<p>Just got scores back today from last wknd's ISEE test. Given the brewha re: content of the test changing so much in 2009, we were quite anxious to see what it'd mean in terms of stanines/ curve for 2013. Seems only a few people applying to BS take the ISEE & instead take the SSAT. B/c of timing & capacity reasons, taking ISEE was our DC's only option if we wanted to get scores in by app deadlines.</p>
<p>I know ISEE scores are compared with those of the last 3 years & that this year would be pretty telling because this would be the 1st year that there'd actually be 3 years worth of prior ISEE tests which used the revised format & higher difficulty level. Prior to 2009, the test had MORE questions (you get points for every correct answer so more quest. is better). It was apparently a good bit easier too. Yet those students who took the harder, revised version (starting in 2009) still had their scores compared to those who had taken the easier version. Hence, lots of 4,5 and 6's etc rather than 7,8 9's..</p>
<p>So, color me a bit flabbergasted today when I found that our DC's test scores were 5's and 6's. Even the Reading Comp which had come in @ the 90th percentile on every sample test & previous ERB taken thru school! Given the amount of sample tests taken at home & the relative comfort level our DC had before/ after taking it, we're puzzled. More importantly, wondering if anyone might have insight on these 2013 scores & how the schools are viewing them. Are they still looking @ them with a critical eye b/c of the problems/ changes ISEE encountered since 2009...or do the scores this year tend to garner more credibility?</p>
<p>As a rule, I know these tests are probably the least important aspect of admission but if these scores can & will be used as the "tie breaker" when deciding which student to admit...we haven't much ground to stand on, I'm aftraid.
Anyone care to chime in? Past or present test takers, tutors, AO's, parents...all opinions welcome! Thanks!</p>
<p>Interesting, I did not know any of this back ground story for ISEE. My daughter took it both last year and this year. She did considerably better this year with 8 & 9 stanine as opposed to 6 and 7 last year. I chalked it up to preparation and being more comfortable since it was her second experience with it.</p>
<p>She took it for 8th last year and 9th this year. </p>
<p>I think it would be hard to judge the situation on just the few CC kids results since circumstances can vary greatly. My daughter also did a lot better this year on the SSAT which was supposed to be more difficult as well.</p>
<p>The same exact thing happened to me! I got 95+ on practice test, but my test results were shockingly bad</p>
<p>Yeah, it’s pretty scary that the changes to the ISEE test weren’t publicized more. I’ve spoken to many schools, parents and even tutors who were not even made aware of the changes until just recently. Hard to believe but really true- even schools and counselors. If you do some Googling around, you will find all sorts of info but you have to KNOW to look in the first place which I only did, when I noticed a post here on CC. But I also learned that besides just the changes to the exam- the ISEE scored some exams incorrectly for numerous students- I think two years back or maybe last year. Spoke to a friend at church on Sunday who said this actually happened to her son who was on the cusp of a higher stanine and that since the comp at the school was so tight- he lost out to a few other kids. Then after, acceptance letters were mailed out and he had already enrolled at another middle school, they got the apology from ISEE and the corrected scores. Who knows what would have changed but he would have had 2 more correct answers (HUGE deal on the ISEE given they took away # of questions & only count correct answers). There were a few kids that got into that school they wanted that actually had lower scores after the correction, too. </p>
<p>Not quite sure what color purple I’d turn on that one but as we all know…life’s not fair so guess these are just little reminders as such.</p>
<p>Hi,
My son took the ISEE on Jan 12th and got good scores… 99 percentile verbal(2 mistakes), 99 percentile Quantitative(0 mistakes), 99 percentile math (0 mistakes) and 98 percentile reading comp(2 mistakes). I was not aware of the history of the test change until I read your post. He is taking this test for the first time… But he did say that ISEE math was much harder than SSAT and and several of students did not finish the test.</p>
<p>@goforprep:</p>
<p>This may be something you’ve already taken into account, but was your son’s 90th percentile on ERBs compared to the national norm or the independent school norm? That makes a very large difference. For example, an 85 on the independent school norm usually translates into a 99 on the national norm since the independent school group is much more selective. I wouldn’t be surprised for a 90th percentile on the national norm to translate into 5’s and 6’s on the independent school norm.</p>
<p>I would expect (hope?) that the difference between the new test and the old test was taken into account until the 3-year lookback period only included the new test. My older son took the ISEE the first year of the changes and there didn’t seem to be any shock in his 8th grade class about results.</p>
<p>The change to the ISEE happened during the 2009-10 school year. My older son took the ISEE’s in December 2009 and had not focused on them at all since he took a review course for the SHSAT (the test for Stuyvesant, Bronx Science etc.). During the month-gap between the SHSAT and the ISEE, we downloaded the sample test for the new version. I was very surprised when I saw matrix addition and basic trig functions on the test. I quickly taught him matrix addition (which is very easy to do once you’ve seen it) and he had both a matrix addition and matrix subtraction problem on his actual test. He just guessed on the one trig question. Since he had straight 9’s, it obviously wasn’t an issue.</p>
<p>@NJParent2000:<br>
Congratulations! Those scores are incredibly high, and I would think your son would be a strong contender for almost any school he is applying to. Curious which grade level he is applying for next year/which level ISEE he took?
Have you heard any whispering from other parents whose children tested recently? I have heard many in CT/Westchester concerned that scores were lower than expected, so your son’s seems to be the exception.</p>
<p>Just curious – is there any difference in the ISEE test taken back in the fall (2012) and the one(s) taken in January 2013?</p>
<p>@Suburbanmom
My som is in grade 8 and took isee upper level. Couple of others in his school took the same test and got in 90 percentile range.</p>
<p>Curious if anyone on this thread has an informed estimate of the SSAT composite equivalent of ISEE scores of 99,96,96 & 99. I asked on another thread with no luck. Thanks in advance.</p>
<p>My son took ISEE on Jan.12,2013. He said the Quantitive part is harder than those in the ISEE practice test. We expect his scores would be in 80%, but finally it turned out veral 92%, Quantitive 98%, Reading 92% and Math 98%. We are very satisfied with the result. This is his first time taking ISEE. </p>
<p>He is applying for Harvard-Westlake. Anyone know what percentiles they usually accept?</p>
<p>@walnuthill</p>
<p>How can the SSAT equivalent (not that it really means anything) to those scores be anything but 99?</p>
<p>Can anyone explain the differences between these two tests and the best way to prepare for both the exams? For students who took the SHSAT in late Oct/Nov. and the ISEE in late Nov./Dec, how did you go from one test to the other and is there much overlap (e.g. the math sections)? The verbal seems more akin to the SAT.</p>
<p>Thanks Lvillegrad for the PM. Very valuable! I can’t thank you privately as I do not have enough posts to enable PMing; however, if and when I hit the holy grail of 15 posts, you’ll be the first person I write to thank personally.</p>