Lower Level ISEE prep for grades 4 and 5
The Lower Level is for children applying to 5th and 6th grade, and for many it is the first long, timed test they have ever taken. Practice on 20 full-length Lower Level tests, each scored with estimated stanines like the real report, so test day holds no surprises.
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- No penalty for wrong answers, so every question gets an answer
- 4th and 5th graders take one test, but each is scored only against their own grade
- No quantitative comparisons: math reasoning at this level is all word problems
Four scored sections and an essay, in plain English
Every Lower Level ISEE has the same five parts in the same order, on paper or online. This is what each one asks a 4th or 5th grader to do.
Verbal Reasoning
ScoredSynonyms (pick the word that means the same) and sentence completions with one blank. Some blanks are filled by a short phrase instead of a word, so following the sentence’s logic matters as much as knowing words.
Quantitative Reasoning
ScoredWord problems only, many built on a table, a graph or a picture. It rewards careful reading and choosing the right steps more than fast arithmetic.
Reading Comprehension
ScoredFive short passages with five questions each, drawn from the sciences and humanities: the main idea, details, inferences, words in context and how a passage is put together.
Mathematics Achievement
ScoredGrade-level math: whole numbers, fractions and decimals, patterns and simple rules, measurement, shapes and reading data. No calculator, so practice by hand.
Essay
Not scoredOne question about your child’s own experience or opinion, handwritten on paper or typed online. It isn’t scored, but every school that receives the scores gets a copy.
Two questions from our Lower Level practice tests
A sentence completion that ends with a phrase, and a word problem. Pick an answer to see the explanation your child would see.
Isla can sit through a two-hour wait at the clinic without once looking at the clock, but her younger brother -------.
Pick an answer.
At recess, 27 children count off to make 4 teams for a soccer game, and every team must have the same number of players. Anyone left over keeps score instead of playing. How many children keep score?
Pick an answer.
How to read a Lower Level score report
- 01Three numbers for each section
A scaled score from 760 to 940, a percentile from 1 to 99 and a stanine from 1 to 9. The essay gets no score.
- 02Your child is compared with their own grade
A 4th grader applying to 5th grade is ranked only against other applicants to 5th grade from the past three years, so nobody expects a 4th grader to know everything a 5th grader does.
- 03Stanines in plain English
ISEE’s own guide calls stanines 1–3 below average, 4–6 average and 7–9 above average. There is no pass mark: each school decides what it looks for.
Practice written for 9- and 10-year-olds
Everything in the Lower Level plan is made for this level, from the passages to the word problems.
20 full-length Lower Level tests
Timed like the real test, with line-numbered passages, a flag button and a review screen. Save and resume lets a first test be split into two sittings.
Go over every answer together
After each test, every question shows the answer your child chose, the right one and a short explanation. Example results shown.
See where the time went
Pacing charts for each section show whether your child rushed, ran short of time or got stuck on one question. Example results shown.
A calm plan: short sessions over about three months
Twenty to forty minutes a few times a week is plenty at this age. This is what a typical week and the whole season can look like.
The vocabulary trainer, then a short set of synonyms
One lesson on a word-problem or math skill, then a problem set
One timed section, then go over the misses together
- Weeks 1–4One test, then the basics
Take a first practice test in two sittings to see where your child stands, then work through the 87-lesson course and the 357-word vocabulary trainer.
- Weeks 5–9Practice skill by skill
65 problem sets by section and skill, and the 2,540-question bank set to new or missed questions.
- Last 3 weeksBuild up to the full sitting
Two or three full tests in one sitting, with both breaks, starting at the time of day the real test begins.
The essay: 30 minutes, one prompt, a copy for every school
The essay comes last, after more than two hours of testing. On paper your child writes it by hand on two lined pages; online it is typed. It isn’t scored and families don’t get a copy, but every school on the score list does.
“Do you think recess should be longer, even if it means the school day ends later? Explain your view.”
Other prompts ask for a story from your child’s life, such as a time they found something that someone else had lost. Every practice test ends with one, timed.
- Answers the question in the first sentence or two
- Gives two reasons, or tells one story with details
- Ends with a sentence that sums it up
- Is neat enough to read, if your child tests on paper
Start with a free printable Lower Level test
Practice Test 1 is free to print: all 127 questions and an essay prompt in the real order and timing.
- A bubble answer sheet and an answer key
- A scoring worksheet for each section
- The Detailed Answer Key, free with an account
Everything for the Lower Level in one plan
Practice tests, course, question bank and vocabulary trainer for grades 4 and 5. Start with 7 days free.
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- Personalized study plan: your child’s estimated scores and weakest skills, with practice for each
- 20 full-length practice tests, timed like the real test, with save and resume
- Score report with scaled scores and stanines for every section, pacing, and a question-by-question review
- 51-hour on-demand course with 87 lessons across Verbal, Quantitative, Reading, and Math
- Timed essay practice in every test
- 65 problem sets by section and skill
- 2,540-question bank: practice new, missed, or flagged questions, untimed or timed
- 357-word vocabulary trainer with a word of the day
Preparing more than one child, or not sure of the level? The All-Levels plan covers Lower, Middle and Upper. See all plans
Frequently asked questions
Which ISEE level does a 4th or 5th grader take?
The Lower Level, which is for students applying to grades 5 and 6. A 3rd grader applying to 4th grade takes the Primary 4 test instead, and a 6th grader applying to 7th grade takes the Middle Level.
How long is the Lower Level ISEE?
2 hours 20 minutes of testing: Verbal Reasoning (34 questions, 20 minutes), Quantitative Reasoning (38 questions, 35 minutes), Reading Comprehension (25 questions, 25 minutes), Mathematics Achievement (30 questions, 30 minutes) and a 30-minute essay, plus two 10-minute breaks.
Is there a penalty for guessing on the Lower Level?
No. ISEE scores count only correct answers, so your child should answer every question, even with a guess.
Can my child take the Lower Level ISEE at home?
Yes. Students applying to grades 5 through 12 can test online at home, online at a Prometric test center, or at a school, on paper or online depending on what the school offers. The questions and timing are the same in every format.
What is a good Lower Level ISEE score?
There is no passing score. Stanines 4–6 are average and 7–9 above average for your child’s grade, and each school decides what it looks for, so ask the schools on your list what range their admitted students usually have.
What does the Lower Level plan include?
20 full-length Lower Level practice tests, a personalized study plan, score reports with estimated scaled scores and stanines, the 51-hour on-demand course with 87 lessons, 65 problem sets, the 2,540-question bank and the 357-word vocabulary trainer. You start with a 7-day free trial and $0.00 due today.
More on the Lower Level
Turn the first long test into a familiar one.
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