The key to performing well on the verbal section of the ISEE is mastering vocabulary. One of the main ways to understand how words are built is to study prefixes and roots. It is important to be able to break words that you do not recognize into pieces and decipher the meanings, because it’s better to be able to understand how words are made up than to just memorize them by rote. Our top vocabulary…
Read More »The ISEE essay requires students to write a descriptive essay in thirty minutes. The essay is not scored, but a copy of the writing sample is sent to the admissions officers of the schools to which the ISEE score report is sent. Essay prompts are a great way to practice for the exam. Read on for our best essay prompts and tips. ISEE Essay Tips: Follow directions! Make sure you rewrite the prompt on the…
Read More »Is your child taking the ISEE? It’s important to be aware of all the different test options available for them. There are currently four different ISEE test options: Location Formats Offered Group Types 1. At-School Paper Online Group Individual 2. Testing Office Paper Online Small Group Individual 3. Prometric Test Center Online Small Group Individual 4. At-Home Online Individual Please note that test format, group type, and other testing options will vary depending on the…
Read More »We have the critical ISEE facts you need to know. The ISEE (Independent Schools Entrance Exam) is an admission test administered by the ERB (Educational Records Bureau). Many private schools in North America, and a handful of international schools, use the ISEE as a crucial part of the admissions process for grades 2 through 12. The ISEE serves as a standardized metric by which admissions departments can compare students from different schools. There are many…
Read More »If your child is interested in attending an independent school, they will likely need to take the Independent School Entrance Examination (ISEE) in order to apply. The test isn’t easy, and there are traps to avoid that you should learn about before sitting for the test. You’ll be set to go once you read our list of ISEE don’ts. Here are our best tips about traps to avoid on the ISEE test. Don’t try to…
Read More »Need help deciphering your child’s ISEE report? The Individual Student Report (ISR), which will be posted to your family’s online account several days after your child takes the ISEE exam, shows the results from your child’s exam day and some useful metrics for gauging how well they performed on the exam. Copies of the ISR are also emailed to ERB schools and consultants if you have listed them as recipients (The essay, which is NOT scored…
Read More »It can be very helpful for students to take the ISEE test more than once. Our recommendation is to start test prep before testing the first time, then continue test prep up until the second test date. It can be beneficial for students to have the experience of taking the test the first time, then reviewing those results with the tutor, strengthening test-taking strategies and improving content knowledge, and then testing again. But when can…
Read More »The Boston School Committee voted in July in favor of a new policy for entrance to the city’s three exam schools in which students will be selected from eight tiers, divided by socio economic factors including income of families in a student’s census tract, the number of households in which a language other than English is spoken and the educational attainment of individuals in the tract. The unanimous vote came after a group of white…
Read More »A student’s testing level is determined by the grade to which the student is applying for admission—not a student’s current grade. The ISEE has four levels. The test sections, number of questions, and test timing vary by level. Here is a breakdown of the ISEE levels, test sections, and timing for each exam. PRIMARY ISEE LEVELS Primary 2 (applying to Grade 2) Section Questions Time Allotted Auditory Comprehension 6 7 minutes Reading 18 20 minutes…
Read More »Did you know that ERB recommends registering as early as possible in order to secure your ideal date? Test dates fill up quickly, so you should verify any application deadlines with the schools to which your student is applying to ensure that score reports are received in a timely manner. Registration closes two weeks before a test date. To register, please click here. Registering online is the fastest and easiest way to secure a testing…
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