isee essay pdf

• Jan 17, 2023

The ISEE Essay: Tips and Practice Prompts

Essay overview.

The ISEE essay is the last section of the ISEE. Students are given 30 minutes to respond to a prompt. The essay is not scored, but a copy of the writing sample is sent to the schools to which the ISEE score report is sent.

The essay has two purposes: it shows schools how well you can write, and it also gives the admissions officers another opportunity to learn about you. Keep this in mind when writing your essay, and make sure to focus your essay on yourself. For example, if the essay asks you to write about your role model, write about the person you choose, but make sure to also write about yourself. How does this person inspire you? How has this person changed your life? Has this person taught you anything that you use in your everyday life?

Read the Directions: On the official ISEE, you’re asked to write in a blue or black pen. You’re also asked to rewrite the essay prompt at the top of the first page of your essay. Make sure to carefully read the directions before starting your essay.

Manage your Time: Make sure you manage your time effectively. Give yourself time to organize and plan your essay, time to write your essay, and time to revise and edit your essay.

Structure your Essay: While there are no rules for how to structure your essay, it is recommended to have an introduction, a body, and a conclusion. We recommend the body of your essay be two to four paragraphs long.

Write Neatly: You are not graded on how neatly you write your essay, but make sure to write neatly enough so someone can read your writing.

Choose a Subject That Appeals to You: While you will be asked to respond to a specific prompt, the prompts often involve broad subjects. For example, a prompt may ask you to write about your role model. When choosing a specific topic to write about, choose something that interests you and shows you in a positive light. Use specific details and examples; after you choose your topic, be sure to think of two to three specific supporting details or examples. If you are asked to write about your role model, and you choose your dad, a supporting example could be the following: “My dad is my role model because he taught me the importance of hard work. He started working at the age of 16 and now runs his own business.”

Essay Practice Prompts

Below you’ll find five practice prompts for each level of the ISEE. For each prompt, set a timer for 30 minutes, and make sure to go somewhere quiet to write your essay. Write your essay on a sheet of lined paper (you can use the front and back of the sheet, but no more). Once you’ve finished, have an adult read over your essay and give you feedback.

Lower Level Practice Prompts

What is your favorite subject in school and why?

If you could go on your dream vacation, where would you go and why?

What is one of your favorite books?

What is your favorite activity to do outside of school?

What qualities do you think are important in a friend?

Middle Level Practice Prompts

What is a problem facing your community and how would you help fix this problem?

If you could travel back in time, what time period would you travel to and why?

Describe a time where you overcame a challenge. What did you learn from this experience?

Who is someone who has had a significant impact on your life? Describe the impact this person had and why it was so important to you.

What is a career you are interested in? What skills do you have that would make you succeed in this career?

Upper Level Practice Prompts

What does “being successful” mean to you? What are some ways that people can achieve success?

Who is one person, living or dead, that inspires you?

Write about a value that is important to you (examples: honestly, loyalty, dedication, open-mindedness). Why is this value so important to you?

What is your greatest skill? How do you use this skill in your everyday life?

What is something you are passionate about? How do you incorporate this passion into your life?

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Essay prompts to practice for the isee.

Posted on December 8th, 2021 by Allison . Posted in ISEE ESSAY , ISEE TEST PREP , ISEE TUTORING - 0 Comments

The ISEE essay requires students to write a descriptive essay in thirty minutes. The essay is not scored, but a copy of the writing sample is sent to the admissions officers of the schools to which the ISEE score report is sent. Essay prompts are a great way to practice for the exam. Read on for our best essay prompts and tips.

ISEE Essay Tips:

• Follow directions! Make sure you rewrite the prompt on the top of the first page of your answer sheet.
• Budget your time! Make sure to save time at the end to edit for spelling, grammar, and punctuation.
• ISEE Essays tend to be descriptive essays. A descriptive essay requires you to write about a person, place, thing, idea, or event in a way that makes it possible for your reader to properly visualize or understand it. You might be asked to offer your own definitions or explanations.
• Make sure your essay has a clear introductory paragraph, two or three body paragraphs, and a concluding paragraph.
• While you will be asked to write about a specific topic, the topics themselves tend to involve broad subjects: books, school, community service, role models.
• Choose a subject that appeals to you.
• Choose subjects about which you know a great deal.
• Identify two or three important qualities about the subject you choose. Example: Two qualities of a good teacher are expertise and organization.
• Write about two or three reasons why you chose the subject you chose. My favorite author is William Shakespeare because he vividly recreates history and he writes humorously.

Here’s a list of essay prompts with which to practice:

Lower Level (grades 5 and 6): Topic: Describe your favorite subject in school and explain why this subject is your favorite. Assignment: You have thirty minutes to plan and write an essay on the assigned topic. Do not write on another topic. An essay on another topic is unacceptable. Please write this essay topic on the first few lines of your answer sheet.

Topic: Think about some of the books you have read. What is one character you admire and why? Assignment: You have thirty minutes to plan and write an essay on the assigned topic. Do not write on another topic. An essay on another topic is unacceptable. Please write this essay topic on the first few lines of your answer sheet.

Middle Level (grades 7 and 8): Topic: Describe one important lesson you learned in the last year. Assignment: You have thirty minutes to plan and write an essay on the assigned topic. Do not write on another topic. An essay on another topic is unacceptable. Please write this essay topic on the first few lines of your answer sheet.

