It’s ISEE, Not ICEE, But The Experience Can Still be Pretty Sweet

The ISEE (Independent School Entrance Exam) is the testing tool most commonly used by Nashville schools for students entering grades 5-12. It is also what many applicants feel the most nervous about in their application process. However, with a little forethought and planning, you can come to see the ISEE as your child’s advocate instead of something to fear.

PLAN AHEAD

Grades 5, 7 and 9 are general entry points in Nashville independent schools and common times for students from public schools to make a switch to a private school. It is also when students who attend Kindergarten-6th grade and Kindergarten-8th grade independent schools apply to middle schools and high schools across the city. A year prior to applying to an independent school at these grade levels is a great time to think about options with ISEE and alleviate anxiety about it. 

So, for example, if you are a parent of a third grade student at Julia Green or a fifth grade student at Oak Hill, and are even thinking about a possibility of independent school for middle school, your child will take the ISEE in the next year.

TIMING

The ISEE is given in three windows and students may only test once within each window:

By planning ahead, the anxiety of only having one chance to take the exam can be eliminated. In the traditional Nashville Independent School applicant window, where first round admission decisions are sent at the end of February/first of March, the fall and winter options are the most applicable. Students can take the ISEE between August and November to experience the exam and see their scores and then have the option to take it again December - February if they feel their first scores don’t represent their best work. Since parents control when schools receive ISEE scores, they have the ability to review two sets of scores and only send the set that best represents their child.

FORMAT

The ISEE is administered both in the traditional test format of paper booklet/bubble sheet and online. In general, school settings give the paper version, a Prometric site offers online, and a testing office can offer either. 

SETTING

• Large Group Testing at School: Nashville area schools offer the ISEE on Saturdays December - February. These dates are available on the ISEE website under the registration tab as well as through the schools themselves. These are large group test sites where parents and applicants can expect 100+ total fellow testers, but test rooms are typically limited to 18 students per room and are always divided by grade level.

• Small Group Testing at Testing Office: Nashville Education Consultants is an official ISEE test site and offers small group (maximum of 10) testing. Testing is available in every ISEE testing window with wide flexibility in availability. Initial test dates are set around the MNPS and ISNA school calendars, but requests for additional specific dates are welcome.

• Prometric Testing Center: Prometric sites offer a wide variety of testing across the world. This can be a great fit for relocating students who currently live in an area where ISEE testing is not available. When testing at a prometric site, families should be aware of the following: all testing is online and essays will be typed, there will be other students and adults taking other types of tests at those centers, and a parent is required to stay on-site for the duration of testing.

By planning ahead on these three main concepts, you have the opportunity to make the ISEE your child’s friend instead of their foe. 

• Thinking ahead on timing in order to have the option to take a fall and winter exam.

• Thoughtfully choosing online or paper testing based on your child’s learning style. 

• Choosing a setting that will best promote your child feeling confident and showing their abilities

And after a successful and low stress ISEE, you take them to get that ICEE.

What To Do When You Get The Small Envelope on Decision Day…

Decision day has come in the Nashville Independent School world, and though an Admit or Waitlist is now conveyed electronically, parents can’t help but have that feeling of anticipating whether they will receive a big envelope or small one. Naturally, we all anticipate our virtual mailbox to be filled with big envelope offers- admits across the board and the following days filled with making the agonizing decision of which to choose. For some that will be the case, but for many, there will be a waitlist decision or two due to Nashville’s competitive market of more applicants than there are spots in any given class. 

So, now that you have been waitlisted, what do you do?

1. Move away from your keyboard and your phone. It stinks. It does. You’ve been through an admission process that can feel grueling at times with tours and testing and events, and you thought it was going to be over today, but it’s not. It is okay to feel disappointed, frustrated and angry. But it is not going to help you move off of the waitlist to share that reaction with the school who did the waitlisting.

2. When calm and perspective return, convey your ongoing interest. Communicating that you are still interested in a school at which you have been waitlisted is crucial, so once you’ve taken a deep breath, email them. Let them know you remain interested and if you are accepted you will attend. 

3. If you also have more than one other school option from which you have an acceptance, narrow down which one you would choose and decline the others quickly. This allows waitlists to start moving across the city and may ultimately help you move off your waitlist of your top school of choice.

4. Be Patient. It can take a couple of days for schools to have any news about openings.

5. Be confident in the knowledge that graciousness always wins the day and that is at least one thing within your control in a situation that feels otherwise.

The Key To Touring Schools Is Remembering How To Go On a First Date...

Fall is in the air, children are in school, and families are beginning to think about what the next academic year will hold. In Nashville’s independent school market, tours begin the year before planned enrollment so the time has come for parents who will have a child entering a new school next year to begin exploring those options. 

Exploring school websites is a wonderful way to get an initial introduction of a school, but seeing it in person and getting a feel for the culture is paramount for finding the right fit for your child and family. For many parents, going on a school tour parallels going on a first date: this is either going to be a place you would like to see again and get to know better, or was a pleasant enough hour, but not one you plan to see again. And as with dating, the school is also looking for a match so there are some tips for touring:

Do Your Homework

Before touring a wide range of schools recommended by everyone you know, think about aspects of your child’s education and family values that will be important to you. Is a religious aspect imperative for you or do you prefer a non-religious school? Based on what you already know about your child’s interest and talents, are there curricular or extracurricular areas that a school absolutely must have?  Researching a school’s website will help you narrow down those you want to explore further and those that are not a match based on what you are looking for. The tour is not the time to find out that a school actually doesn’t have a theater program for your passionate thespian.

Scheduling a tour

School websites will typically guide you on options for scheduling a tour via phone or online. Online scheduling options are ideal for families juggling several calendars so that you can compare those and schedule accordingly. 

Who Should Come on the Tour

Parents are busy and life happens, but if at all possible it is ideal for all the adults who will be involved in the school selection process to attend the tour. Tours are typically happening all fall, so schedule months ahead if necessary to try to both be there. This not only conveys family interest to the school, but allows you to be equally engaged and invested from the beginning. Unless otherwise directed by the school, young children typically do not attend campus tours. This is an excellent opportunity for parents to explore a school first and determine if it is somewhere they would like to pursue further for their child.

DO:

• Research in advance to know at minimum the school is a match for your family values and child’s needs.

• Schedule so that all the adults making the school decision can attend together.

• Be on Time.

• If you are going to be late, call to let the school know and confirm that there will still be time to tour when you arrive. Tours are often given in groups or scheduled back to back so they may guide you to reschedule rather than arrive late. Either way, they will appreciate you communicating with them.

• If you have to cancel, email and leave a phone message with the admission office with as much notice as possible.

• Try to picture your child in the classrooms you are seeing. Is the classroom structure and teaching style you see a match for their learning?

DON’T

• Ask your tour guide to compare themselves with another school. That’s your job with the data and tour experiences you are collecting. 

• Monopolize a group tour with personal questions. Asking about your child’s individual learning plan or dietary needs is best done later and privately.

• Debate the tour guide on school philosophy. Inquisitive questions are great, but debating the answers is not.

Not every tour will result in a love connection or second date, but by following these tips you can make the most of your time on each campus and find your child’s educational soulmate.