ISEE Don’ts: Everything to Avoid on the Exam

If your child is interested in attending an independent school, they will likely need to take the Independent School Entrance Examination (ISEE) in order to apply. You’ll be set to go once you read our list of ISEE don’ts. 

1. Don’t wait until the last minute to prep. Starting early is essential to understanding and becoming comfortable with the test format, which in turn is essential for a good score.
2. Don’t skip the practice tests. Boston Tutoring Services partners with Test Innovators to provide practice tests to our clients.
3. Don’t try to “cram” for the test. Take multiple practice tests over time.
4. Don’t rush. If you try to go too quickly on the test, you are more likely to make mistakes. Since the ISEE is timed, however, finding the balance between rushing and taking too much time is important. Professional test prep can help with this.
5. Don’t ignore the clock. The ISEE is a timed test, so you will only have a certain amount of time to fill out each section. There are five sections total: Verbal Reasoning, Quantitative Reasoning, Reading Comprehension, Mathematics Achievement, and an Essay. The timing per section varies depending on which level of the test you are taking. Click here to see a breakdown of the timing on the ISEE.
6. Don’t skip questions. There are no deductions for wrong answers, so there’s no reason to leave questions blank! Make educated guesses when possible, but even if you can’t eliminate any options from the multiple choice, you should still fill in something.
7. Don’t go right from the question to the provided answers in the verbal reasoning section. Try to come up with your own answers after you read the question. As this website says, the test tricks aren’t in the questions; they’re in the answers. Once you’ve come up with your own answer, try to pick the provided answer that most closely matches your own.
8. Don’t get confused about the essay. While the essay portion of the exam is not graded, it is still important to do your best because each student’s essay is sent directly to the schools to which she is applying, where it will be read by the admissions team.
9. Don’t miss the official information on the test from ERB Learn: click here.

We hope you found our list of ISEE don’ts helpful! If you have any tips of your own, feel free to add them in the comments.

Allison Green
Boston Tutoring Services