Beginning with the fall 2026 administration, the SHSAT will transition to a computer-adaptive test (CAT). A CAT is an exam that selects the questions that a student sees based on their ongoing performance. For example, a test-taker who performs well on a moderately challenging prompt will then receive a more difficult item; a student who […]
Hunter College Elementary School (HCES) is often described as one of New York City’s “crown jewels” of gifted education. This publicly-funded K-6 school (located on Manhattan’s Upper East Side) offers exceptional resources for intellectually talented children, but entry is extremely competitive. In fact, only about 50 kindergarteners are admitted each year out of thousands of […]
The following table shows the lowest SHSAT score that resulted in a tenth-grade offer at each Specialized High School for the past six years. Grade 9 SHSAT Cutoff Scores School DBN School Name 2025 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 02M475 Stuyvesant High School 562 572 575 591 590 624 13K430 Brooklyn Technical High School 537 […]
This SHSAT score conversion table can be used to convert RAW scores into SCALED scores. It will produce a conservative estimate of your score for each section (ELA/Math). Methodology The DOE website tells us… In the middle of the range of scores, an increase of one raw score point may correspond to an increase […]
Table of Contents What are the cutoff scores for the Specialized High Schools? Offers to the testing Specialized High Schools are made in descending order of SHSAT score, combined with each student’s preferences listed on their SHSAT registration. Here’s how that works: The student with the highest SHSAT score receives an offer to their first […]
The reading comprehension section of the SHSAT always includes at least one poem. The questions associated with these poems are often the most difficult for students. Across all of the official SHSAT practice tests, there are only eight poems: 2021–2022 Form A: “Ode to Fireworks” 2021–2022 Form B: “Serpent Mound” 2022–2023 Form A: “Bird Talk” […]
On March 28, 2024, I submitted a request to the NYC Department of Education (DOE) requesting the distribution of SHSAT scores calculated for students applying for 2024 admissions. Today, October 18, 2024, I received the above data in a final response to my Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) request. Some highlights of note: The average […]
High school open houses are a crucial step in the journey of selecting the right school for a student’s secondary education. Much like college tours, these open houses offer a glimpse into the daily life, culture, and academic environment of a high school. They provide invaluable insights and a firsthand look at the facilities, faculty, […]
Every year, the NYC DOE releases a set of practice questions for the additional math content tested in the 9th-grade version of the SHSAT. Listed below is a comprehensive directory of these packets. G9 Diag 1 G9 Diag 2 G9 Diag 3 G9 Diag 20172018 G9 Diag 20182019 (almost identical to 2017-2018) G9 Diag 20192020 […]
The following SHSAT sample test was released as a paper booklet in June of 2023 to rising 8th graders in select middle schools. It contains more than 18 practice questions that have not been released in previous years (Questions 1, 18 to 26, 34, 35, 65, 72, 74, 75, 78, 81, 105, and 108.) […]
