 accuracy rather than spreading time evenly.
  • 4Practise at about 51 seconds per question, matching 47 questions in 40 minutes, the longest section in the test.
  • 5Do one 40-minute timed Mathematics Achievement block at the end of the week and compare against the baseline.
Week 6: Reading Comprehension question types
5-6 hours
  • 1Sort practice questions into the categories E3n lists: main idea, supporting ideas, inference, vocabulary in context, organisation and logic, tone, style, point of view, and figurative language.
  • 2Attack the two categories with the worst hit rate rather than doing more mixed passages.
  • 3Read one non-fiction article a day at above grade level and write a two-sentence main idea plus one inference.
  • 4Practise at about 58 seconds per question, matching 36 questions in 35 minutes.
  • 5Rehearse the skip-and-return habit inside a single section, which E3n explicitly endorses: move on and come back if time allows.
Week 7: The essay, which schools actually read
4-5 hours
  • 1Write three essays in exactly 30 minutes each, since that is the fixed allowance at Lower, Middle and Upper Level.
  • 2Practise in the right medium: typed if the test is online or at home, handwritten in black or blue ballpoint pen if the test is on paper.
  • 3Build a 5-minute plan, 22-minute write, 3-minute proofread routine and keep it fixed.
  • 4Aim for a clear position, specific supporting detail and correct grammar and spelling, which is what admission teams assess.
  • 5Treat the essay as an authenticity check as well. Many schools compare the securely written ISEE essay with other application writing to confirm authorship.
Week 8: Second full-length test and error triage
5-6 hours
  • 1Sit a second Test Innovators full-length test under the same conditions as week 2.
  • 2Compare stanine by stanine. E3n notes the Stanine Analysis band already spans your stanine plus or minus one, so a single-stanine move is inside normal variation.
  • 3Rebuild the error log by question type across all four sections and rank types by number of marks lost.
  • 4Confirm that no question was left blank anywhere. There is no deduction for a wrong answer, so a blank is a guaranteed zero.
  • 5Adjust the remaining plan so the top three error types get the majority of the time.
Week 9: Targeted repair of the weakest section
5-6 hours
  • 1Run short daily sets of the three worst question types instead of full tests.
  • 2For Verbal Reasoning, keep the vocabulary routine going, since it is the slowest-improving section and needs sustained exposure.
  • 3For Quantitative Reasoning, practise choosing between estimating, comparing and eliminating rather than solving.
  • 4For Mathematics Achievement, redo every missed item from both full tests without looking at your previous work.
  • 5Do one timed section per day, rotating, so pacing stays calibrated without burning a full test.
Week 10: Logistics, rehearsal and test day
3-4 hours
  • 1Confirm the Verification Letter and the check-in time, typically 15 to 30 minutes before the start. Late arrivals are not permitted to test and the family pays any rescheduling or cancellation fee.
  • 2Confirm the ID. Upper Level students must present a photo ID. Primary, Lower and Middle students may also use a birth certificate, social security card, school report card or health insurance card.
  • 3For a paper test, pack four sharpened number 2 or HB pencils, four erasers, two black or blue ballpoint pens, plus a snack and drink for the breaks only.
  • 4For an at-home test, install both apps, the ISEE by E3n secure testing app on the computer or tablet and Remote Proctor Connect on the phone or second tablet, then complete a Practice Check-In and settle where the second camera will sit.
  • 5For a Prometric test, plan for a parent or guardian to remain at the centre for the whole test, which E3n states has no exceptions, and arrive well inside 30 minutes of the start time.
  • 6Do one light timed section two days before, then stop. E3n advises against last-minute cramming.

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Best Study Resources

What to Expect on the ISEE guides

Official free guide

E3n's own overview of each test section, with sample questions and full-length practice material. Published on admission.org, with a separate guide per level. The clearest free statement of what each section asks for.

Free

ISEE Quick Facts Guide

Official free PDF

A short official guide covering registration, question types and test-day preparation, downloadable from the ISEE family page on admission.org. Useful for parents managing the process rather than the student sitting the test.