Topic: What is your favorite thing to do when you have free time? Why is this important to you? Assignment: You have thirty minutes to plan and write an essay on the assigned topic. Do not write on another topic. An essay on another topic is unacceptable. Please write this essay topic on the first few lines of your answer sheet.

Upper Level (grades 9 and up): Topic: Schools offer many extracurricular opportunities. Describe one extracurricular opportunity you would like to pursue. Assignment: You have thirty minutes to plan and write an essay on the assigned topic. Do not write on another topic. An essay on another topic is unacceptable. Please write this essay topic on the first few lines of your answer sheet.

Topic: What three words would you use to describe yourself and why? Assignment: You have thirty minutes to plan and write an essay on the assigned topic. Do not write on another topic. An essay on another topic is unacceptable. Please write this essay topic on the first few lines of your answer sheet.

For all students: Topic: What is the most important problem facing the world today and what is one thing you can do to help solve it? Assignment: You have thirty minutes to plan and write an essay on the assigned topic. Do not write on another topic. An essay on another topic is unacceptable. Please write this essay topic on the first few lines of your answer sheet.

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The ISEE Essay Section: What To Expect

About the isee essay section.

Did you make it through the ISEE’s four multiple-choice sections? You’re not quite done yet!

The fifth and final section on the ISEE is an essay section. Students are given 30 minutes to write an essay in response to a single prompt. Although the essay is not graded, as we’ll discuss below, it is still a critical part of the test.

How is my essay scored?

The ISEE’s essay section is not scored in the traditional sense, but your essay will be sent to the schools to which you send your score report. This means that your essay is a very important part of the test, and you should prepare for it just as you prepare for the multiple-choice sections. Practice putting your best foot forward!

Schools tend to use your essay in a few different ways. Admissions teams will consider how clearly you can express your ideas, how well you’ve mastered the grammatical and spelling conventions of standard English, and how you portray your thoughts and values.

Many admissions departments also compare your ISEE essay to other written works that you submitted as part of your application – this is a good way for schools to make sure that you (not a parent or a friend) were the person who wrote those other pieces.

What kind of prompts should I expect?

All three levels of the ISEE will present students with an open-ended prompt which encourages some combination of self-reflection, creativity, story-telling, and persuasion.

Here are a few examples of the types of prompts you should expect to see on the ISEE:

If you were able to move anywhere in the world, where would you decide to live and why?

Describe a time when you helped someone in need.

Your friend calls to share great news with you. What news would you want to hear and why?

What topic should I choose for the prompt I receive?

Your audience is the most important thing to keep in mind when choosing a topic for the ISEE essay. Who’s your audience? The admissions board at your school of choice.

So, consider how you’d like to portray yourself to the people who will be reviewing your application. You probably don’t want to choose a topic that makes you sound mean, insensitive, or out of touch with your prospective peers.

Try brainstorming a few topics for the prompt  “If you were able to move anywhere in the world, where would you decide to live and why?”  A good topic for this prompt would allow you to tell a story about yourself (maybe a story about when you went to a beautiful place and why that was inspiring to you) or describe some things that you are passionate about (maybe you’d want to live on a lake because you love vibrant ecosystems). A bad topic might be one about cutting yourself off from others or prioritizing material goods above all else (living in a penthouse suite and having everything delivered to you, for example).

Want to learn more about the ISEE’s essay and it’s importance in admissions decisions? Watch our  webinar at this link.

Want to learn more about the ISEE? Read our  breakdown of the ISEE here .

Find all of our ISEE preparation materials at  ISEEpracticetest.com !

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Thinking of attending a private elementary, middle, or high school in the United States? Then you'll need to take an entrance exam called the ISEE. But what exactly does this test entail? In this article, we'll go over what the ISEE test is, how it's structured and scored, what a good score on the ISEE exam looks like, and how to study effectively for it.

What Is ISEE? An Overview

What is ISEE? The Independent School Entrance Examination (ISEE) is an exam created and administered by the Educational Records Bureau (ERB). It tests students' individual academic achievements and reasoning skills as a basis for admission to private schools in the US and internationally. Currently, the ISEE is accepted by more than 1,200 institutions around the world .

The purpose of this exam is to quantify your academic accomplishments and reasoning ability. It's used by private school admissions committees to predict your success at their school and is administered in either a paper or online format.

The ISEE is given to students in specific age brackets and broken into four levels:

• Primary (entrance to grades 2-4)
• Lower (entrance to grades 5-6)
• Middle (entrance to grades 7-8)
• Upper (entrance to grades 9-12)

How Is the ISEE Exam Structured?

The ISEE test focuses on multiple educational subjects to evaluate your performance in each. Note that the Primary ISEE test differs significantly from the Lower, Middle, and Upper Level ISEE exams; thus, we've divided the general exam structures below into two groups.

