The Specialized High Schools Admissions Test (SHSAT) is an exam 8th and 9th graders take for admission to Specialized High Schools in New York City. For eight out of nine of these schools, your performance on the SHSAT is the only admission factor.
| Frequency | 1 time /year |
|---|---|
| Duration | 3 hours |
| Sections | English Language Arts, Math |
| Cost | None |
| Max. Score | 700 (composite score) |
SHSAT stands for Specialized High Schools Admissions Test. Administered by the Department of Education, the SHSAT is a standardized test offered to New York City's 8th and 9th grade residents seeking admission to NYC's Specialized High Schools. These public high schools have a separate admission process from the general high school admission application and are highly selective. For better or worse, admission to these elite high schools is based solely on the SHSAT score, which means being properly prepared for the exam is crucial.
Eight of the nine Specialized High Schools in New York City require SHSAT scores for admission. Only Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School does not require the SHSAT—it uses an audition process instead.
The test is administered at students’ home schools on specific school days or at testing sites on pre-determined weekends.
Beginning with the fall 2025 SHSAT, the test will be administered digitally for all students except those who have 504 or IEP accommodations that require a paper and pencil version of the test. To acclimate to the functionality of the test, students are given the opportunity to test out the
In the fall of 2026, the SHSAT will become a computer-adaptive test (CAT). This means the test will adjust the difficulty of questions based on the individual student's performance.
The SHSAT test dates are usually offered in late October for school day testing, mid-November for 8th graders, and early December for 9th graders. The ninth grade SHSAT is for first-time test takers and for students who want a second chance to apply to a Specialized High School. We do not recommend waiting until 9th grade to take the test as these high schools have a very limited number of 10th grade seats available.
There are two SHSAT sections: English Language Arts (ELA) and Math, each with 57 items. Start to finish, the test will take you three hours (180 minutes).
Students earn a “raw score” based on the number of questions they get right. This raw score is converted into a “scaled score” for each section of the test and a “composite score” for the entire test. The highest possible composite score is a 700.
All SHSAT test takers are ranked from highest composite score to lowest composite score. Students are then assigned, in order, to their first-choice Specialized High School until all available seats are filled.
The only way to register for the SHSAT is through your middle school guidance counselor. Tell your guidance counselor that you plan to take the test, and they will issue you an admission ticket.
As with any test, you shouldn’t walk in unprepared for what you're about to face. Our comprehensive SHSAT courses and expert SHSAT tutors will help you master the content and teach you strategies to take the test with confidence.