Award-Winning ISEE Courses & Classes in Salt Lake City, UT

If you are looking for the perfect Salt Lake City ISEE prep course for your student's needs, Varsity Tutors offers a comprehensive course worth your attention. The ISEE, or Independent School Entrance Examination, is a high-stakes test utilized by independent and magnet schools as an objective way to compare applicants from different backgrounds. It is offered to students going into second grade and up, split into four levels (Primary grades 2-4, Lower 5-6, Middle 7-8, Upper 9+) in order to ensure that each test-taker receives an appropriate academic challenge.

No matter which level ISEE your student is preparing for, we can enroll them in a Salt Lake City ISEE class that covers all of the academic concepts on the exam plus test-taking strategies that could improve their self-confidence on exam day. Continue reading to learn more about how we can help you.

What content areas are typically covered in a Salt Lake City ISEE course?

The Primary Level ISEE is split into three separate exams according to a student's age (Primary 2, Primary 3, and Primary 4). Every test has multiple-choice Math and Reading sections, and Primary 2 also has an exclusive Auditory Comprehension section to measure how well a young test-taker understands spoken material. Each exam also has a writing prompt centered around a picture prompt, providing a glimpse into each student's personality and creativity.

The other three ISEE levels (Lower, Middle, and Upper) all have the same basic structure, though the material gets more challenging as the test-taker gets older. The format consists of five sections: Verbal Reasoning (40 multiple-choice questions in 20 minutes), Quantitative Reasoning (37 questions over 35 minutes), Reading Comprehension (36 items in 35 minutes), Math Achievement (47 questions in 40 minutes), and a timed 30-minute Essay.

Here is a closer look at what students can expect on each section of the exam:

Verbal Reasoning

The assessment's Verbal Reasoning section evaluates a test-taker's vocabulary skills through a series of items regarding synonyms and sentence completions. It isn't feasible to try to memorize every individual word that could appear on the test, so developing a working knowledge of Greek and Latin roots, prefixes, suffixes, and the parts of speech can help a student determine what an unknown word signifies. Students may also be encouraged to read in their spare time to practice using context to define unfamiliar terms.

Quantitative Reasoning

The exam's Quantitative Reasoning section measures a student's mathematical thinking skills, leaving mathematical operations skills to a separate part of the test. Possible topics include the four basic operations and simple probability on the Lower Level ISEE, square roots and the distributive property on the Middle Level ISEE, and exponents and algebraic variables on the Upper Level ISEE.

Reading Comprehension

The test's Reading Comprehension component assesses a test-taker's critical thinking and reading comp skills through a series of passage-based questions. All test-takers need to identify a passage's main idea, an author's intent with a given piece, and its organizational structure. Students taking the Middle Level ISEE and above also need to make inferences based on what they've read and recognize the difference between literal and figurative language. The Upper Level ISEE introduces literary genres to the equation, as test-takers are expected to compare words across genre lines.

Math Achievement

The examination's Math Achievement section stresses a student's ability to actually solve math problems. Possible topics include estimation and percentages on the Lower Level ISEE, prime factorization and proportion on the Middle Level ISEE, and coordinate grids and statistics on the Upper Level ISEE.

Writing

The ISEE's Writing section is not scored, but a copy of your student's work is provided to each school they apply to allow the pertinent admissions department to evaluate their work for themselves. The prompt is structured as a letter of introduction, allowing prospective students to introduce themselves to a school. That said, conventions such as grammar and punctuation are considered as well.

Why should I enroll my student in a Salt Lake City ISEE course?

Every Salt Lake City ISEE class we provide takes place on a live virtual platform, which is basically an online classroom that makes students feel as though they are attending a physical class without the corresponding logistical hassle. Your student will be able to interact with their teacher and their classmates in real time, so asking for help is as easy as raising a hand. Your student's instructor will also be a great communicator with a strong knowledge base about the ISEE, allowing your student to trust everything they hear in class.

Studying with other students in a Salt Lake City ISEE class also provides several advantages. Everyone can work together to establish a collaborative learning environment that may make it easier to develop a fuller understanding of academic concepts. For example, talking over a concept with a peer can make the material feel more approachable than an adult instructor. Students are also free to help each other out during a class so that students can hear alternate perspectives on a topic.

Working in a group also allows each member of that group to split the bill, making standardized test prep more affordable than you might believe. If you feel as though your student could benefit from individualized attention to overcome a particular learning obstacle, you are also free to arrange private study time with the teacher for a little extra help.

Perhaps most importantly, we try to make attending a class as convenient as we can. We offer both two- and four-week class options to make it easier to find a fit for your busy schedule. We also start new classes every week, so it's always a good time for your student to start pursuing their academic goals.

Can I sign my student up for a Salt Lake City ISEE course today?

Sure. Reach out to an expert educational consultant using the contact info provided on this page to learn more about the benefits of taking a Salt Lake City ISEE course and get the enrollment process started. Varsity Tutors looks forward to helping you in any way we are able!