ISEE Exam Structure for Lower, Middle, and Upper Levels

How long is the ISEE test? The Lower, Middle, and Upper Level ISEE exams are composed of five separately timed sections :

• Verbal Reasoning
• Quantitative Reasoning
• Reading Comprehension
• Mathematics Achievement
• Essay (optional)

Here's a brief comparison of the structure of the ISEE test at each of these three levels:

Let's look at each section in more detail:

• Section 1: Verbal Reasoning— Includes two subsections with questions on synonyms and sentence completion. This section tests grade-level appropriate vocabulary and sentence-completion ability. Students are asked to choose the appropriate word or phrase that best completes the sentence.
• Section 2: Quantitative Reasoning— Addresses multiple math concepts and has several subsections as well as various word problems. Concepts tested include (1) numbers and operations, (2) algebra, (3) geometry, (4) measurement, (5) data analysis and probability, (6) concepts/understanding, (7) applications/higher order thinking, and (8) quantitative comparisons.
• Section 3: Reading Comprehension— Tests students' ability to understand and interpret questions based on six reading passages on humanities, science, and social studies subjects. For each passage, you'll get the passage first and then questions that correspond to it.
• Section 4: Mathematics Achievement— The final multiple-choice section on the ISEE test. This section tests topics such as (1) numbers and operations, (2) algebraic concepts, (3) geometric concepts, (4) measurement, and (5) data analysis and probability.
• Section 5: Essay (optional)— An optional timed essay. Students are given an essay prompt and asked to produce a well-informed essay on a particular topic.

The first four ISEE sections consist of multiple-choice questions, each with four answer choices labeled (A), (B), (C), and (D). The optional writing exercise at the end is a timed essay.

Depending on the student's ISEE level, the number of questions and time allotted can vary. Middle and Upper Level students have more time to complete the Reading Comprehension and Mathematics Achievement sections than Lower Level students do (though they also have to answer more questions).

Here's what you'll be tested on in each ISEE exam section. Note that the difficulty level will increase as you move up the levels:

ISEE Exam Structure for Primary Level

The Primary ISEE exam is structured differently than the Lower, Middle, and Upper Level ISEE exams. It's also the only ISEE test that's offered exclusively in an online format (the ones above are available as either paper or computer exams).

Here's what to expect on the Primary exam:

*Not required for students applying to schools in New York City

And here's a quick look at the content tested on each Primary ISEE exam:

How Is the ISEE Test Scored?

Most students get their ISEE test scores seven to 10 business days after they take the test. ISEE test scores are automatically sent to the schools you've indicated.

Contrary to what you might expect, an ISEE score is not a simple measure of right and wrong; rather, students receive a scaled score on their ISEE test.

The scaled score is provided by ERB, the group that administers the ISEE exam. Scaled scores run from 760 to 940 and include a percentile ranking (1-99) to compare the student's score with the norm of test takers from the last three years.

The percentile ranking helps private schools compare a student's performance with others in their applicant cohorts. The higher your percentile, the better your ISEE score. For example, a 45th percentile ranking means that the student scored the same as or better than 45% of students in the last three years.

As for the essay, it is not scored by ERB but instead forwarded to schools for inclusion in the applicant's portfolio.

What's a Good ISEE Exam Score?

There's no one definition for what a good ISEE exam score is. Ultimately, what makes a good ISEE test score is determined by the school you're applying to . Each private school has its own view of what's considered an acceptable ISEE score. If you want to learn more about what to aim for, it's best to contact that school's admissions office.

Generally speaking, though, many schools will accept ISEE scores in the 25th-40th percentiles . More selective private schools might require scores in at least the 75th percentile.

Many students applying to a private school are already high performing. Even if you rank average on the ISEE, that doesn't mean you have average academic performance; rather, it just means you rank on average when compared with other high-performing ISEE test takers .

For more details on what's considered a good ISEE score, check out our guide .

How to Study for the ISEE Test

Preparation is key to doing well on the ISEE. And the better you do on it, the better chance you'll have of getting admitted into the independent school you want to attend.

The best way to do well on the ISEE exam is to have a strategy for before and during the test .

Before taking the test, you should practice and study accordingly, drilling yourself on various questions relating to each test section.

Many students struggle with timing, so practicing timed tests under similar conditions to test day (i.e., in a silent room with only the prescribed breaks) can help ease nerves and set yourself up for success when you take the real thing. The more you understand the structure of the ISEE, as well as how it's scored, the more confident you'll feel on test day.

Students can use a number of different resources to prepare, including ISEE study books and online practice questions and tests . They can also work in groups or one-on-one with a qualified ISEE tutor.

One thing to note: the ISEE is not the only determining factor for private school acceptance . Other achievements such as extracurricular activities, academic accomplishments, motivation, and personality are also considered in the admission process.

So if your ISEE score isn't ideal, don't lose heart: there are other factors that will be evaluated, too!

Recap: What Is ISEE and How Can You Do Well on It?

The Independent School Entrance Examination, or ISEE, is an important stepping stone in a child's academic career and a big factor for private school admission.

But that doesn't mean you need to worry about it! Through effective preparation, your student can score well on the ISEE and get into the school of their choice. As a wise scholar once said, "Don't stress. And do your best."

What's Next?

When is the next ISEE test? Figure out how much time you have left to prep for the ISEE with our guide to all the upcoming ISEE test dates .

Aiming for a good score on the ISEE ? Then you'll definitely want to check out our in-depth collection of the best ISEE practice resources you can use .

How does the ISEE differ from the SSAT? Both are admissions tests used by private schools, but they're not at all the same thing! See how these two exams compare with each other in our expert guide .

Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points? We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Hayley Milliman is a former teacher turned writer who blogs about education, history, and technology. When she was a teacher, Hayley's students regularly scored in the 99th percentile thanks to her passion for making topics digestible and accessible. In addition to her work for PrepScholar, Hayley is the author of Museum Hack's Guide to History's Fiercest Females.

