The ISEE Lower Level is an admissions exam for students applying to Grades 5 and 6 at independent and private schools that use the ISEE. The test measures verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning, reading comprehension, and mathematics achievement and also includes an unscored essay that is sent to schools. This guide covers the current exam format, scoring, testing options, fees, retake rules, and study resources.
What Is the ISEE Lower Level?
The Independent School Entrance Exam (ISEE) is a standardized admissions assessment used by independent schools. The Lower Level is intended specifically for students applying to enter Grade 5 or Grade 6.
The exam measures academic skills in four scored areas: verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning, reading comprehension, and mathematics achievement. It also includes an essay that is not numerically scored but is sent to schools receiving the student’s results.
There is no universal passing score. The ISEE is an admissions test, not a pass/fail exam. Each school decides how ISEE results are considered alongside the rest of a student’s application.
Who Should Take the Lower Level ISEE?
The Lower Level is for students applying to Grades 5 and 6.
This is different from saying that every fifth- or sixth-grade student takes the Lower Level. The appropriate ISEE level is determined by the grade the student is applying to enter.
Before registering, families should check the admissions requirements and score-reporting deadlines of each school to which the student plans to apply.
ISEE Lower Level Exam Format
| Section | Questions | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Verbal Reasoning | 34 | 20 minutes |
| Quantitative Reasoning | 38 | 35 minutes |
| Reading Comprehension | 25 | 25 minutes |
| Mathematics Achievement | 30 | 30 minutes |
| Essay | 1 prompt | 30 minutes |
The four scored sections contain a total of 127 multiple-choice questions. The essay is completed separately and is not included in the student’s numerical score.
Students receive two scheduled 10-minute breaks: one after Quantitative Reasoning and another after Mathematics Achievement.
Testing time: The five test sections contain 140 minutes of timed work. The overall appointment lasts longer once the two breaks, instructions, and check-in procedures are included.
Verbal Reasoning
The Verbal Reasoning section contains 34 questions in 20 minutes. It measures vocabulary and verbal reasoning rather than reading comprehension.
Questions fall into two main types:
Synonyms: choosing the answer that is closest in meaning to a given word
Sentence Completion: selecting the word or phrase that best completes the meaning of a sentence
This is the fastest-paced portion of the Lower Level exam, with an average of about 35 seconds available per question.
Quantitative Reasoning
The Quantitative Reasoning section contains 38 questions in 35 minutes.
This section measures how well students reason with mathematical information. Problems often require students to recognize relationships, estimate, compare quantities, interpret data, or decide which mathematical approach makes sense.
Topics may involve:
Numbers and operations
Algebraic concepts and patterns
Geometry and measurement
Data analysis and probability
No calculator: Students may not use a calculator unless calculator use has been specifically approved as a testing accommodation.
Reading Comprehension
The Reading Comprehension section contains 25 questions in 25 minutes.
Students read age-appropriate passages and answer questions that measure understanding of what the passage says and how the author communicates ideas.
Skills can include:
Identifying the main idea
Locating supporting details
Making inferences
Determining vocabulary meaning from context
Understanding organization and logic
Recognizing tone, style, and figurative language
Mathematics Achievement
The Mathematics Achievement section contains 30 questions in 30 minutes.
Where Quantitative Reasoning emphasizes mathematical thinking, Mathematics Achievement focuses more directly on mathematical knowledge and procedures students have learned.
Whole numbers, fractions, decimals, operations, place value, estimation, ratios, and related concepts
Patterns, relationships, expressions, basic equations, and early algebraic reasoning
Shapes, lines, angles, coordinate concepts, spatial relationships, and geometric properties
Length, perimeter, area, units, time, money, and measurement relationships
Tables, graphs, data interpretation, basic statistics, probability, and related problem solving
The ISEE Essay
The final section gives students 30 minutes to respond to one writing prompt.
The essay does not contribute to the student’s numerical ISEE scores. However, a copy is sent to the schools designated to receive the student’s results.
Schools may use the essay as an additional writing sample, so students should still aim to present a clear main idea, organize their response logically, support their ideas with relevant details, and leave time to check spelling and grammar.
The essay is unscored, not unimportant. It does not affect the student’s scaled scores, percentile ranks, or stanines, but schools receiving the report can review the writing sample.
How Much Does the ISEE Lower Level Cost?
ISEE fees depend on where and how the student tests. Current pricing for the Lower, Middle, and Upper Levels includes:
| Testing Option | Current Fee |
|---|---|
| At-School – standard online or paper registration | $170 |
| At-Home – school administered | $170 |
| At-Home – E3n administered | $250 |
| Professional Testing Office – group testing | $225 |
| Professional Testing Office – individual accommodated testing | $255 |
| Prometric Test Center | $250 |
Paper tests taken at a school can cost more when families use late or walk-in registration. Availability and additional fees depend on the testing location and registration date.
