ISEE scores for NYC private schools: what each school actually publishes
Most schools publish nothing about the score they expect. 2 of the 59 say anything about it (1 gives a score level, 1 says there is no minimum). 15 more say how they read scores or that they do not require them, and 38 say nothing beyond asking for the test; 4 could not be read on the day. Every line below quotes the school word for word, with the link and the date we read it. A number you saw on a forum for one of these schools did not come from the school.
The same 59 schools as our list of which test each NYC private school asks for.
- Schools
- 59
- Say anything about the score level
- 2
- Say how scores are read, or do not require them
- 15
- Not published
- 38
Before the list: how to read the report the school receives
The percentile (1 to 99). ERB: “A percentile does not indicate the percentage of questions that your student answered correctly. Rather, it indicates what percentage of students from 1 to 99 had the same or lower scores than your student's score.” The comparison group is other ISEE candidates in the same grade over the past three years, not all children of that age, and ERB warns that “students applying to independent schools are generally of a higher ability and achievement level than students in the overall student population; consequently, in comparison to this smaller, more targeted ISEE norm group, your student’s performance on a given section of the test may appear to be considerably lower than what you may be used to seeing.”
The stanine (1 to 9) is the same position, in nine bands: “stanines 4, 5, and 6 in the center of the distribution represent the middle 54 percentile points, whereas stanines 1 to 3 and 7 to 9 represent the bottom and top 23 percentile points, respectively.” The report shades one stanine either side of the score, because, in ERB’s words, “the observed stanine score of 5 represents a true stanine score somewhere between 4 and 6.” A one-stanine change between two sittings is inside that margin.
What the school receives. “Schools receive these score reports when families designate them as a score recipient.” “Lower, Middle, and Upper Level exams consist of four sections which are scored and included on a report to both schools and families.” The essay is not among the scored sections, and “Only the schools with which you choose to share scores will receive a copy of the essay.” Finally, “Only a complete score report can be sent to a school—families cannot select only portions of a report to share, nor can they select one section of scores from one ISEE test and another section of scores from a different ISEE test.”
One sitting per season. “Students may take the ISEE once per testing season—Fall, Winter, and Spring/Summer—for a total of up to three times a school year.” ERB lists the seasons as fall (August to November), winter (December to March) and spring/summer (April to July). So a child who sat the ISEE this fall can sit it again from December 1, when the winter season opens: 2 weeks from today. Before booking, check that a later score still reaches each school before its own deadline, and remember that you can remove a school from the recipient list only “up until your student's test date—schools cannot be removed from the list after your student tests.” How to register for the next ISEE sitting.
Have a report in front of you? Enter a percentile or a stanine in the ISEE score explainer and see the band and the ±1 range ERB itself prescribes.
Quoted from ISEE score reports for families and About the ISEE, testing seasons (admission.org, where erblearn.org now redirects), both read Wednesday, November 11, 2026.
School by school: what each one says about scores
Alphabetical, never ranked. “Not published” means we read the school’s admissions pages and found nothing about scores beyond asking for the test. The test column comes from our admissions test list (read Tuesday, September 29, 2026); open a school’s name for its full line and deadline.
- Publishes a score level: 1
- States there is no minimum score: 1
- Says how scores are read, no level: 10
- Does not require ISEE/SSAT scores: 5
- Not published: 38
- Not checked: 4
Upper West Side, Manhattan
Test asked for: No ISEE/SSAT required (grades 5-11)
Not published
Nothing on the score level or on how scores are read, on heschel.org and 6 other admissions pages, read Nov 11, 2026.
Not published
Nothing on the score level or on how scores are read, on allen-stevenson.org and 5 other admissions pages, read Nov 11, 2026.
West Chelsea, Manhattan
Test asked for: Grades 5-8: Test-optional · Grades 9-11: ISEE or SSAT
Publishes a score level
“No, we don’t require a minimum score in any form of standardized testing.”
avenues.org, read Nov 11, 2026 “Testing is just one of a range of criteria against which we assess students. With that said, students who do submit results typically fall within the 75th percentile.”
avenues.org, read Nov 11, 2026 Bank Street School for Children
Morningside Heights, Manhattan
Test asked for: No ISEE/SSAT required (grades 5-8)
Not checked
The admissions pages (school.bankstreet.edu) answered “Your access to this site has been limited by the site owner” (HTTP 503) to our first reader and HTTP 403 to a second one on Nov 11, 2026.
Does not require ISEE/SSAT scores
“*No entry exam scores are required”
bayridgeprep.org, read Nov 11, 2026 Not published
Nothing on the score level or on how scores are read, on beekmanschool.org and 15 other admissions pages, read Nov 11, 2026.
Not published
Nothing on the score level or on how scores are read, on berkeleycarroll.org and 6 other admissions pages, read Nov 11, 2026.
Not published
Nothing on the score level or on how scores are read, on bwl.org and 14 other admissions pages, read Nov 11, 2026.
