About the ISEE Upper Level
The ISEE Upper Level is the ACT of private school admissions for grades 9 through 12. Just as colleges use the SAT and ACT to determine applicant preparedness, many independent schools across the US achieve the same effect with the ISEE.
Because teachers, curriculums, and academic difficulty vary from school to school, a student’s report card is not sufficient enough to accurately compare students from different schools. Therefore they use a standardized test like the ISEE.
ISEE is an acronym that stands for the Independent School Entrance Exam. It is administered by the non-profit group ERB, Educational Records Bureau. You’ve probably heard of ERB before in the context of annual testing, particularly if your school administers the CTP-4, which is somewhat similar to the ISEE.
ISEE Upper Level Research, Analysis, & Adice
Free Practice Tests for the Upper Level ISEE
With 3003 practice questions for the Upper Level ISEE, Piqosity now features the equivalent of 18.77 full-length practice tests for this popular independent high school admissions exam (click here for more information about the ISEE including test-taking strategies). The practice questions are separated into three primary categories: Verbal Reasoning (1675 questions), which includes synonyms, single, and double-blank sentence completion questions Reading Comprehension (336 questions & 56 passages), which is comprised [...]
Books to Improve Your ISEE Vocabulary Knowledge
Getting ready for the ISEE and in need of some ELA support—especially for those all-too-important ISEE vocabulary questions? One of the best ways to improve vocabulary knowledge is by reading more and seeing how words are used in context. This article dives into a diverse selection of fun reads that are great resources for vocabulary expansion and for improving your ELA skills overall, with stories appropriate for each level of [...]
ISEE Reading Comprehension Strategies
Overall, students tend to feel like they perform the best on the ISEE Reading Comprehension section. Those who excel on the ISEE are set up for success on their private school applications, so taking the time to prepare for each section in advance is worth the effort! The ISEE (Independent School Entrance Exam, generally pronounced “i-see”) is a peer-normed, standardized test most commonly taken by students applying to middle and [...]
Books to Prepare for the Upper Level ISEE
When studying for the Upper Level ISEE exam, some methods of preparation may be more engaging than others. In addition to ordinary test prep, reading novels helps Upper Level ISEE students by steadily building their vocabulary, comprehension, and critical thinking skills in a way that feels natural and enjoyable. We have organized a reading list based on the ERB's reporting categories that are tested throughout the Reading Comprehension section and [...]
ISEE Test Dates: How to Choose Your Test Date & Location
If you’re planning to take the ISEE (Independent School Entrance Examination), you'll want to pick ISEE test dates and locations that are convenient for you. Especially for first-time ISEE test-takers, this process can be very involved; an added pressure is that spaces often fill up quickly. Set yourself on a low-stress path to ISEE test success by following our six-step guide to navigating the complexities of choosing ISEE test dates! [...]
ISEE Quantitative Reasoning Strategies
The ISEE Quantitative Reasoning section is often considered the most difficult part of the test. Those who excel on the ISEE are set up for success on their private school applications, so taking the time to prepare for each section in advance is worth the effort! The ISEE (Independent School Entrance Exam, generally pronounced “i-see”) is a peer-normed, standardized test most commonly taken by students applying to middle and high [...]
