Independent School Entrance Exam
The ISEE, in plain answers
Taken by students in grades 2 to 12 applying to private schools. Here's what matters for the 2026–27 admissions season, with a link to the official source for every fact.
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Questions parents ask
How many times can you take the ISEE?Your child can take the ISEE once per testing season, so up to three times a year. The seasons are Fall (August to November), Winter (December to…ISEE scores explained: scaled scores, percentiles and staninesEach scored ISEE section gets a scaled score from 760 to 940, a percentile rank from 1 to 99 and a stanine from 1 to 9. The percentile and stanine…What is a good ISEE score? What ERB says, with real mediansERB, which created the ISEE, says there is no single good or bad ISEE score and no passing score; each school uses scores its own way. As a…What is the ISEE exam? Levels, format, fees and scoresThe ISEE is an admissions test run by the nonprofit E3n and accepted by more than 1,200 independent schools worldwide. It comes in six levels set…Which ISEE level should my child take?The ISEE level depends on the grade your child is applying to: Primary 2, 3 or 4 for grades 2–4, Lower for grades 5–6, Middle for grades 7–8 and…Which admissions tests penalize wrong answers?The Middle and Upper Level SSAT take off a quarter point for each wrong answer. The TACHS, HSPT, ISEE and Elementary SSAT have no penalty, and the…
Key facts
| Levels | The ISEE level depends on the grade a student is applying to: Primary 2, 3, and 4 (for grades 2-4), Lower (grades 5-6), Middle (grades 7-8), and Upper (grades 9-12).1 |
|---|---|
| Middle and Upper sections | The Middle and Upper Level ISEE has Verbal Reasoning (40 questions, 20 min), Quantitative Reasoning (37, 35 min), Reading Comprehension (36, 35 min), Math Achievement (47, 40 min), and an unscored essay (30 min).2 |
| Where to test | The ISEE can be taken at home online, at a school or testing office on paper or online, or at a Prometric center online (Prometric is for grades 5-12 only).3 |
| Fees | 2026-27 ISEE fees range from $130 (Primary, at school) to $250-255: Lower/Middle/Upper cost $170 at a school, $225-255 at a testing office, $250 at Prometric, and $250 for ISEE-run at-home testing.2 |
| Scores | ISEE section scaled scores range from 760 to 940, and reports also show a percentile rank (1-99) and a stanine (1-9) compared with same-grade students over the past three years.4 |
| Guessing | The ISEE counts only correct answers with no penalty for wrong ones, so students should answer every question.1 |