Irving TX 75039
Many families put a great deal of thought into selecting which high school their child will attend, as a top quality school can go a long way in terms of admittance into a leading college, and even in future career success. To truly stand out, students will have to perform well on high school entrance exams.
The ISEE is used for the admissions process by many private schools across the country. The ISEE (Independent School Entrance Exam) is widely accepted, accurate, and provides advanced insights to both schools and students to help guide the admission process.
The ISEE has three levels – Upper, Middle, and Lower – based on entrance grade level. Each level consists of 5 sections:
The ISEE evaluates not only your level of reading, but also your ability to comprehend material drawn from the sciences and humanities. The ISEE essay is timed and written in response to a prompt. This essay is not scored; it is scanned and sent only to the schools you requested.
Students may register to take the ISEE up to three times in a 12-month admission cycle, once in any or all of three testing seasons. The seasons are Fall (August–November), Winter (December–March), and Spring/Summer (April–July).
The ISEE Score Report has two main sections devoted to test results. The Test Profile provides an overview of a student’s performance on each of the subtests compared to that of his or her peers. The Analysis delineates a student’s performance on each test broken down by subsection categories.
At Ivy Academy, we offer preparation material for each level of ISEE. We understand that one of the most important indicators of success on the Independent School Entrance Exam (ISEE) is student’s knowledge level, test taking skills and confidence. We develop individualized ISEE exam prep programs that instill in students the skills and strategies they need to help them see that they truly possess the knowledge necessary to do well on this high school entrance exam.
We begin the tutoring process by first administering a full-length ISEE diagnostic test to students entering grades 7-12 in order to gauge the student’s strengths and weaknesses, as well as his or her learning styles. We then design a fully customized ISEE prep plan that takes into account the areas of the ISEE in which your child needs special attention. Our tutoring programs incorporate important time management and organizational skill-building components so that, come test day, your child does not feel rushed or overwhelmed.
| UPPER LEVEL | Number of Questions | Section Time (mins) |
|---|---|---|
| Verbal Reasoning | 40 | 20 |
| Quantitative Reasoning | 37 | 35 |
| Reading Comprehension | 36 | 35 |
| Mathematics | 47 | 40 |
| Essay | 1 Prompt | 30 |
On all levels of the ISEE, the student receives one point for each multiple-choice question answered correctly. Students are not penalized for incorrect answers or for omitted answers. Speed in completing each ISEE section is not considered in scoring. Correct, incorrect, and omitted answers are tallied for each test section to produce a raw score. The total number of correct answers is the raw score.
Raw scores are then converted into scaled scores, using a formula used to compensate for any differences in difficulty from test to test. The ISEE is graded on a scale of 760 to 940. The scales are derived from specific tables produced by the test maker. Once scores are converted to scaled scores, they are compared with the scores of students of the same grade level across the country. This is done using a 3-year rolling pool of test-taker scores.
Program percentiles compare students with peer test-takers within the same age and grade group.
A student who always scored above the 50th percentile on other tests may place below the 50th percentile on the ISEE, and students who normally score above the 90th percentile on other tests may score barely above average on the ISEE. For example, parents are frequently surprised when they see a 75th percentile score for a child who scored at the 95th percentile last year on a test based on state or national norms. This difference is due to the high-achieving population of students taking the ISEE, which makes the ranking very competitive.
ISEE Essays are not scored and are therefore not factored into the score report. Instead, the Essays are forwarded to the same schools that will receive the ISEE score report. Admissions committees from each school will individually assess the applicant’s writing capabilities.
ISEE Score Reports are released to the schools, educational consultants, and education organizations that a student selects on the registration form. Scores remain active for one academic year. The scores required for admissions vary by school. Contact the schools directly for admissions information.