ISEE fee waivers are also available for qualifying families. Families seeking a waiver should contact a school to which the student is applying.
Where Can I Take the ISEE Lower Level?
Lower Level students can currently test through several arrangements.
Participating schools can administer the Lower Level ISEE in either paper or online format.
Educational testing offices may offer small-group or individual testing in paper or online format.
Students applying to Grades 5–12 can take the online ISEE at participating Prometric Test Centers.
Students may take an online ISEE remotely through qualifying school-administered or E3n-administered testing.
Paper vs. Online ISEE
The paper and online Lower Level exams use the same basic test structure, section timing, and number of questions.
On the paper exam, students mark answers on an answer sheet and handwrite the essay. On the online exam, students select answers on the testing device and type the essay.
Families choosing at-home testing should review the current technical requirements before registering. Remote testing requires a compatible testing device and a separate camera device used by the proctoring system.
How Often Can I Take the ISEE?
Students may take the ISEE once during each of three testing seasons.
A student can therefore take the exam a maximum of three times during a school year, provided no more than one attempt occurs during each season.
Plan around admissions deadlines. Being eligible for another ISEE attempt does not necessarily mean the new score will arrive before a school’s application deadline.
What Should I Bring on Test Day?
Test-day requirements vary somewhat by test format and location.
Review the Verification Letter and arrive by the listed check-in time, generally 15–30 minutes before testing begins.
Bring the identification or other check-in documentation required by the testing location.
Paper-test students should bring four sharpened #2 or HB pencils, erasers, and two black or blue ballpoint pens.
Students may bring a snack and drink to use during the scheduled breaks where permitted.
At-home students should complete the required device and check-in tests before exam day.
Items You Cannot Use
Calculators unless specifically approved as an accommodation
Books, notes, and study materials
Rulers and other unauthorized measuring tools
Smartwatches and other unauthorized smart devices
Mobile phones except when specifically required for an approved remote-testing setup
How Is the ISEE Lower Level Scored?
The four multiple-choice sections are scored separately. The student’s raw score is simply the number of questions answered correctly.
That raw performance is then converted to standardized ISEE reporting measures.
| Score Type | What It Means |
|---|---|
| Scaled Score | Each scored section is reported on a scale from 760 to 940. |
| Percentile Rank | Ranges from 1 to 99 and compares the student with other ISEE test takers in the same grade-level norm group. |
| Stanine | Ranges from 1 to 9 and groups percentile performance into nine broad score bands. |
No guessing penalty: Students earn credit for correct answers, and incorrect answers do not subtract additional points. There is no scoring advantage to leaving a multiple-choice question blank.
The percentile comparison group is based on students in the same grade who took the ISEE during the applicable recent norming period. A percentile rank is therefore not the percentage of questions answered correctly.
Is There a Passing ISEE Score?
No. There is no single passing score for the ISEE Lower Level.
Independent schools determine how they use ISEE results. Some may place more emphasis on certain sections, while others consider the score as one component of a broader admissions review.
A student’s school record, recommendations, application, interview, writing, activities, and other admissions materials may also be considered.
When Will I Get My ISEE Scores?
Current score-reporting time depends primarily on whether the student took the online or paper version.
Scores are usually ready within 3–5 days.
Scores are usually ready within 5–10 days.
The student’s Individual Student Report is released through the family’s ISEE account and shared with schools designated as score recipients.
How Can I Prepare for the ISEE Lower Level?
Good preparation should combine content review with timed practice. The Lower Level contains 127 scored-section questions in only 110 minutes before the essay, so students need to learn how to work steadily without getting stuck on one difficult question.
ISEE Lower Level Study Checklist
Build vocabulary using word roots, prefixes, suffixes, synonyms, and context clues.
Practice sentence-completion questions and predict the missing idea before looking at the answer choices.
Review whole-number operations, fractions, decimals, ratios, measurement, patterns, geometry, and data interpretation.
Practice solving math problems without a calculator.
Read fiction and nonfiction passages and practice identifying main ideas, details, inferences, vocabulary in context, and author purpose.
Learn to move past a difficult question and return to it later if time remains within the section.
Answer every multiple-choice question because wrong answers do not carry an additional penalty.
Practice organizing and writing a short essay within 30 minutes.
Complete full-length timed practice to become comfortable with the section order, pacing, and scheduled breaks.
ISEE Lower Level Study Resources
Use these resources for additional review and practice.
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