serious ANSWERS TO YOUR pressing QUESTIONS

The ISEE is the Independent School Entrance Exam. It is given by the ERB, the Educational Records Bureau. Take this test if you're thinking about applying to private schools!

As many times as you'd like but only ONCE per testing season!

• FALL SEASON (August, September, October, November)
• WINTER SEASON (December, January, February, March)
• SPRING/SUMMER SEASON (April, May, June, July)

All this and more here!

The ISEE Primary (Students Entering Grade 2):

• 6 Auditory Comprehension Questions (7 minutes)
• 18 Reading Questions (20 minutes)
• 24 Mathematics Questions (26 minutes)
• 1 Writing Sample with a picture prompt (Untimed)
• Total Time: 53 minutes (+ Writing Sample)

The ISEE Primary (Students Entering Grade 3):

• 24 Reading Questions (20 minutes)
• 24 Mathematics Questions (26 minutes)
• 1 Writing Sample with a picture prompt (Untimed)
• Total Time: 54 minutes (+ Writing Sample)

The ISEE Primary (Students Entering Grade 4):

• 28 Reading Questions (30 minutes)
• 28 Mathematics Questions (30 minutes)
• 1 Writing Sample (Untimed)
• Total Time: 60 minutes (+ Writing Sample)

The ISEE Lower Level (Students Entering Grades 5 & 6):

• 34 Verbal Reasoning Questions (20 minutes)
• 38 Quantitative Reasoning Questions (35 minutes)
• 25 Reading Comprehension Questions (25 minutes)
• 30 Mathematics Achievement Questions (30 minutes)
• 1 Essay (30 minutes)
• Total Time: 2 hours and 20 minutes
• What to Expect on the ISEE Lower (Official Guide)

The ISEE Middle Level (Students Entering Grades 7 & 8):

• 40 Verbal Reasoning Questions (20 minutes)
• 37 Quantitative Reasoning Questions (35 minutes)
• 36 Reading Comprehension Questions (35 minutes)
• 47 Mathematics Achievement Questions (40 minutes)
• 1 Essay (30 minutes)
• Total Time: 2 hours and 40 minutes
• What to Expect on the ISEE Middle (Official Guide)

The ISEE Upper Level (Students entering Grades 9-12):

• 40 Verbal Reasoning Questions (20 minutes)
• 37 Quantitative Reasoning Questions (35 minutes)
• 36 Reading Comprehension Questions (35 minutes)
• 47 Mathematics Achievement Questions (40 minutes)
• 1 Essay (30 minutes)
• Total Time: 2 hours and 40 minutes
• What to Expect on the ISEE Upper (Official Guide)

General information can be found on the official ISEE Quick Facts Guide

That's totally normal! This is a tough test taken by a competitive pool of kids. The Lower, Middle and Upper-Level ISEE exams are also taken by a wide range of age groups. There are always words and topics the kids have never seen. You can still get an amazing score (they're scaled for a reason). Don't stress! 

Yes! There is no penalty for guessing on the ISEE so when in doubt, eliminate what you can and guess! 

The ISEE will give a scaled score for each section between 760 and 940. There will also be a stanine score for each section between  1 and 9. Strong stanine scores are between 7 and 9. Here is a sample ISEE Score Report.

Both!

Almost all private schools in New York City accept both the ISEE or SSAT. Any school that only accepts the ISEE will be added to this list. 

There is a 30-minute essay on the final section of the Lower, Middle and Upper-Level ISEE exam. The essay isn't scored but it's sent to  schools along with the scores.

The ERB's Official Guides are the best place to sample problems. Poke around and see if you feel comfortable with the material and layout:

•  What to Expect on the ISEE Lower (Official Guide)
• What to Expect on the ISEE Middle (Official Guide)
• What to Expect on the ISEE Upper (Official Guide)

Register two or more weeks before your desired testing date here!

The SSAT is the Secondary Schools Admissions Test. It's administered by The Enrollment Management Association. Take this test if you're thinking of applying to private schools!

The SSAT Elementary Test (Students Entering Grades 3 & 4):

• 30 Math Questions (30 minutes) 
• 30 Verbal Questions (20 minutes)
• 28 Reading Comprehension Questions (30 minutes)
• Writing Sample (15 minutes)
• 15-17 Experimental Questions (15 minutes)
• Total Time: 2 hours 5 minutes

The SSAT Middle/Upper Test (Students entering Grades 5-7 & 8-11)

• Writing Sample (25 minutes)
• 25 Math Questions (30 minutes)
• 40 Reading Comprehension Questions (40 minutes)
• 60 Verbal Questions (30 minutes)
• 25 Math Questions (30 minutes)
• 16 Experimental Questions (15 minutes)
• Total Time: 3 hours 10 minutes

You can take the SSAT up to FIVE times in a calendar year.

It depends on the test. 

The SSAT Elementary Test (Students Entering Grades 3 & 4): 

GUESS!

There is no guessing penalty at this level! Don't leave anything blank!

The SSAT Middle/Upper Test (Students entering Grades 5-7 & 8-11):

DON'T BLINDLY GUESS!

You will receive one point for each correct answer and lose one quarter of a point for each incorrect answer. You won't lose any points for skipped questions. You need a sound strategy here. Only guess if you can eliminate one or more answers.

Here are the score breakdowns for each test:

The SSAT Elementary Test (Students Entering Grades 3 & 4):

This test is scored on 900 to 1800 point scale with 1800 being a perfect score.

SSAT Elementary Score Report

The SSAT Middle Test (Students Entering Grades 5 to 7):

This test is scored on 1320 to 2130 point scale with 2130 being a perfect score.

SSAT Middle Score Report

The SSAT Upper Test (Students Entering Grades 8 to 11):

This test is scored on 1320 to 2130 point scale with 2130 being a perfect score.

SSAT Upper Score Report

Both! Here is information about the online option called SSAT at Home. To learn more about the paper-based option, click here.

When you register for the SSAT, you'll  have the option to register for the Character Skills Snapshot. This costs $50, takes about 25 minutes and can be completed at home. Some schools use the Snapshot as part of their admissions criteria, so check with the school first. The tool measures 7 skills (Initiative, Teamwork, Intellectual Engagement, Resilience, Social Awareness, Self Control and Open-Mindedness) that schools deem important in applicants. You can register for this Snapshot even if you're not taking the SSAT.

Free official practice material is tough to come by. Here is a link to the SSAT's official practice material (available for purchase).