Online ISEE Tutoring — Expert ISEE Prep, Anywhere in the Country
Looking for a top-rated online ISEE tutor? Matt Sheelen is our ISEE specialist — with over 15 years of dedicated ISEE tutoring experience, he has helped students across the country gain admission to the most competitive independent schools in the United States. Matt tutors exclusively via Zoom, which means his expertise is available to your family regardless of where you live. No commute. No geographic limitation. The same expert preparation that San Diego families have relied on for over a decade, delivered directly to your home.
Text Matt directly to get started at (323) 761-0170, or send us a message here.
Matt Sheelen — Online ISEE Tutor
What Families Say About Online ISEE Prep with Matt
"Matt is a true professional who sincerely cares about his students. My daughter prepared for the ISEE with Matt for several weeks. Not only was Matt cognizant of what was required on the test, but he also provided support and guidance on how to remain positive and focused in the lead up to the test. My daughter really enjoyed her Zoom tutoring sessions and Matt was able to effectively conduct all of her sessions online. He used her time well, knew where she had weaknesses and had a clear plan of how to help her improve on weaker areas. I have no hesitation in recommending Matt. We also used Matt for our other daughter who also sat the ISEE two years prior and she was accepted into her first choice school."
— Therese Collins
About the ISEE — What Every Family Needs to Know
The Independent School Entrance Examination (ISEE) is the admissions test used by hundreds of independent schools across the United States. It is administered at three levels:
- Lower Level — for students applying to grades 5–6
- Middle Level — for students applying to grades 7–8
- Upper Level — for students applying to grades 9–12
Each level tests Verbal Reasoning, Quantitative Reasoning, Reading Comprehension, and Mathematics Achievement, plus an unscored essay. Scores are reported on a stanine scale (1–9). Competitive independent schools typically expect scores in the 6–9 stanine range. The Verbal Reasoning section — which includes sentence completions and synonym questions — and the Quantitative Reasoning section are often the areas that most benefit from specific preparation.
The ISEE is not simply a harder version of a school test. Its reasoning sections require abstract thinking and vocabulary at levels that many students haven't encountered in a traditional classroom. Without specific preparation, strong students can underperform significantly. With targeted preparation, most students improve meaningfully — and some dramatically.
Why Online ISEE Tutoring Works
The case for online ISEE tutoring isn't just about convenience — though it's convenient. It's about access to the best tutor for your child, not just the best tutor within driving distance.
Your Geography Doesn't Limit Your Options
The best ISEE tutors are not distributed evenly across the country. If you're in a city with limited options, or if the local tutors who specialize in ISEE are fully booked, online tutoring means your child doesn't have to settle. Matt has worked with families from across the United States — both coasts, suburban and rural communities, and families in areas where specialized ISEE tutoring simply wasn't previously available.
Scheduling Flexibility Across Time Zones
Matt works with families in all time zones. Whether you're on the East Coast, the Mountain Time Zone, or the Pacific, sessions can be scheduled around your family's commitments — school schedules, sports, extracurriculars — without adding a commute on top.
The Same Engagement as In-Person
Online ISEE tutoring with Matt is not a passive experience. Sessions use shared screens, digital worksheets, live problem-solving, and the same diagnostic rigor as any in-person format. As the review above shows, students who work with Matt online find the sessions engaging and the progress real. The medium doesn't determine the outcome — the tutor and the student do.
More Time for Actual Prep
A 60-minute tutoring session is a 60-minute tutoring session. A 60-minute in-person session plus 30 minutes of commuting each way is a 2-hour commitment. For students with demanding school and activity schedules, online tutoring means more time for actual preparation and less time in traffic.
What Makes Matt Sheelen Different
15+ Years of Dedicated ISEE Experience
Matt doesn't tutor everything. He specializes in the ISEE and related private school entrance exams, and he has been doing it for over 15 years. That depth of experience means he knows exactly which sections generate the most score improvement for most students, which question types are most commonly missed by which student profiles, and how to build a realistic preparation plan for students at every starting point.