Free

Test Innovators ISEE practice platform

Official practice partner

E3n names Test Innovators as the only place a student can take multiple approved full-length ISEE practice tests with real-time feedback and performance insights. E3n provides the full practice suite free to students eligible for an ISEE fee waiver.

Paid packages, free for fee-waiver-eligible families

Free ISEE online sample tests

Official free practice

E3n provides free online sample tests so students can get used to the exam portal and the question types before test day. A separate sample test exists for each level from Primary 2 through Upper.

Free

ISEE At Home Family Guide

Official procedures document

The full at-home testing manual: device and system requirements, check-in steps, the second camera setup, permitted materials and the complete prohibited items list. E3n recommends reading it seven days before the test and keeping a printed copy to hand during testing.

Free

ISEE by E3n testing app and Practice Check-In

Official software

The secure lockdown application used for at-home testing, paired with the Remote Proctor Connect app on a second device. Its Practice Check-In function verifies the devices and rehearses the login, session number and ISEE ID steps before the real test.

Free

ISEE score reports page on admission.org

Official scoring reference

Explains the Individual Student Report field by field: the 760 to 940 scaled score range, percentile ranks against a three-year same-grade norm group, stanines, and the Stanine Analysis band that spans one stanine either side of the observed score.

Free

ISEE accommodations pages and sample request form

Official process documentation

Lists every available accommodation and which testing formats support it, the extended-time tables at 1.5x and 2x for every level, the documentation accepted, and a sample request form to review before submitting the real one.

Free

School search at search.admission.org

Official school directory

Filter over 2,000 private and independent schools by criteria including whether they accept the ISEE. Worth using before booking, since school preference between ISEE and SSAT decides which test to prepare for.

Free

NCTM standards strand list

Curriculum reference

E3n maps the Mathematics Achievement section to the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics strands: numbers and operations, algebra, geometry, measurement, data analysis and probability, and problem solving. Using the strand list to structure revision matches the section blueprint rather than a textbook's chapter order.

Free

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Registering for the level matching the student's current grade

E3n sets the level by the grade being applied to, not the grade the student is in. A student in Grade 6 applying to Grade 7 takes the Middle Level. Registering at the wrong level wastes the season's single attempt.

Leaving questions blank to avoid a penalty that does not exist

E3n states students are scored only on correct answers and there is no advantage to leaving a question blank. This is the opposite of the SSAT Middle and Upper Level, which deducts a quarter point per wrong answer. Students who have prepared for both tests often carry the SSAT habit into the ISEE and lose marks for nothing.

Calculating your way through Quantitative Reasoning

E3n states Quantitative Reasoning questions require little or no calculation and measure how a student thinks mathematically. If a question is taking long arithmetic, the intended route was estimation, comparison or elimination. Mathematics Achievement is the section where calculation is expected.

Registering before accommodations are approved

E3n advises against registering for a test until accommodation decisions arrive, because changing the booking afterwards triggers a rescheduling fee. Review takes one to two weeks after a complete submission and longer if documentation is incomplete. Approvals then last 24 months and are not flagged on the score report.

Assuming any test site can deliver your accommodation

E3n publishes a grid of which accommodations exist in which format. Reader on paper, scribe, marking answers in the test booklet and large print are paper only and not available at Prometric Test Centers. Speech to text for the essay is online and at-home only, and not available on Chromebooks. Register only for a test that offers the approved accommodation.

Missing the paper registration deadline

Paper tests must be registered 21 days or more before the date. Between 20 and 14 days a late registration fee applies, taking a Grades 5 to 12 booking from USD 170 to USD 215. Inside 13 days only walk-in registration works, at USD 230, and only where the school offers a walk-in code. Online tests close entirely three days out.

Treating the essay as optional because it is unscored

The essay is sent to every designated school and admission teams read it for clarity, grammar and spelling, and for what the student says about themselves. Many schools also compare it with other application writing to confirm authorship, because it was written under secure conditions.

Reading a low percentile as a low ability level

E3n warns that the ISEE norm group is students applying to independent schools, who are generally of higher ability and achievement than the general school population, so a percentile can look considerably lower than a family expects. Compare against the schools' own admitted-student profiles, not against a state test.

