Tests / ISEE / What’s on the ISEE Lower Level?

What’s on the ISEE Lower Level?

The ISEE Lower Level is for students applying to grades 5 and 6. It has four multiple-choice sections with 127 questions and an unscored 30-minute essay, for 2 hours 20 minutes of testing plus two 10-minute breaks. It’s shorter than the Middle and Upper Levels, and your child’s scores are compared only with other students applying to the same grade.

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What’s on each section of the ISEE Lower Level?

Four multiple-choice sections, then the essay. Each multiple-choice question has four answer choices.

Section Questions Minutes
Verbal Reasoning 34 20
Quantitative Reasoning 38 35
Break 10
Reading Comprehension 25 25
Mathematics Achievement 30 30
Break 10
Essay (not scored) 1 prompt 30
Total 127 + essay 2 hr 20 min of testing

Which students take the Lower Level?

Students applying to grades 5 or 6, whatever grade they’re in now. Once your child applies to grade 7 or 8, they take the Middle Level.

How is the Lower Level scored?

Each multiple-choice section gets a scaled score from 760 to 940, a percentile rank and a stanine from 1 to 9, and only correct answers count. The essay isn’t scored; a copy goes to the schools that receive your child’s scores.

Is there an official Lower Level practice test?

Yes. The test owner publishes a What to Expect on the ISEE guide for the Lower Level with a full practice test, and an online sample test. Entrance Lane is writing its own Lower Level practice tests as well.

Sources

  1. E3n, ISEE 2026–2027 Quick Facts Guide. Lower Level grades, section question counts and minutes, total time, two 10-minute breaks, the unscored essay, no penalty for wrong answers, and no calculators without an accommodation.. Checked October 19, 2026.
  2. E3n, ISEE for Families. The level is set by the grade a student is applying to.. Checked October 19, 2026.
  3. E3n, ISEE Score Reports for Families. Scaled scores of 760 to 940, percentiles and stanines, compared with students applying to the same grade over three years.. Checked October 19, 2026.
  4. ERB, What to Expect on the ISEE: Lower Level. Each question has four answer choices, the breaks come after Quantitative Reasoning and after Mathematics Achievement, and the guide includes a full practice test.. Checked October 19, 2026.

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More about the ISEE

What’s on the ISEE Middle Level?

The ISEE Middle Level is for students applying to grades 7 and 8. It has four multiple-choice sections with 160 questions and an unscored 30-minute essay, for 2 hours 40 minutes of testing plus two 10-minute breaks. Its sections and timing match the Upper Level, and your child’s scores are compared only with other students applying to the same grade.

What’s on the ISEE Upper Level?

The ISEE Upper Level is for students applying to grades 9 to 12, so it’s the level an 8th grader takes for high school. It has four multiple-choice sections with 160 questions and an unscored 30-minute essay, for 2 hours 40 minutes of testing plus two 10-minute breaks. Wrong answers don’t cost points, and calculators aren’t allowed without an approved accommodation.

The ISEE, level by level

The ISEE (Independent School Entrance Exam) is an admissions test that more than 1,200 independent schools accept. Your child takes the level for the grade they’re applying to: Lower for grades 5 and 6, Middle for grades 7 and 8, and Upper for grades 9 to 12. Each level has four multiple-choice sections and an unscored essay. Entrance Lane is writing full-length practice tests for each level.