ISEE Pacing – Correct pacing is one of the most important skills to master. While different questions may take more or less time to answer, you don’t want to spend more than a couple minutes on any one question (unless you’re done with all others). On the essay, it’s essential to learn how to outline and write out 4 to 5 paragraphs in 30 minutes; hence, practice is critical!
The ISEE Essay – The ISEE’s essay is not graded, but is sent to the schools to which you apply. Choose appropriate essay content, understanding that the school’s admissions department is your audience. What will they learn about you through your writing?
Guessing on the ISEE – There’s no guessing penalty on the ISEE; bubble-in a lettered answer for every question even if you don’t have time to read the question!
Levels of the ISEE – Each level of the ISEE is taken by multiple grades (for example, the Upper Level test is taken by 8th through 11th graders). It’s normal not to know everything on the test –though with preparation you can learn lots of new math concepts and vocabulary words before test day!
ISEE Strategies – Learn them! For example, read non-math questions and come up with an answer before reading the listed answer choices. Many wrong answers are tempting and may trick you; so first decide what you are looking for!
Prepare as you’ll test – Remember to take your practice exams in calm, non-distracting settings, get adequate sleep (especially the few nights before your test), and relax and breathe, both as your prepare and on test day.
The Verbal Reasoning section is meant to assess vocabulary, and requires students to identify synonyms and interpret analogies.Fast FactsElementary Level: 20 minutes with 30 questionsMiddle and Upper Level: 30 minutes with 60 questions30 synonyms, 30 analogiesMade up of two question types:Synonym QuestionsAnalogy QuestionsQuestion TypesSynonymSynonym questions ask students to choose the...
Whether you’re an eager student or an anxious parent, we know just how intimidating applying to independent and private schools can be. Our Director of Placement, Laurie Geromini, sat down with two students who recently completed the process to learn more about their experiences, as well as the lessons and...
In 2020, ERB and Test Innovators partnered with the goal of leveling the playing field for all ISEE test takers. The partnership provides every student with access to high-quality test practice, which reduces anxiety and increases confidence through familiarization and learning. In order to assess the impact the partnership has...
Parents often ask us which ISEE section is the most important to a competitive application. It’s also a question we like to discuss with our internal team and with our network of tutors and school administrators. And as with everything else, we’ve analyzed our data to find the answer to...
Even though the ISEE and SSAT are long tests, the time can fly by! Maybe you struggle with running out of time on the test, or maybe you feel the pressure of the clock and rush through. Either way, here a few simple tips to help yourself manage your time...
Greg Jones is in his 34th year in education. Currently, he’s in his 8th year as Director of Enrollment Management and Admissions at Epiphany School in Seattle.
The Verbal Reasoning section of the ISEE is designed to assess vocabulary, including the ability to identify synonyms and complete sentences with missing parts.
Fast Facts
First and shortest section of the ISEE
Lower Level: 20 minutes with 34 questions
Middle and Upper Levels: 20 minutes with 40 questions
Made up...
One of the integral features of the Test Innovators preparation platform is the system of Practice Exercises, which is located on the “Practice Exercises” tab of the dashboard. The Practice Exercises are an important supplement to the full-length Practice Tests. Here are a few tips for maximizing the Practice Exercises:
The Test Innovators Video Course provides videos and resources that focus on both strategies and content to help you reach your testing goals. Consider these methods to making use of the Video Course:Start with the videos on Test-taking Strategies. This chapter includes all of the videos that will help you...
Meet Evan
We are excited to introduce Evan, one of our 2021 scholars. Through dedication and hard work, Evan achieved a 98th percentile on the SSAT!
Evan is an avid athlete who has played hockey since kindergarten and more recently picked up tennis. In addition to training for his athletic endeavors, he...