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ISEE Writing Prompts: Prepare for Your ISEE Exam

My name is Debbie, and I am passionate about developing a love for the written word and planting a seed that will grow into a powerful voice that can inspire many.

Are you ready to tackle the writing portion of the ISEE exam with confidence? Whether you’re a middle or high school student , mastering the art of writing is essential for academic success. That’s why we’re here to guide you through the ISEE writing prompts, preparing you to express your ideas eloquently and impress the admissions committees. In this article, we’ll delve into the various types of ISEE writing prompts and provide you with valuable strategies and tips to ace this section of the exam. So, let’s dive in and unlock your writing potential!

Understanding the ISEE Writing Prompts

Unraveling the isee writing prompts, mastering the structure and format of the isee essay, developing a strong thesis statement for your isee essay, crafting well-supported arguments in your isee essay, enhancing your isee essay with strong vocabulary and sentence structure, practicing time management for a high-scoring isee essay, frequently asked questions, final thoughts.

Writing prompts in the Independent School Entrance Exam (ISEE) can be daunting, but with a solid understanding of what they entail, you’ll be well-prepared to tackle them head-on. Here are a few key points to help you navigate these prompts effectively:

• Grasp the prompt type: ISEE writing prompts usually fall into three categories – creative, analytical, and open-ended. Creative prompts encourage imaginative storytelling, analytical prompts require critical thinking and analysis, while open-ended prompts allow you to freely express your thoughts. Identifying the prompt type helps you frame your response accordingly.
• Read thoroughly and analyze: Before diving into crafting your response, take the time to read and comprehend the prompt thoroughly. Highlight any keywords or instructions that will guide your writing. Once you have a clear understanding of the prompt’s expectations, analyze the subject matter and brainstorm various angles or perspectives you can adopt in your essay.
• Construct a well-organized response: Successful ISEE essays are not only well-written but also well-structured. Begin with a captivating introduction that sets the tone for your essay, followed by well-developed paragraphs that support your main points. Ensure logical transitions between ideas, and wrap up with a strong conclusion that summarizes your key arguments.

By familiarizing yourself with the diverse ISEE writing prompts and employing these strategies, you can confidently approach these essay questions and showcase your writing capabilities. Remember to practice regularly and seek feedback to refine your skills. With dedication and preparation, you’ll be ready to conquer the ISEE writing section!

The ISEE essay is an important component of the Independent School Entrance Examination. To excel in this section, it is crucial to understand the structure and format of the essay. Here are some key tips to help you master the art of essay writing for the ISEE:

• Introduction: Start your essay with a concise opening paragraph that clearly states your main argument or thesis. This should grab the reader’s attention and set the tone for the rest of your essay.
• Body paragraphs: The body of your essay should consist of several paragraphs, each focusing on a different supporting point. Make sure to provide evidence and examples to validate your points. Use logical transitions to smoothly connect your ideas and maintain coherence throughout.
• Conclusion: End your essay with a strong conclusion that summarizes your main points and reinforces your thesis. Avoid introducing new ideas in the conclusion; instead, leave the reader with a lasting impression of your argument.

Additionally, here are some additional tips to enhance your essay writing skills for the ISEE:

• Practice time management: Allocate sufficient time for planning, writing, and revising your essay. Ensure that you allow enough time to proofread for grammatical and spelling errors.
• Vary sentence structure and vocabulary: Employ a mix of sentence types, including simple, compound, and complex sentences. Utilize a wide range of vocabulary to showcase your language proficiency.
• Stay focused and concise: Stick to the topic and avoid going off on tangents. Be concise and precise in your writing to ensure you effectively communicate your ideas.

By and implementing these writing tips, you can significantly improve your performance in this crucial section. Practice regularly, develop your own unique writing style, and approach each essay with confidence.

When writing your ISEE essay, one of the most crucial elements is developing a strong thesis statement. Your thesis statement sets the tone and direction for your entire essay, so it’s essential to craft it carefully. Here are some tips to help you create a compelling thesis statement that will impress the graders:

• Be clear and concise: A strong thesis statement should clearly state what your essay is about and the main argument you will be making. Avoid vague or broad statements; instead, focus on a specific and debatable point that you can support with evidence.
• Choose a unique perspective: To stand out from other essays, try to approach the topic from a fresh and unique angle. Think outside the box and offer a perspective that is thought-provoking and different from the obvious.
• Evidence-based reasoning: Your thesis statement should be supported by evidence and logical reasoning. It’s important to demonstrate that you have carefully considered different viewpoints and can support your argument with facts or examples.

Remember, your thesis statement is the backbone of your essay. It lays the foundation for the arguments you will make in the body paragraphs. Take your time to refine and polish your thesis statement, ensuring that it captures the essence of your essay and leaves a lasting impression on the reader.

When writing your ISEE essay, it is crucial to craft well-supported arguments that effectively convey your ideas to the reader. Here are some tips to help you create compelling and persuasive arguments:

• Evidence is Key: Support your claims with relevant evidence such as facts, statistics, or examples. This not only adds credibility to your argument but also strengthens your overall essay. Remember to use reputable sources and ensure that the evidence directly relates to your main points.
• Logical Reasoning: Use logical reasoning to connect your evidence to your claims. Present a clear chain of reasoning that demonstrates how your evidence supports your argument. This will make your essay more cohesive and convincing to the reader.
• Counterarguments: Address counterarguments to showcase your ability to consider different perspectives. Anticipate opposing viewpoints and provide thoughtful rebuttals. By doing so, you demonstrate your understanding of the topic and strengthen your own argument.

