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ISEE Prep Tips

The ISEE can seem daunting, but there are many reliable and proven resources available to students and parents to increase ISEE scores. While a student’s score on this test will not necessarily make or break his or her application to private secondary school, it is an important part of the application package. Fortunately, there are several ISEE strategies and tips that will help a student do well on the test.

Get an excellent tutor.The key to scoring well on the ISEE is familiarity with the test sections and problems. For those who are unfamiliar with this exam, the ISEE has three versions – the Lower Level, for students in grades four and five applying for admission to grades five and six; the Middle Level, for students in grades six and seven applying for admission to grades seven and eight; and the Upper Level, for students in grades eight to 11 applying for admission to grades nine to 12.

The questions in each section increase in difficulty, with harder questions at the end of the section that are designed to be too challenging for the younger students in the level. Students are assessed against other students within their same grade level only. Thus, by working with a tutor, students who are so inclined can “learn ahead” of school coursework and increase their scores relative to the scores of other test-takers in their grade in each of the four sections.

Read as much as you can. Read the classics, Shakespeare, Mark Twain, and even read newspapers. Independent, high-quality reading will not only boost your score on the reading comprehension, verbal and writing sections, but also prepare you for the challenging academics at your private prep school and college. You will expand your vocabulary, gain familiarity with texts you will likely be reading in high school, and who knows, you might even have fun while learning!

Develop your reading comprehension skills.When you finish a chapter, a scene, or an article, quiz yourself on what you just read. Can you sum up the plot in a short paragraph? If you find yourself having trouble remembering what you read, do not be afraid to mark up your text while reading. As you read, highlight key passages, and use post-it notes to note key points about the plot or characters in each chapter.

Build your vocabulary. As you read, you will inevitably encounter unfamiliar words. Note these words down in a notebook, and later, look them up. Make flashcards for each word, writing down the definition, a sentence using the word, and a synonym.

Pace yourself.Cramming the week before the test will not work. Instead, space out your studying in the several months preceding the test. This way, you will not be frustrated when you don’t understand the material, and you will have plenty of time to learn it thoroughly.

Top Test Prep is a leader in the private school admissions industry. For more advice on how you can make the most of your child’s private school admissions process and gain entrance to the school of your family’s dreams, contact Top Test Prep today by visiting TopTestPrep.com or calling (800) 501-7737.