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What is the Middle Level ISEE?

The ISEE Middle Level is administered to students in the sixth and seventh grade (entering seventh and eighth grade, respectively) by the Educational Records Bureau (ERB). The test serves as an entrance exam for several independent and magnet schools (magnet schools are public schools with specialized curricula and courses) throughout the US and abroad.

The goal of the ISEE is to provide an assessment of every applicant's skills and to rank their abilities and achievements, as compared to other applicants. For that reason, it is extremely important to prepare for this test so that your child can score higher than other applicants, and place ahead of them in priority, for various programs.

Learn more about the ISEE 

What to Expect on the ISEE Middle Level

The Middle Level ISEE contains a total of 160 multiple choice questions, divided into four sections, each examining different sets of skills. Additionally, there is a fifth section in which the applicants are required to draft an essay.

The Verbal Reasoning section is designed to test the students’ vocabulary skills. This section contains 40 questions divided into two categories: synonym questions, which test the ability to recognize connections between words with similar meanings, and sentence completion questions, which test the ability to understand word functions in context.

The Quantitative Reasoning section is designed to test the students’ ability to think mathematically. This section is comprised of 37 questions, including word problems and quantitative comparison questions.

The Reading Comprehension section is designed to test the students’ ability to understand and properly analyze a given text. This section contains six passages, each followed by six questions, for a total of 36 questions. These questions are meant to examine different aspects of reading comprehension, including main and supporting ideas, inferences, vocabulary, organization and logic, and style and tone.

The Mathematics Achievement section is designed to test knowledge of math processes and terminology learned in past school years. Unlike the quantitative reasoning section, this section requires the students to make actual calculations and use mathematical skills. This section contains 47 questions of various mathematical topics, including number operations, geometry, algebra, measurement, data analysis & probability, and problem-solving.

The Essay section is designed to test the students' ability to describe ideas, make personal reflections, and organize thoughts. Moreover, the essay gives the admissions office insight into more personal aspects of the applicants. In this section, the student is required to write a short essay in response to an essay prompt that is selected randomly from various topics pertaining to the interests of students their age and gives students the chance to write about themselves.

The following table summarizes the content and structure of the ISEE Middle Level:

ISEE Section Question Type(s) Amount of Questions Time
Verbal Reasoning Synonym + Sentence Completion 40 questions 20 minutes
Quantitative Reasoning Word Problems + Quantitative Comparisons 37 questions 35 minutes
Reading Comprehension Passages + Relevant Questions 6 passages + 36 questions 35 minutes
Math (Mathematics Achievement) Word Problems 47 questions 40 minutes
Essay 1 Essay Prompt 1 essay 30 minutes
Total   160 questions + essay 2 hours, 40 minutes

While each ISEE level consists of the same question types, the ISEE Middle Level is geared toward kids in the 6th and 7th grade. It is a bit longer than the ISEE Lower Level and the same length as the ISEE Upper Level. The questions on the test reflect the expected knowledge level of this age group.

ISEE Online Test Prep

Preparing properly for the ISEE Middle Level is crucial to obtaining the highest results possible. As schools are comparing applicants' accomplishments on this test to determine their qualification, a high ISEE score can have a significant impact on your child's probability of being accepted.

TestPrep-Online offers level-specific, child-friendly ISEE practice test packs to help ensure your child is well prepared for test day. The Premium ISEE Middle Level Practice Test Pack includes two full-length, realistic practice tests that each simulating the actual ISEE test, thus enabling your child to become familiar with the test’s unique structure.

Upon finishing each practice exam, your child can review his or her test using a detailed score report that shows which questions were answered incorrectly, the number of correct answers, and the total score.
Additionally, he or she can read full explanations for each question. If a question has been answered incorrectly, the explanation can be used to understand what was done wrong and how to correctly solve that question. If a question has been answered correctly, the explanation can help introduce your child to new methods and approaches for solving those types of questions.

With this report, you will be able to identify your child’s strengths and weaknesses, and you can use this knowledge to determine where to concentrate your efforts in helping him or her become fully prepared in all of the various topics on the test.

Help your child prepare for the ISEE Middle Level with TestPrep-Online so that he or she will be fully ready and confident in their abilities on the day of the test!

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