Over-reading a one-stanine change between sittings

The Stanine Analysis on the report already shades a band from one stanine below to one stanine above the observed score, because no test is a perfect indicator. A move from 5 to 6 sits inside that band and is not evidence that the preparation worked.

Bringing a calculator or a smart watch to the test room

Calculators, cell phones, smart watches and other wearables, books, cameras and any paper other than blank scratch paper are prohibited unless approved as an accommodation. Violating the rules can mean the student is excused, scores are not processed, and the family still pays rescheduling or cancellation fees.

Sending an at-home student to test alone

A parent or guardian must assist with the testing area scan at check-in for the at-home test. At a Prometric Test Center a parent or guardian must stay at the centre for the entire test, which E3n states has no exceptions.

Removing a school from the score recipient list too late

Schools can be removed from the recipient list only up until the test date. After the student tests, they cannot be removed. Adding schools later is free, so add cautiously before the test and add more once the scores are in.

Exam Day Tips

  • 1

    Check in by the time on your Verification Letter, typically 15 to 30 minutes before the start. Late arrivals are not permitted to test, and the family pays any applicable rescheduling or cancellation fee.

  • 2

    Bring a copy of the Verification Letter. You cannot check in without it, and it is also available in the parent account at iseeonline.erblearn.org.

  • 3

    Bring the right ID. Upper Level students must present a photo ID such as a school ID card, passport, state ID, learner's permit or national identity card. Primary, Lower and Middle students may also use a birth certificate, social security card, school report card or health insurance card.

  • 4

    For a paper test, bring four sharpened number 2 or HB pencils, four erasers, and two black or blue ballpoint pens. Erasable pens are permitted. The essay is handwritten in pen, and multiple-choice answers are bubbled in pencil.

  • 5

    Bring a snack and drink for the scheduled breaks. Gum, mints and candy count as snacks and may only be consumed during breaks unless an accommodation says otherwise.

  • 6

    Leave calculators, phones, smart watches and other wearables, books and rulers outside. Blank scratch paper is the only paper allowed, and online test sites provide scratch paper and pencils.

  • 7

    Answer every question. There is no deduction for a wrong answer, so a guess always beats a blank.

  • 8

    Skip forward within a section and return, rather than stalling. E3n's own advice is to move on and come back if time allows, and answers can be changed inside a section in either format.

  • 9

    Watch the section clock rather than the overall clock. The four scored sections are 20, 35, 35 and 40 minutes at Middle and Upper Level, and each is timed separately.

  • 10

    For an at-home test, open the ISEE by E3n app 30 minutes before the start, have the session number and ISEE ID ready, and keep the second camera plugged in about 18 inches from the student so the keyboard, hands and desk stay visible throughout.

  • 11

    For a Prometric test, expect other students and adults sitting different exams in the same centre, and plan for a parent or guardian to remain at the centre for the whole test.

  • 12

    Arriving 30 minutes or more late to a Prometric test means the student is not allowed to test, with no refund and a new registration required.

Career Paths & Salary Ranges

Independent day school placement, Grades 5 to 12

The most common outcome. The Lower, Middle and Upper Level tests feed applications to day schools, which set their own score expectations and read each section score separately as E3n advises. The ISEE registration itself is USD 170 for these grades at a school site.

Average day school tuition of USD 32,251 for 2024 to 2025 per NAIS

Seven-day boarding school placement

Boarding schools frequently accept either the ISEE or the SSAT, so families often check school preference before choosing. The Upper Level is used as a high school entrance exam, which is the entry point for most boarding applications.

Average tuition of approximately USD 71,715 including room and board for 2024 to 2025 per NAIS

Need-based financial aid at a day school

Admission and aid decisions run together at most schools, so the ISEE feeds both. E3n also offers ISEE fee waivers so the test fee itself is not a barrier, requested from the schools applied to rather than from E3n.

Median grant of USD 12,700 to day school students who received aid, with about 25 percent of day school students receiving aid, per NAIS 2024 to 2025 data

Need-based financial aid at a boarding school

Boarding aid is larger in absolute terms and reaches a bigger share of the student body. A stronger score across three permitted sittings can matter more here than in day school admissions because the award at stake is larger.

