How the Digital SHSAT Works in 2026

• The test is computer-adaptive and taken on NYCPS-provided computers at the assigned testing site, except for limited approved paper accommodations.
• There are two subjects: English Language Arts (ELA) with 50 questions and Mathematics with 50 questions.
• Standard testing time is 180 minutes for the full test, and students decide how to divide it.
• Students choose which subject to begin with, and must finish and submit that subject before moving on. A submitted subject cannot be reopened.
• Question formats include multiple-choice, fill-in-the-blank, and technology-enhanced items.
• Students must answer every question before advancing.

This is the biggest change from the paper test, and it should shape how students practice.

• Math questions cannot be revisited once the student advances to the next question.
• Standalone ELA Revising & Editing questions cannot be revisited once the student advances.
• Passage-based ELA questions (a Reading Comprehension or Revising & Editing passage and its related questions) can be reviewed and changed within that passage set until that set is submitted. After that, the set is locked.
• Because every question must be answered, there is no blank answer to come back to. If a student is unsure, the best move is to eliminate what they can, choose the strongest answer, and keep going.

Students have 180 minutes of standard testing time for both sections together. Because they can choose which section to start with, they also decide how to divide their time. That flexibility helps students who plan ahead and can hurt students who drift.

A practical approach is to decide on a section order and a rough time split before test day, then practice that plan on full-length tests. Some students prefer to start with their stronger section to build momentum; others start with the section that requires more energy. Either can work if the student has rehearsed it. Remember that once the first subject is submitted it cannot be reopened, so budget time before moving on.

The skills being tested are the same, but the experience is different. Students should be ready for:

• Reading long passages on a screen and keeping track of where key details appear.
• Working math problems on scratch paper and then entering answers on the computer, including typed fill-in-the-blank answers.
• Committing to an answer before advancing, since Math and standalone ELA questions cannot be revisited.
• Using the freedom inside an ELA passage set wisely: check answers within the set before moving past its last question.
• Watching an on-screen timer and pacing without a paper booklet to flip through.

NYC Public Schools provides digital sample tests and preparation resources, including a Student Readiness Tool, on the NYC SHSAT Portal (opens in a new tab). The Student Readiness Tool lets students practice using the testing platform itself, and the sample tests show the real question formats.

Use these official materials as benchmarks. Because the number of official sample tests is limited, save them for checkpoints rather than everyday drilling.

• Complete the Student Readiness Tool early so the interface is familiar.
• Practice reading passages on a computer screen, not only on paper.
• Take full-length practice tests in one sitting with a 180-minute timer.
• Settle on a section order and time split, and use it consistently.
• Practice answering each Math question fully before moving on, instead of skipping and returning.
• Review every practice test carefully. Our guide on how to use SHSAT practice tests explains a review routine that works.

At AhmedPrep in Astoria, Queens, our SHSAT prep program builds content skills and test-day habits together, including timed practice in the digital format. If you are not sure where your child stands, a free SHSAT diagnostic is a low-pressure way to find out.