Organization: Structure your essay in a logical and coherent manner. Start with a strong thesis statement that clearly states your position. Then, organize your body paragraphs by presenting one main idea or argument per paragraph. Make sure each paragraph supports your thesis and flows smoothly into the next. Finally, conclude your essay by summarizing your main points and restating your thesis to leave a lasting impression on the reader.

By following these strategies, you can develop well-supported arguments that grab the attention of your readers and persuade them to accept your viewpoint.

To make your ISEE essay stand out and impress the graders, it is crucial to incorporate strong vocabulary and sentence structure. By doing so, you will not only demonstrate your command of the English language but also convey your ideas with clarity and eloquence. Here are some effective tips to enhance your essay:

• Expand your vocabulary: Incorporate diverse and sophisticated vocabulary words into your essay. This will add depth and precision to your writing. Make use of synonyms, antonyms, and idiomatic expressions to paint a vivid picture in the reader’s mind.
• Utilize precise language: Choose words that accurately convey your intended meaning. Avoid ambiguity by using precise language. This will help prevent misunderstandings and ensure your message is communicated effectively.
• Employ varied sentence structures: Avoid using repetitive sentence structures that make your essay sound monotonous. Instead, experiment with different sentence types, such as compound, complex, and simple sentences. This will add variety and flow to your writing.

Furthermore, it is important to maintain coherence and cohesion throughout your essay:

• Organize your ideas logically: Structure your essay in a way that presents your arguments in a clear and logical manner. Begin with an engaging introduction, develop your ideas coherently in the body paragraphs, and conclude with a strong closing statement.
• Use transitional words and phrases: Smoothly connect your ideas using transitional words and phrases, such as “however,” “in addition,” or “moreover.” These transitional elements help guide the reader through your essay and create a seamless flow of thoughts.
• Proofread and revise: Finally, ensure your essay is error-free by proofreading and revising it carefully. Check for grammar, punctuation, and spelling mistakes. Eliminate unnecessary repetition and refine your sentences to improve their clarity and conciseness.

Mastering time management is essential when it comes to excelling in the ISEE essay section. To maximize your scoring potential, it’s crucial to allocate your time effectively and efficiently. Here are a few tips to help you make the most of your limited writing time:

• Plan your essay before you begin writing: Spending a few minutes brainstorming and organizing your ideas can save valuable time later. Create a clear outline that includes your main arguments and supporting evidence. This will provide structure to your essay and prevent you from getting sidetracked.
• Manage your time wisely during the writing process: Divide your available time into manageable chunks for each section of your essay – introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion. Stick to these time limits to keep yourself focused and ensure a balanced essay. Remember, editing and proofreading are equally important, so set aside time for these tasks as well.

Additionally, prioritize your thoughts and don’t get bogged down by perfectionism. It’s crucial to maintain a steady pace and avoid getting stuck on a single sentence or idea.

Furthermore, practice timed essays to build your speed and improve your time management skills . Set a timer and simulate exam conditions as closely as possible. This will help you become familiar with writing under time pressure, allowing you to refine your technique and confidence. By honing your time management skills, you’ll not only produce a high-scoring ISEE essay but also cultivate a valuable skill for future academic and professional endeavors.

Q: What is the purpose of the ISEE Writing Prompts?

A: The ISEE Writing Prompts are designed to assess a student’s writing skills and ability to generate well-structured, cohesive, and persuasive responses within a limited time frame. They are an essential part of the Independent School Entrance Exam (ISEE) and play a crucial role in the admissions process for many prestigious private schools.

Q: How many writing prompts can a student expect to encounter on the ISEE exam?

A: The ISEE exam consists of one writing prompt for each test level. Therefore, depending on the level of the exam you are taking (Lower, Middle, or Upper), you can expect to encounter one unique writing prompt.

Q: What types of writing prompts can be expected on the ISEE exam?

A: The ISEE exam typically presents students with either a narrative or an essay prompt. The narrative prompt usually asks students to write a creative story, while the essay prompt requires students to offer a well-structured opinion or argument on a given topic.

Q: How much time is provided to complete the writing prompts during the ISEE exam?

A: Students are provided with 30 minutes to complete the writing prompt section of the ISEE exam. It is crucial to manage your time wisely, as this time constraint allows admissions officers to evaluate your ability to think quickly and respond effectively under pressure.

Q: What scoring criteria do the examiners use to assess the writing prompts?

A: The ISEE writing prompts are evaluated based on various criteria, including the quality of ideas and content, organization and structure, language and vocabulary usage, and grammar and mechanics. Admissions officers assess how well students address the prompt, develop their ideas, use examples and evidence, and exhibit a strong command of the English language.

Q: How can students best prepare for the ISEE writing section?

A: To excel in the ISEE writing section, it is important to practice writing in a timed environment. Familiarize yourself with the different types of writing prompts that might appear on the exam and develop a clear and concise writing style. Practice outlining and proofreading your work to ensure a well-structured and error-free response.

Q: Are there any specific resources available for ISEE writing prompt practice?

A: Yes, various study guides and online resources offer practice materials and sample prompts to help students prepare for the ISEE writing section. These resources can provide valuable insights into the expectations and requirements of the exam, allowing students to enhance their writing skills and gain confidence before their test date.

