5 Things to Know about the ISEE test:

Is your child entering high school next year? Most private high schools require students to take the ISEE test

1. Students can only take the test once per year. I recommend that most students take the December test.
2. All 8th graders take the upper level ISEE test, which covers a range of quantitative and verbal topics.
3. Although most private schools accept the ISEE test, some boarding schools prefer the SSAT. Contact TSG in Englewood Cliffs, NJ to learn more about the differences between these tests.
4. Competitive schools like Horace Mann, Riverdale Country School, and the Fieldston School use a stanine score, which is a percentile. Top applicants typically have a stanine of 7 or above.
5. Content: The ISEE tests both achievement as well as aptitude. The test features 2 math sections, one based on reasonining and the other based on achievement. The first English section, Verbal Reasoning, is largely a test of vocabulary. Students should review middle school vocab words to prepare for this (contact us for the lists). The second English section is Reading Comprehension, which features 30 questions of inference, big picture, and content based reading. We recommend that students start preparation 2-3 months prior to the test date. Tutoring can help nearly any student to improve on the ISEEs, regardless of his/her initial level. 
Tutoring Solutions Group, based in Englewood Cliffs, NJ, offers ISEE tutoring throughout Bergen County and the Northern New Jersey area. Please contact us at 201-816-0248 to learn more.