Not published
Nothing on the score level or on how scores are read, on brearley.org and 8 other admissions pages, read Nov 11, 2026.
Downtown Brooklyn, Brooklyn
Test asked for: Grades 5-8: Not stated · Grades 9-11: ISEE or SSAT
Says how scores are read, no level
“Brooklyn Friends School will superscore multiple test submissions.”
brooklynfriends.org, read Nov 11, 2026 Not published
Nothing on the score level or on how scores are read, on browning.edu and 2 other admissions pages, read Nov 11, 2026.
Not published
Nothing on the score level or on how scores are read, on buckleyschool.org and 3 other admissions pages, read Nov 11, 2026.
Upper West Side, Manhattan
Test asked for: Test required, ISEE recommended (grades 5-11)
Says how scores are read, no level
“This assessment helps to inform us of an applicant's baseline academic skills; we consider a number of factors and seek to gain a holistic view of applicants' academic backgrounds when deciding which students to accept.”
calhoun.org, read Nov 11, 2026 The Cathedral School of St. John the Divine
Morningside Heights, Manhattan
Test asked for: Not stated (grades 5-8)
Not published
Nothing on the score level or on how scores are read, on cathedralnyc.myschoolapp.com, read Nov 11, 2026.
Does not require ISEE/SSAT scores
“Standardized test scores, including the ISEE and SSAT, are not a component of the admission process at Chapin. Please do not send scores to the Admissions Office as they will not be included in the applicant file.”
chapin.edu, read Nov 11, 2026 Greenwich Village, Manhattan
Test asked for: No ISEE/SSAT required (grades 5-8)
Does not require ISEE/SSAT scores
“City and Country School does not require standardized test scores as part of the admissions process for children of any age.”
cityandcountry.org, read Nov 11, 2026 Not published
Nothing on the score level or on how scores are read, on thecoopschool.org and 42 other admissions pages, read Nov 11, 2026.
Not published
Nothing on the score level or on how scores are read, on collegiateschool.org and 7 other admissions pages, read Nov 11, 2026.
Columbia Grammar and Preparatory School
Upper West Side, Manhattan
Test asked for: Grade 5: ISEE · Grades 6-11: ISEE or SSAT
Not published
Nothing on the score level or on how scores are read, on cgps.org and 5 other admissions pages, read Nov 11, 2026.
Upper East Side, Manhattan
Test asked for: Grades 5-8: ISEE · Grades 9-10: ISEE or SSAT
Not published
Nothing on the score level or on how scores are read, on cshnyc.org and 7 other admissions pages, read Nov 11, 2026.
Not published
Nothing on the score level or on how scores are read, on dalton.org and 4 other admissions pages, read Nov 11, 2026.
Not published
Nothing on the score level or on how scores are read, on ecfs.org and 8 other admissions pages, read Nov 11, 2026.
Not published
Nothing on the score level or on how scores are read, on friendsseminary.org and 3 other admissions pages, read Nov 11, 2026.
Not published
Nothing on the score level or on how scores are read, on gardenschool.org and 7 other admissions pages, read Nov 11, 2026.
States there is no minimum score
“These tests are just one part of the applicant's file, and there is no cutoff score.”
gjacademy.org, read Nov 11, 2026 “In lieu of the OLSAT, GJA will accept recent SSAT or ISEE results.”
gjacademy.org, read Nov 11, 2026 Our note: The “no cutoff score” sentence is about GJA’s own admissions test (a reading test and the OLSAT); recent ISEE or SSAT results can be sent instead of the OLSAT.
Not published
Nothing on the score level or on how scores are read, on gcschool.org and 5 other admissions pages, read Nov 11, 2026.
The Hannah Senesh Community Day School
Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn
Test asked for: Not stated (grades 5-8)
Not published
Nothing on the score level or on how scores are read, on hannahsenesh.org, read Nov 11, 2026.
Not published
Nothing on the score level or on how scores are read, on hewittschool.org and 5 other admissions pages, read Nov 11, 2026.
Says how scores are read, no level
“The testing enables us to assess them compared to the larger group. However, the standardized test is only one measure of an applicant's success, and we use it in conjunction with the other required materials.”
horacemann.org, read Nov 11, 2026 Not published
Nothing on the score level or on how scores are read, on theidealschool.org and 14 other admissions pages, read Nov 11, 2026.
Does not require ISEE/SSAT scores
“Our application process does not require the ISEE, SSAT, or TOEFL test results.”
kewforest.org, read Nov 11, 2026 Not published
Nothing on the score level or on how scores are read, on lascuoladitalia.org, read Nov 11, 2026.
