Middle Level ISEE prep for grades 6 and 7
The Middle Level is for students applying to 7th and 8th grade. It runs 20 minutes longer than the Lower Level, adds 33 questions and brings a new kind of math question. Practice on 20 full-length Middle Level tests; Practice Test 1 is free online with an account.
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- Quantitative comparisons. Part of Quantitative Reasoning compares Column A with Column B, using four answers that never change.
- Six reading passages. 36 questions in 35 minutes, up from 25 in 25.
- More algebra. ISEE’s guide puts 9–13 of the 47 math questions on algebraic concepts.
A quantitative comparison built on a bar graph, from one of our 20 Middle Level practice tests.
What changes after the Lower Level
The Middle and Upper Levels share one format. Compared with the Lower Level, the test is longer and faster, and math reasoning adds a new question type.
Quantitative comparisons: four answers that never change
Each comparison shows two quantities. You don’t need the exact value of either; you decide which one is bigger, using the same four choices every time. Try two from our Middle Level tests.
- AColumn A is greater
- BColumn B is greater
- CThe two are equal
- DIt cannot be determined
t stands for any number.
Pick an answer.
A number greater than 0 is first made 25% larger, and that result is then made 25% smaller.
Pick an answer.
Plug in a few different values, such as 0, 1, a negative number and a fraction. If one value makes Column A bigger and another makes Column B bigger, the answer is D. When both columns are plain numbers with no letters, D can’t be right: each column has exactly one value.
Where the clock gets tight
The four sections run at different speeds. Verbal Reasoning is the fastest at 30 seconds a question, and with no penalty for wrong answers, a quick guess always beats a blank.
Practice that feels like the real Middle Level
Six passages, timed like the real test
Line-numbered passages drawn from the sciences and humanities, with the flag, review and notepad tools of the online ISEE.
A stanine for every section
Each report estimates a scaled score and a stanine for all four scored sections, with no guessing penalty, like the real ISEE. Example results shown.
Learn from every miss
Every question shows the answer chosen, the right one and why. Then practice missed and flagged questions in the 3,200-question bank, and the words behind them in the 564-word vocabulary trainer.
The essay: say what you think, then show it
Middle Level prompts ask about your child’s own life or opinions. There are 30 minutes and no score, but schools read the essay to see how your child writes without help. Both examples come from our Middle Level practice tests.
“Think about something you can do now that you could not do two years ago. How did you get better at it?”
Pick one specific skill and show how it changed with real moments, not a list.
“Do you think it is more useful to be curious or to be careful? Give reasons for your answer.”
Choose a side in the first paragraph, then give two reasons, each with an example.
- Write at least two timed essays, one of each kind
- Spend the first three or four minutes planning
- Leave two minutes to reread and fix errors
Try Practice Test 1 free, on paper or online
The first Middle Level test is free two ways: print it, or take it online with a free account, timed and scored like the other 19.
- 160 questions and an essay prompt in the real order and timing
- An answer sheet, an answer key and a scoring worksheet
- The Detailed Answer Key, free with an account
Everything for the Middle Level in one plan
Practice tests, course, question bank and vocabulary trainer for grades 6 and 7. 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
- 59-hour on-demand course with 101 lessons across Verbal, Quantitative, Reading, and Math
- Timed essay practice in every test
- 72 problem sets by section and skill
- 3,200-question bank: practice new, missed, or flagged questions, untimed or timed
- 564-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
Who takes the Middle Level ISEE?
Students applying to grades 7 and 8, so usually 6th and 7th graders.
Is a 6th grader compared with 7th graders?
No. Both take the same test, but each percentile and stanine compares a student only with applicants to the same grade over the past three years.
What is a quantitative comparison on the ISEE?
A question that shows two quantities, Column A and Column B, and asks how they compare. The four answers never change: A is greater, B is greater, the two are equal, or the relationship cannot be determined. They first appear at the Middle Level.
Should my child guess on the Middle Level ISEE?
Yes. There is no penalty for wrong answers, so a blank is always a lost chance. Guess, mark the question and come back to it if time allows.
Are calculators allowed on the Middle Level?
No. Calculators are not allowed on any section unless a student has an approved accommodation.
Can my child take the Middle Level online?
Yes: at home, at a Prometric test center, or at a school that offers it. Some schools also give it on paper. The questions and timing are the same in every format.
More on the Middle Level
Meet the comparisons before test day does.
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