How Many Times Can I Retake the ISEE?

You took the ISEE, but when you get your scores back, they aren’t what you were hoping for. So you wonder, “Can I take the test again?”

Yes, you can retake the ISEE. There are three testing seasons in every 12-month admission cycle, and you can take the test once per season:

Fall: August through November
Winter: December through March
Spring/Summer: April through July

So in total, you can take the ISEE up to three times each year. Many students do take the test more than once, and students often improve their scores each time they take the test. As you prepare to take the test again, the first thing you should do is a critical self-evaluation of your test performance:

• Were there types of questions you weren’t familiar with?
• Did you run out of time on any of the sections?
• Was there a particular section that tripped you up?
• Was it difficult to maintain focus during the entire test?

Thinking back on the test and identifying where things went right and wrong is crucial to improving your performance the next time you take the test.

After you’ve reflected on how the test went, it’s time to get practicing! Taking highly accurate full-length practice tests is the best way to improve on the ISEE. Make sure you simulate the test-taking environment while practicing. Don’t take more breaks than you’re given on the official test, and work to build your endurance – having a clear head and precision focus for such a long time is one of the most challenging things about test day!

Practice tests will help you determine your strengths and weaknesses and narrow in on specific areas for improvement. These areas of improvement could be anything from overall test-taking strategies, such as time management or guessing/skipping questions, to gaining more content knowledge. Focusing on one strategy or one area at a time will help you to simplify your study process and focus on what needs the most work.

On the day before your retake, remember to prepare yourself mentally, physically, and emotionally. (Read 5 tips for exam day here.) Get a good night’s sleep the night before your test, eat a healthy breakfast to make sure you don’t lose steam, don’t cram in any last minute studying, and more than anything else, have a positive attitude!

And remember, schools don’t have to know how many times you’ve taken the test. You can send your best scores.