You've taken your first practice ISEE, scored it, and now you're staring at the results wondering what they actually mean. You're not alone — because the ISEE isn't scored the same way as tests you’ve taken in school, interpreting the scores is confusing for most families the first time around.
If you haven't already, I'd recommend starting with our blog post on how is the ISEE scored, since understanding the scoring system is the foundation for understanding what a "good" score actually looks like.
So What is a Good ISEE Score? Unfortunately, There's No Single Answer.
The honest answer is that a good ISEE score depends entirely on the school — or schools — your student is applying to. That said, students who are accepted into private schools tend to score around the 60th percentile on average. Some schools indicate that a stanine of 5 on each section is sufficient for consideration, while more selective schools may be looking for students in the 7 to 9 stanine range.
If you want to know what scores a specific school is looking for, your best bet is to reach out to their admissions department directly. Most schools are willing to share that information with families.
What If My Student's Scores Aren't Where I'd Like Them to Be?
This is one of the most common concerns I hear from parents, so let me offer a few things worth keeping in mind.
First, the ISEE is taken by a competitive pool of students, and the test itself is genuinely difficult — it covers content that most students haven't encountered before. The majority of test takers score in the 4 to 6 stanine range on each section. These scores are not comparable to grades in school, and it's important not to treat them that way.
Second, test scores are just one piece of a student's application. Schools consider a wide range of factors when making admissions decisions, and the weight placed on standardized test scores varies significantly from school to school. Some schools do have firm cutoffs, but many take a more holistic approach and look at the full picture of who a student is.
Third, admissions teams are actively trying to build diverse, well-rounded classes, which means they're looking for a range of academic profiles, interests, personalities, and backgrounds. In my experience working with students, I've seen students with scores in the 4 to 6 stanine range admitted over students with scores in the 7 to 9 range when the rest of their application was strong. Strong teacher recommendations, solid grades, and being a genuine fit for a school's culture can go a long way.
If you have questions about your student's scores or aren't sure what they mean for their application, feel free to reach out at info@elevateprep.com — I'm happy to help you make sense of them.