Median grant of USD 42,151 to boarding students who received aid, with about 40 percent of boarding students receiving aid, per NAIS 2024 to 2025 data

Entry to Grades 2 through 4 via the Primary levels

Primary 2, 3 and 4 test reading and mathematics only, with Auditory Comprehension added at Primary 2. There is no essay at any Primary level, and Prometric Test Centers do not serve these grades.

ISEE registration of USD 130 at a school or school-administered at-home site for these grades

Individual accommodated testing in a professional testing office

Students approved for accommodations that require individual testing are the only student in the room. Availability is limited and varies by office location, and testing offices operate in California, Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas and South Korea among others.

USD 210 for applicants to Grades 2 to 4 and USD 255 for applicants to Grades 5 to 12

Prerequisites & Requirements

  • There are no academic prerequisites and no minimum score to qualify. Any student seeking admission to a school that accepts the ISEE may register.
  • The testing level is determined by the grade the student is applying to, not the grade the student is currently in.
  • Registration is done online at iseeonline.erblearn.org, or by phone at 1 (800) 446-0320. Prometric Test Center registration must be done online, because phone registration is not available for Prometric.
  • Paper tests must be registered 21 days or more before the test date. Online tests must be registered 3 days or more before the test date.
  • An approved form of identification is required at check-in. Upper Level students must present a photo ID.
  • A copy of the Verification Letter is required to check in. It is emailed after registration and is also available in the parent account.
  • Accommodations must be approved before registering. E3n advises waiting for the decision to avoid a rescheduling fee, and approvals then last 24 months.
  • At-home testing requires two devices: a computer or tablet with a built-in camera and microphone running the ISEE by E3n app, and a phone or second tablet running Remote Proctor Connect as a side camera.
  • At a Prometric Test Center a parent or guardian must remain at the centre for the duration of the test, with no exceptions.
  • Prometric Test Centers serve applicants to Grades 5 through 12 only. Applicants to Grades 2 through 4 must test at home, at a school, or in a professional testing office.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there a passing score on the ISEE?

No. The ISEE returns a scaled score from 760 to 940 per section, a percentile rank from 1 to 99, and a stanine from 1 to 9, and no threshold is defined by E3n. Each school decides what it wants to see, and E3n advises member schools to consider each section score separately to get a nuanced picture of a student's skills rather than reading one combined number.

How does the 760 to 940 scaled score work?

The scaled score is derived from the raw score, which is the number of questions answered correctly. E3n introduces new forms of the ISEE every year, built to the same content and difficulty specifications, and creates a unique score conversion for each form so minor differences in form difficulty do not advantage or disadvantage anyone. That equating is why the scaled score means the same thing regardless of which version a student sat. Each multiple-choice section also contains several questions that are not scored and may be used on future editions, and E3n does not publish how many.

What is a stanine and what counts as a good one?

A stanine divides all same-grade test takers into nine groups numbered 1 to 9 from lowest to highest, with different percentages of students in each. E3n states that stanines 4, 5 and 6 together represent the middle 54 percentile points, while stanines 1 to 3 and stanines 7 to 9 each represent 23 percentile points at the bottom and top respectively. There is no official cut-off for competitive. Ask the schools you are applying to what their admitted students typically show.

Why does the Stanine Analysis show a range rather than a single number?

Because no test is a perfect indicator of ability. E3n shades a band around the observed stanine of plus or minus one to account for the tendency for a score to move on a retake even when the underlying skill level has not changed. A student with a stanine of 5 in Verbal Reasoning sees a band stretching from 4 to 6, meaning the true stanine sits somewhere in that range.

How is the percentile calculated?

The percentile is not the percentage of questions answered correctly. It is the percentage of students, from 1 to 99, who scored the same as or lower than your student. The comparison group is all students in the same grade who took the ISEE in the past three years. E3n warns that this norm group is drawn from independent school applicants, who are generally of higher ability and achievement than the overall student population, so a percentile may look lower than a family expects from school testing.

How many times can my child take the ISEE, and how long is the wait?

Once per testing season, up to three times in a school year. The seasons are Fall running August through November, Winter running December through March, and Spring or Summer running April through July. A student who tests in September must wait until December before testing again. E3n suggests planning two sittings, and typically recommends a first test in October or November and a second in December or January depending on school deadlines, because scores are usually due in January or February.