Q: Is it advisable to seek additional writing assistance or tutoring for the ISEE exam?

A: In some cases, students may find it beneficial to seek additional writing assistance or tutoring to sharpen their skills further. Professional tutors can provide personalized guidance and feedback, helping students understand their strengths and weaknesses and develop effective strategies for tackling the ISEE writing prompts.

Q: How important is the ISEE writing section in the overall admissions process?

A: While the weight given to the ISEE writing section may vary from school to school, it is an essential component of the admissions process. Admissions officers utilize the writing prompts as an indicator of a student’s ability to express themselves clearly and effectively. Therefore, giving your best effort and practicing beforehand can greatly enhance your chances of gaining acceptance to your desired school.

In conclusion, practicing ISEE writing prompts is crucial for success on the exam. Taking the time to prepare will boost your confidence and improve your chances of achieving a high score. So start practicing today to excel on the ISEE!

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What Is the ISEE Test and How Can I Prepare?

Is your child taking the Independent School Entrance Exam (ISEE)? Get tips, advice, and sample questions. With TestPrep-Online’s ISEE test prep material, your child will have the knowledge s/he needs for the grades s/he deserves!

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About the ISEE Test

The five sections of the isee, isee verbal reasoning, isee quantitative reasoning, isee reading comprehension, isee math achievement, isee question types, the isee is administered at four levels, isee online test prep.

The ISEE is an admission test developed and administered by the Educational Records Bureau (ERB). It serves as an entrance exam for several independent schools, as well as magnet ones (public schools with specialized curriculums and courses). The use of the test is widespread, administered both throughout the U.S. and abroad. ISEE provides a standard assessment of each applicant’s skills as well as ranking of abilities and achievements compared to other applicants. Preparing for this test places your child at a great advantage in comparison to other candidates for specific programs, especially since many schools place greater value on ISEE test scores than student grades.

If you are a teacher looking for the perfect practice experience for their students, click here !

Below, you can find a brief overview of the five sections of ISEE.

This Verbal Reasoning section is designed to test a student’s vocabulary and reasoning skills. The section is divided into two parts. The first is synonyms: this section requires a knowledge of vocabulary to recognize connections between words, as well as reasoning ability to discern which word is closest in meaning, even if more than one option may seem accurate. The second is sentence completion: this section contains a question type that requires the student to understand the functions of words. He or she is required to choose a word, a pair of words, or a phrase (depending on grade level) that best fits the context of the sentence provided in the question. Once again, the correct level of vocabulary and reasoning is necessary to do well on this question type. Learn more about the ISEE Verbal Reasoning section .

The Quantitative Reasoning section tests the student’s mathematical reasoning skills. The section is mostly made out of word problems, but also contains quantitative comparisons, depending on grade level. This section differs from the second mathematical section on the test in that this one has to do with innate math ability, and not necessarily how much math the student has learned in the past. Most of the questions involve little to no calculations at all. The content of questions complies with the national mathematics standards. Learn more about the ISEE Quantitative Reasoning section .

The Reading Comprehension section is comprised of 5-6 short passages, usually related to history, science, art, or contemporary life. Within a limited time frame, students are required to answer questions about these texts. These questions involve factors such as tone, vocabulary, and main and supporting ideas of the text. Find out more about the ISEE Reading Comprehension section .

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Unlike the first math section of the test, the Math Achievement section does involve calculations, and requires knowledge of math processes and terminology learned in the student’s past school years. Questions are based on the national mathematics standards, and require the student to determine the problem and figure out the solution.  Read more about the ISEE Math Achievement section .

In the essay section students are given a randomly chosen writing prompt. In 30 minutes, students are required to write an essay based on this prompt. Get more information on the ISEE Essay section .

The Verbal Reasoning, Quantitative Reasoning, Reading Comprehension, and Mathematics sections are completely made up of multiple-choice questions. ISEE scores are reported in percentile ranks. The essay, however, is not graded. Rather, it is sent to the school (or schools) to which the student is applying for entry, along with the rest of the ISEE test scores. Learn more about ISEE scores here , or have a look at the table below to see how each of the five ISEE sections are divided in each level.

In order to be successful on the ISEE test, it is important to set aside time to prepare. TestPrep-Online offers level-specific, child-friendly ISEE practice test packs to help your child be prepared for test day. The ISEE practice test pack includes realistic practice tests and helpful tips, allowing your child to become familiar with the test structure. Help your child prepare for the ISEE test with TestPrep-Online so that s/he can come to the test confident and ready to succeed.

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April 18, 2024

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Stifled Rage

April 18, 2024 issue

Louisa May Alcott; illustration by Maya Chessman

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A Strange Life: Selected Essays of Louisa May Alcott

“I write for myself and strangers,” Gertrude Stein once announced. So, too, Louisa May Alcott, who wrote for herself as well as the strangers who have been reading Little Women since 1868, when it first appeared. For more than a century and a half, Little Women has inspired playwrights, composers, filmmakers, scholars, novelists, and of course countless young girls. Jane Smiley salutes those young girls—she was one of them—in her warmly appreciative preface to A Strange Life , Liz Rosenberg’s slim new collection of Alcott’s essays.

When she first encountered Little Women , Smiley realized that a book about girls was actually famous and that every library had it. Later it even seemed that the book had to be about Alcott’s own life. And since many others have felt the same way—with good reason—it’s not surprising that new biographies come down the pike every few years, intent on changing the negative view of Alcott best expressed by Henry James, who belittled her as “the Thackeray, the Trollope, of the nursery and the school-room.”

