The exam has four scored sections: Verbal Reasoning (word analogies and sentence completions), Quantitative Reasoning (math problem-solving), Reading Comprehension, and Mathematics Achievement. There's also an unscored essay component. Each section requires different strategies—verbal reasoning demands strong vocabulary and logical thinking, while quantitative sections test both conceptual understanding and calculation speed.

Many students struggle with the exam's fast pace and the breadth of content covered. Verbal reasoning questions require extensive vocabulary and inference skills that go beyond typical classroom learning. Math sections often include multi-step problems and less familiar question formats. Additionally, time management is critical—students must balance accuracy with speed across all sections, which is difficult without targeted practice.

Personalized 1-on-1 instruction allows tutors to identify your specific weak areas—whether that's vocabulary gaps, math concept gaps, or test-taking strategies—and focus on those directly. Rather than following a generic curriculum, tutors can tailor pacing and practice to your learning style, build confidence in challenging sections, and teach you strategies that work for how your brain processes information. This targeted approach typically leads to faster improvement than classroom or group prep.

Most students benefit from 3-6 months of consistent preparation, though this varies based on starting point and target score. Students with strong foundational skills might need 2-3 months of focused test strategy and practice, while others benefit from longer preparation to build vocabulary and math skills. Regular tutoring sessions combined with independent practice between lessons typically yields the best results.

Your first session typically includes a diagnostic assessment to identify your current strengths and areas for improvement across all four sections. The tutor will discuss your target schools, timeline, and any specific concerns you have. From there, they'll create a personalized study plan that prioritizes the skills and content areas where you'll see the biggest score improvement.

Vocabulary is critical—it directly impacts both the Verbal Reasoning section (which relies on word knowledge for analogies and sentence completions) and Reading Comprehension. Many students underestimate this component, but building a strong ISEE-specific vocabulary list and learning words in context typically leads to significant score gains. Personalized tutoring helps you focus on words that appear frequently on the exam rather than random vocabulary lists.

The exam covers algebra, geometry, and arithmetic concepts typically taught through 8th grade, but emphasizes problem-solving and reasoning over pure calculation. Students need strong skills in fractions, decimals, percentages, basic algebra, and geometric reasoning. The challenge isn't usually the individual concepts—it's applying them quickly to unfamiliar problem types and managing time across 35 questions in 35 minutes.