Do schools see how many times my child tested?

No. E3n states that the Individual Student Report does not indicate how many times a student has tested within a 12-month admission cycle, and it does not list any score recipients other than the individual school receiving that report. Families always receive a copy of their student's report, are not required to share it with any school, and can add schools after seeing scores at no extra fee.

What does the ISEE cost by testing option?

Fees are in US dollars and depend on the grade applied for and the site. School-administered at-home testing is USD 130 for applicants to Grades 2 to 4 and USD 170 for Grades 5 to 12, while E3n-administered at-home testing is USD 185 and USD 250 respectively. At-school testing is USD 130 and USD 170, rising to USD 175 and USD 215 for late registration between 20 and 14 days out, and USD 190 and USD 230 for walk-in registration inside 13 days. In-office group testing is USD 185 and USD 225, with individual accommodated testing at USD 210 and USD 255. A Prometric Test Center seat is USD 250 and is available for Grades 5 to 12 only.

Are fee waivers available?

Yes, two of them. The ISEE Universal Fee Waiver covers testing at a school or remotely at home. The ISEE Prometric Fee Waiver covers the fee at a Prometric Testing Center. Both also unlock the Test Innovators preparation package at no cost. Waivers are requested directly from the schools being applied to, since each school runs its own distribution process. E3n and the ISEE Operations Office do not handle fee waiver inquiries.

When do scores arrive?

Scores from online administrations are usually ready in three to five days, and scores from paper administrations in five to ten days. E3n has separately noted that paper tests for applicants to Grades 2 to 4 can take seven to fourteen days. There is no unofficial score at the end of the session. Results post to the parent account at iseeonline.erblearn.org and an email notification is sent when the Individual Student Report is available.

What happens if the score comes back badly?

Nothing automatic. There is no fail, and the family is not obliged to send the report anywhere. The options are to withhold that report and test again in the next season, or to send it and rely on the rest of the application. Two optional paid services exist: hand-scoring at USD 55, which is available for paper tests only, and re-scoring for one grade above or below the registered application grade at USD 45, which E3n says is generally done only when a student is under consideration for repeating a grade. Re-scoring is available for Lower, Middle and Upper Levels but not for the Primary levels.

What identification does my child need?

Students taking Upper Level exams must provide a photo ID. Accepted photo documents at any level include a school ID card, a state-issued ID, passport or green card, a driver's licence or learner's permit, a military dependent ID, a work visa, a Global Entry card, a national identity card, an employment authorization card, a tribal card, or the ISEE Student ID Form. For the Primary, Lower and Middle Levels only, a birth certificate, social security card, school report card or health insurance card is also accepted. A copy of the Verification Letter is required for check-in in addition to the ID.

How does the at-home online proctored test work?

Two devices are needed. The testing device is a computer or tablet with a built-in camera and microphone running the ISEE by E3n app, which locks down the device so no other websites, applications or screen capture can be used. The second device is a phone or tablet running the Remote Proctor Connect app, plugged in and placed on the desk about 18 inches from the student so the keyboard, hands and desk area stay visible. Check-in opens 30 minutes before the scheduled start and requires a session number and the student's ISEE ID from the Verification Letter. A parent or guardian must assist with the testing area scan. All at-home proctors are vetted by E3n and are either staff at member schools or professionals trained directly by E3n.

Can my child use a calculator, or bring reference material?

No, unless it is a formally approved accommodation. Calculators, compasses, protractors and rulers are prohibited items, along with books, dictionaries, thesauruses, cell phones, smart watches and other wearables, second keyboards or monitors, and any other material that could help answer questions. Blank scratch paper is allowed, and online test sites provide scratch paper and pencils. Where calculator use is approved as an accommodation it is restricted to a four-function calculator carrying only the percent, square root, plus-minus, memory minus, memory plus and memory recall functions, and the family must supply it because test sites do not.

What accommodations are available and how do I request them?