Martha Saxton’s feminist Louisa May: A Modern Biography (1977) and, more recently, biographies by Harriet Reisen, Susan Cheever, and Eve LaPlante, and by scholars such as John Matteson, have demonstrated that Alcott was much more than the author of what she self-deprecatingly called “moral pap for the young.” Rather, as a woman of imagination with considerable stylistic range, Alcott composed gothic tales, short stories, satires, fantasies, adult novels, poetry, memoirs, and essays in which she wrote of female independence and its costs in a restrictive domestic circle. She was also a prolific letter writer who converted into a tart prose style much of her anguish—and anger—at the circumstances in which she found herself, as a woman, as a dutiful daughter, as a second-class citizen, and, ironically, as a best-selling author who worked hard to maintain her popularity.

Rosenberg, the author of Scribbles, Sorrows, and Russet Leather Boots: The Life of Louisa May Alcott (2021), aimed at young readers, is thus not the first person to suggest that Alcott, and in particular her nonfiction, are worthy of serious attention. There’s also Elaine Showalter’s excellent selection of Alcott’s prose in Alternative Alcott (1988); there’s the Portable Louisa May Alcott (2000), edited by Elizabeth Lennox Keyser, and The Sketches of Louisa May Alcott (2001), collected by the Alcott specialist Gregory Eiselein, not to mention the superb selection of her nonfiction in one of the Alcott volumes published by the Library of America.

In A Strange Life , Rosenberg wisely includes Alcott’s best-known prose works—the excellent, slightly fictionalized memoir “Transcendental Wild Oats” and the exceptional (abridged) Hospital Sketches —and sets them alongside excerpts from her semiautobiographical nonfiction to show that her prose, as she explains in her introduction, “canters along; she covers great distances in the fewest words; there is no dilly-dallying.” Maybe so; what’s also true is that Alcott can write with unmistakable acerbity.

Rosenberg provides some biographical information on Alcott as well but unfortunately doesn’t explain why she chose certain pieces and not others, or why she arranged them in the order she did. Presumably the essay “Happy Women” (1868), her penultimate selection, is meant to present Alcott at her feminist best. True, it was written as a buck-me-up advice column for the unmarried woman, counseling her not to fear becoming an “old maid” since “the loss of liberty, happiness, and self respect is poorly repaid by the barren honor of being called ‘Mrs.’” In stock terms, Alcott advises, “Be true to yourselves; cherish whatever talent you possess, and in using it faithfully for the good of others, you will most assuredly find happiness for yourself.” But pieces that Rosenberg didn’t include, such as “Unofficial Incidents Overlooked by the Reporters” (1875), Alcott’s account of the centennial celebration in Concord, Massachusetts, have far more bite:

We had no place in the procession, but such women as wished to hear the oration were directed to meet in the Town Hall at half-past nine, and wait there until certain persons, detailed for the service, should come to lead them to the tent, where a limited number of seats had been reserved for the weaker vessels.

Rosenberg also reprints short excerpts from Alcott’s travel book, Shawl-Straps : An Account of a Trip to Europe (1872), but these selections—from the essays “Women of Brittany,” “The Flood in Rome,” and “Visit from a King”—are flat and predictable. And while she includes Alcott’s autobiographical sketch “My Boys,” a forgettable group of portraits intended mainly for young people and originally published in Aunt Jo’s Scrap-Bag (1872), Rosenberg fails to note that this was the first in a series of six Scrap-Bag books ( Shawl-Straps being the first), and that in them Alcott cleverly assumed the voice of Jo March Bhaer, from the best-selling Little Women —presumably to make money.

Despite the thinness of these sketches, they could be enriched if the reader knew the books from which they’re taken or more of the circumstances under which they were written. For Alcott worked obsessively to become a successful writer and, not coincidentally, her impoverished family’s breadwinner. Her father, Amos Bronson Alcott, was eccentric and impecunious—and lovable, as long as you weren’t related to him. A self-taught Connecticut peddler turned educator, Bronson for a time ran the progressive Temple School in Boston. But after he published Conversations with Children on the Gospels (1836–1837), in which he included allusions to sex and birth, scandalized Bostonians withdrew their children from the school, forcing it to close. His next venture was short-lived; he admitted a Black child to a new school and even his die-hard supporters bolted.

Then in 1843, when Louisa was ten, Bronson marched his family off to the town of Harvard, Massachusetts, about fourteen miles from Concord, where the Alcotts had been living. At a farm inappropriately dubbed Fruitlands, Bronson believed that they and a small band of cohorts could create a new Garden of Eden by living off the fruit of the land. “Insane, well-meaning egotists,” the antislavery writer Lydia Maria Child called them.

At Fruitlands, Abigail May Alcott, Louisa’s mother, was tasked with the cleaning, the washing of clothes, and the cooking, though there was little of that since utopia mandated a diet of mostly raw vegetables. (Rosenberg calls Bronson “a prescient and intelligent vegetarian pre-hippie.”) She was miserable, and the children almost starved. The model for the beloved Marmee, the mother of the brood in Little Women , Abigail was the youngest child in a family of prominent Boston Brahmin liberals; her brother was the passionate Unitarian abolitionist and women’s rights advocate Samuel Joseph May. She studied French, Latin, and chemistry privately in Duxbury, Massachusetts, and later helped form the Philadelphia Female Anti-Slavery Society. In 1830 she married the self-involved Bronson, who confessed in his journal, “I love her because she loves me.” In Little Women , Marmee understandably declares, “I am angry nearly every day of my life.”

