The parent's guide to the SHSAT

What the SHSAT is

The Specialized High Schools Admissions Test (SHSAT) is the exam New York City uses for admission to eight of the nine Specialized High Schools. Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts admits students through auditions instead.

Offers to the eight test-based schools are made by ranking students according to their SHSAT score and the order in which they listed the schools. There is no interview, essay, or grade requirement for the test-based schools, so the test score carries the full weight of the decision.

Who takes it

NYC students take the SHSAT in 8th grade, and first-time 9th graders may also sit for it. Registration is handled through the student's school counselor and the NYC Public Schools enrollment process. Dates and registration windows change each year, so confirm them directly with your child's school and the official NYC Public Schools website.

What is on the test

The SHSAT has two sections, English Language Arts and Mathematics, completed in a single sitting.

• ELA: Revising/Editing questions on grammar, sentence structure, and organization, plus Reading Comprehension passages across informational and literary texts.
• Math: Multiple-choice and grid-in questions covering arithmetic, algebra, geometry, probability, statistics, and word problems.
• Each section contains 57 questions, including some unscored field-test questions that students cannot identify.
• Students receive 180 minutes total and decide how to divide their time between the two sections.
• Calculators are not permitted.

When to start preparing

There is no single right start date. Students who are already strong in 7th-grade math and read widely often need a focused few months; students with gaps in fractions, ratios, algebra, or reading stamina benefit from starting earlier, often in the spring or summer before 8th grade.

A diagnostic is the most reliable way to decide. It shows where your child stands today and how much ground there is to cover before test day.

How to plan preparation

Strong SHSAT preparation usually moves through the same stages:

• Diagnose: take a timed, realistic assessment and review every error.
• Rebuild foundations: close content gaps before drilling speed.
• Practice by section: targeted Math and ELA sets with explanations.
• Build stamina: full-length timed exams under test-day conditions.
• Refine strategy: pacing, section order, and guessing decisions.