UPDATE: SHSAT Testing Confirmed for December 2021!

Sep 23, 2021 | Bayside

Dear Families,

NYC Department of Education just announced that the SHSAT exam will take place during the month of December 2021 for 8th and 9th graders. Registration for the SHSAT will open in mid-October 2021 (the DOE website states that specific dates will be provided shortly).

As a reminder from our earlier posting, here is what you need to know about the SHSATs:

Who can take the SHSAT?

Students in 8th or 9th grade who want to enroll in one of NYC’s specialized high schools must take the Specialized High Schools Admissions Test (SHSAT). All current students in grades 8 and 9 who are NYC residents are eligible to take the test.

How are the test results used for admissions?

The SHSATs determine entrance to most of the city’s elite public schools. Students are ranked according to their score on the test and assigned to a school depending on their rank, the priority in which they placed schools on their application, and the seats available at each school.
 
Which specialized high schools require the SHSATs?
 
  • Bronx High School of Science
  • Brooklyn Latin School
  • Brooklyn Technical High School
  • High School for Math, Science and Engineering at City College
  • High School for American Studies at Lehman College
  • Queens High School for Sciences at York College
  • Staten Island Technical High School
  • Stuyvesant High School

What is the format of the test?

There are 2 sections: Math and English Language Arts.

The MATH section consists of word problems and computational questions in either a grid-in or multiple-choice format. There are five grid-in questions and 52 multiple-choice questions. As one of the purposes of the SHSAT is to identify students who will benefit from an education at a Specialized High School, the SHSAT Math items will require you to apply familiar Math skills to complex, multi-step problems.

  • Math questions on the Grade 8 test forms are based on the New York State Learning Standards through Grade 7.
  • Math questions on the Grade 9 test forms are based on material through Grade 8.

The English Language Arts (ELA) section, which we do not cover in our center, consists of two parts: Revising/Editing and Reading Comprehension. The section contains 57 multiple-choice questions that assess revising/editing skills and reading comprehension. These questions are aligned to the New York State Learning Standards.

What should you do now?

Come into our center or give us a ring at (718) 747-MATH to discuss your child's needs. Let's develop a learning plan together for the rest of summer and heading into the fall.

Our exceptional instructors have been helping students prepare and succeed with test preparation for years. Mathnasium's 3-to-1 and 4-to-1 student-teacher ratio provides THE BEST environment for your child to review and learn new math skills while honing their test-taking strategies!

Contact us today and give your child the confidence and preparation to reach his or her full potential!