Any student with a documented disability may be eligible. E3n offers extended time at 1.5x and 2x, calculator use, a computer for the essay with spell check, an audio or human reader, a scribe or scribe for the essay, speech to text for the essay, access to medical supplies, snacks or drinks throughout, marking answers in the test booklet, a large print booklet, and other accommodations used in school such as a graphic organiser, maths reference sheet or multiplication table supplied by the family. Request through the parent account, upload a Current School Statement plus supporting documentation, then register for a test that offers the approved accommodation. Approval takes one to two weeks after a complete submission, lasts 24 months, and is not flagged on the score report.

How much extra time does an accommodation actually give?

At Middle and Upper Level, 1.5x extended time gives 30 minutes for Verbal Reasoning, 52.5 for Quantitative Reasoning, 52.5 for Reading Comprehension, 60 for Mathematics Achievement and 45 for the essay, a total of 4 hours plus breaks. Double time gives 40, 70, 70, 80 and 60 minutes respectively, a total of 5 hours 20 minutes plus breaks. At Lower Level the 1.5x total is 3 hours 30 minutes and the 2x total is 4 hours 40 minutes.

What does it cost to reschedule or cancel?

For testing at home, at a school or in an ISEE testing office, rescheduling one day or more before the test costs USD 50 and cancelling one day or more before costs USD 55 deducted from the refund. There is no refund for a cancellation more than 90 days after the registration payment was made, and no refund at all on or after the test date. Prometric rules are different: free 31 days or more out, USD 25 between 30 and 15 days, USD 45 between 14 and 5 days, USD 75 to reschedule between 4 and 1 days, and no refund for a cancellation within 4 days.

Should my child take the ISEE or the SSAT?

Start with the schools, since both are published by E3n and many schools accept either. E3n describes the two as remarkably similar in what they assess, in difficulty and length for each grade level, and in their ability to predict first-year success. The scoring difference is real: the SSAT applies a quarter-point penalty for incorrect answers on its Middle and Upper Level tests, while the ISEE deducts nothing. Retake structures also differ. The ISEE allows three sittings across three seasons in a school year, whereas the SSAT allows up to six standard paper tests plus one Flex test at Middle and Upper Level, one SSAT at Home per testing year, and Prometric sittings on their own schedule.

Is the essay really unscored?

Yes. No score is attached to it. A copy is sent to every school the family designates as a score recipient, and families never receive a copy, which E3n does for essay prompt security. Admission teams read it to judge how clearly a student expresses ideas, their command of English grammar and spelling, and their personal thoughts and values. Because it was written under secure conditions, many schools also compare it against other written work in the application to confirm the student wrote their own materials. There is no writing sample at the Primary levels.

Are the paper and online versions the same test?

Functionally, yes. E3n states both modalities carry the same number of questions, the same timing, and the same opportunity for students to change answers within a test section. The differences are mechanical. On paper, Lower, Middle and Upper students bubble answers on a separate document with a number 2 or HB pencil and handwrite the essay in black or blue ballpoint pen, while Primary students mark answers directly in a consumable booklet. Online, answers are entered on the device and the essay is typed, with scratch paper and pencils supplied by the site. Some accommodations exist in one format only, so the approved accommodation can decide the format.

Who runs the ISEE now?

E3n, a non-profit created on 1 March 2026 through the merger of the Educational Records Bureau and the Enrollment Management Association. ERB had published the ISEE and EMA had published the SSAT, so both assessments now sit under one organisation, alongside the Standard Application Online and the Character Skills Snapshot. E3n reports 2,260 or more member schools and more than 100,000 annual family accounts. The family-facing home for the ISEE is admission.org, and registration and score access still run through iseeonline.erblearn.org.

Success Stories

“The no-guessing-penalty was huge for us. My son struggles with test anxiety and knowing he could answer everything helped his confidence tremendously.”

Parent of 7th grader

Admitted to Sidwell Friends

Score: Stanine 8

“I practiced reading fast and accurately. The reading section is long but manageable if you stay focused. Don't forget to answer every question!”

5th grade student

Admitted to Trinity School

Score: Stanine 9

“I recommend ISEE to students who tend to leave questions blank under pressure. The no penalty rule makes a real difference in their scores.”

Educational consultant

Test prep specialist

Score: N/A
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