Here’s the good news: you most likely do not have to take the ISEE. 

More good news:  this can save your family thousands of dollars, dozens of hours, and lots of stress.  

The bad news:  your child would have spent dozens of hours motivated to expand upon reading and math skills.  ISEE Prep, especially for younger applicants, can be very exciting.  The skills they learn can give them a jump start on the curriculum ahead. 

All in all though, the good news certainly outweighs the bad.  So, here’s what I suggest.  Look up the specific schools you are interested in applying to.  Notice that many not only aren’t requiring ISEE scores, they aren’t even looking at them.  This is where grades, application writing, and the interview matter most.  

You’ll notice other schools don’t require the test this year, but they will consider it if you choose to send in your scores.  If you have a school like this on your list, your best bet is to take a practice test and evaluate how close you are to a good score.  

If your child could score well, then why not take the test, do well, and add one more reason for them to love you?  

I am happy to provide a practice test and guide you through deciding what is best for your family.