Stanford M.A. in Education + Credentialed K-12 Teacher
Matt holds a Master's in Education from Stanford University and is an active credentialed K-12 classroom teacher. He understands learning at a depth that most test prep tutors don't. His approach is built on genuine pedagogical expertise, not just familiarity with the test format.
Northwestern Undergrad + Extensive Experience Across School Types
Matt graduated from Northwestern University and has worked with students across a wide range of academic starting points, from students who are strong across the board and need efficiency to students with significant skill gaps who need foundational work alongside test strategy. His preparation is genuinely individualized.
Proven Results at the Most Competitive Schools
Matt's students have been admitted to some of the most competitive independent schools in the country, including Harvard-Westlake, Marlborough, The Bishop's School, La Jolla Country Day, Francis Parker, Cathedral Catholic, Our Lady of Peace, and more. The results come from systematic, patient, student-centered preparation — not miracle methods.
How Online ISEE Tutoring with Matt Works
- Text Matt to introduce yourself and share your child's test timeline, target schools, and current performance level if you have it.
- Diagnostic session — Matt assesses your child's performance across all ISEE sections to identify exactly where preparation will have the most impact.
- Tailored weekly sessions via Zoom — typically 1–2 sessions per week, each 60–90 minutes, building skills systematically from the current level toward the target stanine.
- Full-length practice tests — under realistic conditions, with comprehensive error analysis that drives the following week's preparation focus.
- Test-day readiness — pacing strategy, question triage, confidence, and the specific test-taking behaviors that separate students who know the material from those who also perform well under pressure.
Meet Matt Sheelen — Online ISEE Tutor
Matt: I am originally from Hopkinton, Massachusetts — the start of the historic Boston Marathon. I went to college at Northwestern University, where I graduated with a degree in Theatre. After college, I worked in Los Angeles for many years as a full-time test-prep tutor and part-time arts educator. I have been tutoring the ISEE for over 15 years across Southern California and, via Zoom, nationwide.
I hold a Master's in Education from Stanford University and am currently a credentialed K-12 classroom teacher in San Diego. I conduct all of my tutoring sessions via Zoom, which gives me the ability to work with students anywhere in the country without any loss of effectiveness. My students have been admitted to Harvard-Westlake, Marlborough, Bishops, La Jolla Country Day, Francis Parker, Our Lady of Peace, Cathedral Catholic, and more.
When I'm not working, I enjoy good books, performing improv comedy, and surfing.
Text Matt to get started at (323) 761-0170, or send us a message here.
Frequently Asked Questions — Online ISEE Tutoring
How does online ISEE tutoring work?
All sessions are via Zoom. After an initial diagnostic to assess your child's current performance across all ISEE sections, Matt builds a targeted preparation plan and meets weekly — typically 1–2 sessions per week — until the test date. Sessions use screen sharing, digital worksheets, and live problem-solving. The format is fully interactive and works effectively for students at any starting point.
Is online ISEE tutoring as effective as in-person?
Yes. Matt's students improve through online tutoring at the same rate they would in-person, and the logistics are significantly better — no commute, scheduling flexibility across time zones, and access to a specialist tutor regardless of geography. See the testimonial above from a family whose daughter specifically noted how well the Zoom sessions worked.
What ISEE levels does Matt tutor?
All three: Lower (grades 5–6), Middle (grades 7–8), and Upper (grades 9–12). The content and strategy differ meaningfully by level and Matt tailors his approach accordingly.
How long should we plan for ISEE prep?
Most families work with Matt for 8–12 weeks before the test date. Text Matt your test date and target schools and he'll recommend a realistic timeline based on your child's starting point.
Do you tutor students outside of California?
Yes — because Matt tutors exclusively via Zoom, he works with students in all 50 states and all time zones. There is no geographic limitation. East Coast, Midwest, Mountain, Pacific — it makes no difference.
What is the difference between the ISEE and the SSAT?
The ISEE includes Quantitative Comparisons; the SSAT does not. The ISEE has no wrong-answer penalty; the SSAT does. Both are used by independent schools — check your target school's requirements. Matt tutors both.