In “Transcendental Wild Oats” (1873), Alcott changes the names of the Fruitlanders and, Rosenberg argues, “alternates broad comedy with tragedy.” As she puts it, “Alcott never lingers on the psychological devastation” that she likely experienced but rather

focuses on the characters around her and records the homely details of daily life (“unleavened bread, porridge, and water for breakfast; bread, vegetables, and water for dinner; bread, fruit, and water for supper”), leaving little room for disbelief.

Yet Alcott’s details are telling. Her irony is unmistakable, and her voice devastating in its affectlessness. As she observes, these “modern pilgrims,” most notably her father, possessed “the firm belief that plenteous orchards were soon to be evoked from their inner consciousness.” Once in their prospective Eden, she acidly continues, “no teapot profaned that sacred stove, no gory steak cried aloud for vengeance from her chaste gridiron; and only a brave woman’s taste, time, and temper were sacrificed on that domestic altar.” Fortunately the sojourn in paradise lasted only seven months.

The Alcotts eventually resettled in Concord, where Louisa grew up near Emerson, Thoreau, and later Hawthorne. But since “money is never plentiful in a philosopher’s house,” as she later recollected, the family temporarily moved to a basement apartment in Boston. After her mother formed what was basically a female employment agency, Louisa volunteered to take a position as a lady’s live-in companion in Dedham, Massachusetts. It turned out to be a degrading experience that she partly fictionalized in the essay “How I Went Out to Service” (1874), with which Rosenberg opens her volume, claiming it’s yet another example of Alcott’s ability to “strike the intersecting point between tragedy and comedy.” It’s a fine essay but not particularly comic: it’s a chilly story of exploitation and sexual harassment despite the moralizing conclusion about how the experience taught her many lessons.

Doubtless it did, but it also seems that Alcott wrote more for strangers than herself, often muzzling the intensity of her response to those who underestimated, harassed, or took advantage of her. She had begun to sell stories to help support her family, and though she’d already published two in the prestigious Atlantic Monthly , she also tried her hand at teaching again, despite her hatred of it. The publisher of The Atlantic , James Fields, loaned her forty dollars to help outfit her classroom, but when she came to him with another story—according to Rosenberg, “How I Went Out to Service”—he told her bluntly, “Stick to your teaching.” Rosenberg omits what happened later: after the success of Little Women , Alcott paid back the loan, telling Fields she’d found that writing paid far better than teaching, so she’d stick to her pen. “He laughed,” she said, “& owned that he made a mistake.”

She never forgot the insult. Like Marmee, who said she was angry nearly every day of her life, Alcott added, “I have learned not to show it.” Instead she found ways to stifle her rage, distancing herself from her feelings and retreating into the safety of platitudes, which often deaden her prose. For instance, at the conclusion of “How I Went Out to Service,” she tacks on a lesson about “making a companion, not a servant, of those whose aid I need, and helping to gild their honest wages with the sympathy and justice which can sweeten the humblest and lighten the hardest task.” It’s not clear if she’s counseling the reader or herself.

That’s far less true, though, in Hospital Sketches (1863), Alcott’s first successful book, in which she combined her recollections with material from the letters she wrote home while serving as an army nurse at the Union Hotel Hospital in Washington, D.C. Having “corked up” her tears, she nonetheless writes with feeling about “the barren honors” that these soldiers, cut to pieces at Fredericksburg, had won. She washed their bodies with brown soap, dressed their wounds, sang them lullabies, mopped their brows, and scribbled letters to the mothers and sweethearts of the nameless men, some without arms or legs, who lay in excruciating pain in the hotel’s ballroom. Such “seeming carelessness of the value of life, the sanctity of death” astonished Alcott, who wanted to believe that none of them had been sacrificed in vain.

She lasted only six weeks before she fell ill with typhoid pneumonia and had to be taken home to Concord by her father. The physicians who treated her shaved her hair and dosed her with calomel, a mercury compound that ultimately ruined her health. Alcott, encouraged by a friend to publish her experience, wrote of the desperate conditions that had made her, like many others, so sick: the fetid water and poor ventilation and scant or inedible food. And she wrote not just of the clammy foreheads and agonized deaths, and the insouciance of doctors who made a young woman tell a desperate man that he was dying, but also of the inescapable racism even of her fellow nurses:

I expected to have to defend myself from accusations of prejudice against color; but was surprised to find things just the other way, and daily shocked some neighbor by treating the blacks as I did the whites. The men would swear at the “darkies,” would put two g s into negro, and scoff at the idea of any good coming from such trash. The nurses were willing to be served by the colored people, but seldom thanked them, never praised, and scarcely recognized them in the street.

When she voluntarily touched a small Black child, she was labeled a fanatic. Alcott then offers a typical homily:

Though a hospital is a rough school, its lessons are both stern and salutary; and the humblest of pupils there, in proportion to his faithfulness, learns a deeper faith in God and in himself.

These homilies, like her detachment, may have been a marketing strategy, since she worried always about hanging on to her audience. Yet she did still write for herself after all. “Darkness made visible,” as she called it, was what she also sought, anticipating, in her way, what the witty Emily Dickinson surmised: “Success in Circuit lies.”

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