What is the ISEE?

The ISEE stands for Independent School Entrance Exam.

So, it’s exactly what you think. The exam is designed to evaluate the academic abilities of students applying for admission to independent schools. Scores helps schools make informed admissions decisions, since they want to make sure incoming students have the foundational skills to succeed. They also want to see where students stand compared to their peers.

Of course, the test also serves as a major stressor for parents and students. Depending on where a student is in their curriculum, they may find that they do not recognize more than half of the math, or that they have never written an essay before. Part of that is due to the fact that the same test is given to both 6th and 7th graders, though they will be scored accordingly.

Test Levels

There are three separate tests depending on the grade to which you are applying:

Upper level – students currently in grades 8 – 11

Middle level – students currently in grades 6 or 7

Lower level – students currently in grades 4 or 5

Five Sections

The test is comprised of five sections. The first four are multiple-choice: Verbal Reasoning, Quantitative Reasoning, Reading Comprehension, Mathematics Achievement. The fifth section is an essay with a prompt.

Timing and question count vary by section. The handy chart below is right out of our new 2024 Mulholland Prep ISEE Workbook.

Scoring on the Bell Curve

Generally, at any level, the ISEE is not considered an easy test. However, it is not necessary to get every single question right. Like many standardized tests, students are graded in the context of how other students their age scored, with percentiles that are converted into something called Stanines.

This means, if a student receives a Stanine Score of 5, their performance on the test was about average compared to their peers. A Stanine Score of 9 is very hard to get, and is received by only those in the 96th-99th percentile!

The essay section is not graded on the Stanine scale, but is sent to the schools to which you apply. So, we encourage students to write clearly and show off their personality!

That’s our crash course to the ISEE! For all the Mulholland Prep tools (comprehensive workbook, strategies, practice tests, one-on-one tutoring, and personalized study plans) to help your child crush this test, contact us. We’ve got your back.