Award-Winning ISEE Test Prep in Ann Arbor, MI

If you have been looking into formal Ann Arbor ISEE prep to help the student in your life reach for academic success, Varsity Tutors can help. The ISEE is a high-stakes exam that private and independent schools may consider as part of their competitive application process. It is divided into four different levels to give students of a variety of ages an appropriate academic challenge: Primary (for students going into grades 2-4), Lower (5-6), Middle (7-8), and Upper (9 and up).

While a good score does not guarantee admission to a particular school, it can be a step in the right direction. If your student learns best in a collaborative learning environment, you might want to enroll them in an Ann Arbor ISEE prep course so that they can study with several peers. If they would do better in a one-on-one setting, the services of an Ann Arbor ISEE tutor may be more fitting. Either way, your student will wonder how they ever prepared for a standardized exam without professional assistance.

What content areas can Ann Arbor ISEE prep be expected to cover?

The Primary Level ISEE exams are grade-specific, so a student entering second grade would take the Primary 2 while one heading to third grade would take Primary 3. Primary 2 has an Auditory Comprehension section that requires students to answer questions based on something read to them, while all three Primary Level ISEEs have Reading and Math sections with age-appropriate questions. All three tests also have a short Writing section that schools read to get a sense for each applicant's creativity and communication skills.

The other three ISEE exams share a basic format consisting of the following five sections: Verbal Reasoning, Quantitative Reasoning, Reading Comprehension, Math Achievement, and Essay. The content gets more difficult at higher levels, but the time available and number of questions does not change. Here is a closer look at what your student can expect on exam day:

Verbal Reasoning

The Verbal Reasoning section evaluates a test-taker's vocabulary skills through a series of sentence completions and synonym-based questions. Topics include using context clues at the Lower Level; Greek, Latin, and Anglo-Saxon word roots at the Middle Level; and prefixes and suffixes at the Upper Level. Test-takers have a total of 40 multiple-choice questions to answer in just 20 minutes, so moving quickly is key.

Quantitative Reasoning

The Quantitative Reasoning component emphasizes mathematical thinking over operations. Topics include simple probability and symmetry at the Elementary Level, integers and fractions at the Middle Level, and exponents and algebraic variables at the Upper Level. Test-takers have a total of 37 multiple-choice questions to answer in 35 minutes on this section.

Reading Comprehension

The Reading Comprehension portion measures a student's critical thinking and reading comprehension skills. Topics include main idea and author's intent at the Elementary Level, inference and literal vs. figurative language at the Middle Level, and working with multiple literary genres at the Upper Level. If your student could remember more of what they read, they may benefit from learning active reading techniques such as note-taking to promote a more thorough engagement with the material. Students have 35 minutes to answer 36 multiple-choice questions on this section.

Math Achievement

Unlike the Quantitative Reasoning section, the Math Achievement section concentrates on quantitative problem-solving skills at all three levels. Potential topics include estimation and decimals at the Lower Level, quadrilaterals and triangles at the Middle Level, and calculating the mode, median, mean, and range of a data set at the Upper Level. Students have 40 minutes to answer 47 multiple-choice questions here.

Essay

The 30-minute essay allows test-takers to introduce themselves to the schools that they are applying to. Since this essay is given directly to every school a student applies to, it does not receive a numerical score.

What are some of the advantages of each Ann Arbor ISEE preparation option provided by Varsity Tutors?

If you choose to enroll your student in an Ann Arbor ISEE prep class, they attend regular class sessions on a proprietary live virtual platform and discuss academic concepts and test-taking strategies with a knowledgeable teacher and a small handful of other students. Our virtual classroom supports real-time interaction, so asking for help is just as simple as it would be in a physical classroom. Each instructor is also vetted thoroughly, so you can count on a strong communicator with an extensive knowledge base to draw upon.

You might think that having several students in the same class could be problematic, but it's actually a positive. Students can explain concepts to one another while the teacher is busy with somebody else, fostering a collaborative learning environment that may help everyone build a better understanding of pertinent concepts. Working in groups can also help your student approach problems in new ways, expediting the learning process. Studying in a group also allows multiple people to split the bill, making expert test prep more affordable for everybody involved. If you feel like your student needs individualized attention, you can also arrange private study sessions with the teacher as needed.

That said, some students need a one-on-one learning environment to pursue their educational goals. A private tutor can take the time to understand your student's preferred learning style and design sessions around it to improve study efficiency. They can also introduce new material at your student's pace, ensuring that they are engaged without feeling hopeless.

We also try to make all of our services as convenient as possible for busy students. We offer both two and four-week ISEE courses to make it easier to find one you can commit to. We also launch new courses each week so that we're ready to get started as soon as you are. Likewise, clients who choose a private instructor can study on our proprietary Live Learning Platform so that they don't have to worry about a commute.

Can I enroll my student in Ann Arbor ISEE prep today?

Just contact an educational consultant today to learn more about how to sign up for Ann Arbor ISEE prep with Varsity Tutors. We hope to hear from you soon!