Says how scores are read, no level
“We do not prefer one test over the other and we view all equally.”
loyolanyc.org, read Nov 11, 2026 LREI (Little Red School House & Elisabeth Irwin High School)
Greenwich Village, Manhattan
Test asked for: Grades 5-8: No ISEE/SSAT required · Grades 9-11: Test-optional
Léman Manhattan Preparatory School
Financial District, Manhattan
Test asked for: ISEE or SSAT (grades 5-11)
Says how scores are read, no level
“Léman will superscore multiple test submissions if a student takes the exam more than once.”
lemanmanhattan.org, read Nov 11, 2026 Not checked
manhattancountryschool.org refused the connection on Nov 11, 2026, from two different networks.
Upper East Side, Manhattan
Test asked for: Grades 6-8: ISEE or SSAT · Grades 9-11: ISEE
Not published
Nothing on the score level or on how scores are read, on marymountnyc.org and 7 other admissions pages, read Nov 11, 2026.
Says how scores are read, no level
“Students are welcome to submit multiple score reports.”
nightingale.org, read Nov 11, 2026 Says how scores are read, no level
“We do not prefer one test over the other — we view both equally.”
packer.edu, read Nov 11, 2026 Says how scores are read, no level
“SSAT or ISEE (no testing preference; we superscore multiple submissions)”
polyprep.org, read Nov 11, 2026 “The test results, considered among all other application materials like transcripts, essays, and recommendations, help to give us a more comprehensive picture of each student.”
polyprep.org, read Nov 11, 2026 Not published
Nothing on the score level or on how scores are read, on pcs-nyc.org and 2 other admissions pages, read Nov 11, 2026.
Says how scores are read, no level
“We believe that testing/assessments can be one way for our applicants to demonstrate their strength as students, and as such, we have testing requirements for entry to several grade levels.”
riverdale.edu, read Nov 11, 2026 Not published
Nothing on the score level or on how scores are read, on rodephsholomschool.org and 5 other admissions pages, read Nov 11, 2026.
Not published
Nothing on the score level or on how scores are read, on steiner.edu and 4 other admissions pages, read Nov 11, 2026.
Brooklyn Heights, Brooklyn
Test asked for: Grade 5: No ISEE/SSAT required · Grades 6-11: ISEE or SSAT
Says how scores are read, no level
“It must be understood that admission is not predicated on IQ or ISEE scores or grades at other schools per se.”
saintannsny.org, read Nov 11, 2026 “We now require test results from either the ISEE or the SSAT. This is a very small component of a much bigger applicant file; it is primarily used to help us identify academic areas for which we might like to gather more information to give the scores some context.”
saintannsny.org, read Nov 11, 2026 “We do not require or review scores for 4th or 5th grade applicants.”
saintannsny.org, read Nov 11, 2026 Not published
Nothing on the score level or on how scores are read, on saintdavids.org and 4 other admissions pages, read Nov 11, 2026.
Not published
Nothing on the score level or on how scores are read, on choirschool.org and 2 other admissions pages, read Nov 11, 2026.
Not published
Nothing on the score level or on how scores are read, on spenceschool.org and 4 other admissions pages, read Nov 11, 2026.
Not checked
speyerlegacyschool.org refused the connection on Nov 11, 2026, from two different networks.
Not checked
stbernards.org answered HTTP 403 (access refused) to two different readers on Nov 11, 2026.
St. Hilda's & St. Hugh's School
Morningside Heights, Manhattan
Test asked for: Not stated (grades 5-7)
Not published
Nothing on the score level or on how scores are read, on sthildas.org and 3 other admissions pages, read Nov 11, 2026.
Not published
Nothing on the score level or on how scores are read, on stlukeschool.org and 6 other admissions pages, read Nov 11, 2026.
Not published
Nothing on the score level or on how scores are read, on admissions.statenislandacademy.org.
Not published
Nothing on the score level or on how scores are read, on studioschoolnyc.org and 5 other admissions pages, read Nov 11, 2026.
Not published
Nothing on the score level or on how scores are read, on thetownschool.org and 9 other admissions pages, read Nov 11, 2026.
Not published
Nothing on the score level or on how scores are read, on trinityschoolnyc.org and 5 other admissions pages, read Nov 11, 2026.
Not published
Nothing on the score level or on how scores are read, on unis.org and 8 other admissions pages, read Nov 11, 2026.
Not published
Nothing on the score level or on how scores are read, on villagecommunityschool.org and 7 other admissions pages, read Nov 11, 2026.
Not published
Nothing on the score level or on how scores are read, on yorkprep.org and 1 other admissions page, read Nov 11, 2026.
How this list is built
On Wednesday, November 11, 2026 we opened each school’s admissions pages (the application process, the FAQ, the middle and upper school pages) and kept every sentence about ISEE or SSAT scores. A sentence is quoted as the school wrote it; we do not summarise it into a number. Statements that only say which test to take, when, or with which school code are in the test column, not here.
Forums, consultants and directories were not used. A school’s silence is written “Not published”, because a page we did not find is not proof that the school has no expectation: ask its admissions office. When a school’s site could not be opened on the day, the line says “Not checked” and why.
The whole list is downloadable as CSV; reuse it freely, and a link back is welcome.
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