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
ISEE Math Review – Mathematic Properties
Math is filled with theorems, axioms, and properties. Though the following properties may seem simplistic, the ISEE will couple these properties with difficult concepts, such as algebraic functions. Reflexive Property A value is equal to itself. x = x Examples 17 = 17 y = 400 Symmetric Property Equal values may be placed on either side of the equals sign. x = y y = x Examples x = 25 [...]
ISEE Math Review – Order of Operations
Operations are the actions taken to solve math problems: addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, grouping (placing values in parentheses), and exponentiation (multiplying the same number to itself a certain number of times). Order of Operations was developed to make sure operations in a problem are completed in a particular order to achieve the correct result. The Order of Operations (PEMDAS) Parentheses Exponents Multiplication Division Addition Subtraction Multiplication does not outrank Division, [...]
ISEE Math Review – Arithmetic Word Problems
Word problems can be some of the most difficult types of questions on any test. You have to understand precisely what the question is asking you and what relevance the quantities have to one another. For Arithmetic Word Problems, you will not really have to worry about creating algebraic expressions in order to answer the questions. When you first attempt a word problem, write all quantities to the side of [...]
ISEE Math Review – Number Lines
Number lines are used to visually represent the relationships between integers, fractions, and decimals and to show how mathematic operations work in these relationships. Some number lines are shown with arrows pointing in opposite directions on either end of the line to designate a continuity of sequence in positive and negative numbers. The number line is shown as a line with equally spaced tick marks along the whole line. Numbers to [...]
ISEE Math Review – Powers and Roots
Powers or exponents refer to multiplying the same number to itself a certain number of times, and the same is true for variables and algebraic expressions. The exponent will be located in the upper right hand corner next to the number and will be much smaller than the number (called superscript). When the power is represented as a positive integer, you simply multiply the number times itself the number of [...]
ISEE Math Review – Standard, Expanded, and Scientific Notation
A basic representation of a number, such as 546, is designated as standard notation. Expanded notation demonstrates the place value for each digit in a number by multiplying each digit by its place value and adding all the digits together. You do not have to multiply 1 to the one’s place, but it can help with remembering what place value you are on when working with numbers with many place [...]
