ISEE scores: scaled scores, percentiles and stanines
The ISEE has no passing score and no cutoff. Each of its four scored sections gets a scaled score from 760 to 940, a percentile from 1 to 99 and a stanine from 1 to 9. E3n, which provides the test, says schools use the scores as one measure among other criteria, and sends score questions to each school's admissions office.
Facts checked October 11, 2026 against the publisher's own pages, listed at the bottom. Prepwick is not affiliated with the test's publisher.
What do the numbers on an ISEE score report mean?
The report is called the Individual Student Report. It lists the four scored sections one by one: Verbal Reasoning, Quantitative Reasoning, Reading Comprehension and Mathematics Achievement.
| Scaled score | 760 to 940 for each section. It starts from the number of right answers and is adjusted so it means the same on every version of the test |
|---|---|
| Percentile | 1 to 99. The share of students who scored the same or lower. It is not the share of questions answered correctly |
| Stanine | 1 to 9, lowest to highest. Stanines 4, 5 and 6 cover the middle 54 percentile points. Stanines 1 to 3 cover the bottom 23 and 7 to 9 the top 23 |
| Stanine band | The report shades one stanine above and below the student's own. A stanine of 5 is shown as a band from 4 to 6 |
| Compared with | Students in the same grade who took the ISEE in the past three years |
| Wrong answers | Not deducted from the score |
| Essay | Not scored. A copy goes to the schools a family picks, and the family does not get one |
Is there an ISEE cutoff or passing score?
- No. E3n says its member schools use ISEE scores as one measure for admission decisions, along with other criteria each school considers important.
- For how a school will read the scores, E3n tells families to contact the admissions office at that school.
- Percentiles can look low. E3n says students applying to independent schools are a stronger group than students overall, so a child may rank lower here than on tests taken at school.
How should a family read the report?
- A stanine is a range, not a point. E3n says a score can vary on a retake even when skill has not changed, which is why the report shows a band.
- Every version of the test gets its own score conversion, to adjust for small differences in difficulty. E3n says no student is at a disadvantage because of the version they took.
- Each multiple-choice section includes several questions that are not scored. E3n may use them on future tests.
- The report does not show how many times a student tested in the past 12 months.
Getting and sending ISEE scores
| Online test | Scores are usually ready in three to five days |
|---|---|
| Paper test | Scores are usually ready in five to ten days |
| Who sees them | The family always. Schools only if the family names them as score recipients |
| Adding schools later | Allowed after seeing the scores, at no extra fee |
| Removing schools | Only up to the test date |
| Partial reports | Not allowed. A school gets the whole report, and sections from two test dates cannot be mixed |
| Hand scoring | $55, paper tests only |
| Rescoring for another grade | $45, generally only when a student may repeat a grade |
ISEE score questions parents ask
What is a good ISEE score?
E3n does not name one. It says schools use the scores as one measure among others and tells families to ask each school's admissions office how it reads them.
What is the highest ISEE score?
Each of the four scored sections has a scaled score from 760 to 940, so 940 is the top of each section. The highest stanine is 9 and the highest percentile is 99.
What is a stanine on the ISEE?
A stanine places a student in one of nine groups, 1 the lowest and 9 the highest. Stanines 4, 5 and 6 cover the middle 54 percentile points.
Why is my child's ISEE percentile lower than on school tests?
The comparison group is different. ISEE percentiles compare a student with others in the same grade who took the ISEE in the past three years. E3n says those students are generally stronger than students overall.
Can I see ISEE scores before schools do?
Yes. A family can wait, look at the scores and then add schools as recipients, with no extra fee. Schools named before the test can be removed only up to the test date.
Can I send only my child's best ISEE sections?
No. Only a complete score report can be sent, and sections from two different test dates cannot be combined.
How long do ISEE scores take?
Usually three to five days for an online test and five to ten days for a paper test.
Sources
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