The SHSAT, or Specialized High Schools Admissions Test, is an admissions exam that New York City students must take to be considered for admission to the city’s nine specialized high schools.
Suppose students in New York City wish to be considered for admission to one of the city’s specialized high schools. In that case, they must take the SHSAT, a single test offered by the New York City Department of Education that evaluates a student’s verbal reasoning, mathematical problem-solving, and writing skills to see if they have the potential to thrive at one of the city’s best schools.
The exam reflects the intellectual level of each student’s preparation at their home school, and it gives them a fair chance to exhibit their academic abilities.
It also ensures that students receive an adequate education because it is only offered once a year as part of New York City’s selective, unique admissions process, unlike many other standardized examinations every year. Many students opt for SHSAT tutoring, while some prepare on their own, and others not at all.
What are the SHSAT-required schools?
Bronx High School of Science (Bronx), Brooklyn Latin School (Brooklyn), High School for Math, Science and Engineering at City College (Manhattan), Brooklyn Technical High School (Brooklyn), Queens High School for the Sciences at York College (Queens), Staten Island Technical High School (Staten Island), and Stuyvesant High School, all use the SHSAT for admission.
Because these public high schools have a unique application process and are exceedingly selective, students should prepare three times as much as they usually would in order to be admitted into the strict list of institutions that require the exam.
When is the SHSAT available for students to take?
Admissions to Specialized High Schools are open to current eighth and ninth-grade students in NYC. The test is generally given to 8th graders in late October and 9th graders in mid-November. The SHSAT in ninth grade is for students taking the test for the first time or who seek a second opportunity at a Specialized High School.
What is the SHSAT exam’s format?
Since the SHSAT is a timed, pencil-and-paper exam, students should be aware of the exam’s scope so they may plan their study sessions accordingly.
English Language Arts (ELA) and Math are the two areas of the SHSAT. The entire test will last 180 minutes, with students free to divide their time between the two sections.
The Reading and Writing section of the exam, which is part of the English Language Arts, has a total of 57 questions. 9 to 11 questions consist of rewriting or editing questions that are divided into standalone and series questions based on a particular section.
6 reading comprehension passages with 6 to 10 questions each, 3 to 4 of which will be informational, 1 to 2 literary, and 1 poetry.
There will also be a total of 57 questions in the Mathematics section of the SHSAT, which will include 5 grid-in questions and 52 multiple-choice word problems and computational questions. Students will be given four answer choices for each multiple choice question.
In terms of test scoring, one raw point is awarded for each correct answer, and only 47 questions in each part are assessed, with the remaining 10 functioning as experimental questions that students will not be able to identify.
How is the SHSAT score recorded and used?
According to NYC’s Department of Education, students are ranked based on their test scores and allocated to a school based on their results, the order in which they prioritized schools on their application and the number of seats available at each institution.
The result of a student’s SHSAT exam is expressed as scale scores, and the number of questions successfully answered determines it. Students get scale scores for the ELA and math components of the exam, which are combined to produce a composite score.
Students, along with their parents, can evaluate the results of their tests after the scores are provided to the schools in the spring by arranging an appointment with a Department of Education assessment professional.
What is the procedure for registering for SHSAT?
Your middle school guidance counselor is the only place you may register for the SHSAT. You can simply ask your current school’s guidance counselor for an admittance ticket by telling them that you will take the exam.
Approximately two weeks following the registration deadline, test tickets will be available. The test date, time, place, and, if necessary, testing accommodations are all listed on the test tickets.
What should a student do in order to prepare for the SHSAT?
In order to get prepared for the SHSAT, a student must undertake a variety of tasks. A student should examine all of the material and put in as much practice time as feasible. Because the SHSAT is such a challenging exam, students must do the following to succeed on the test.
Students must take a practice test to be ready for their exam. This informs the student about the expectations and can use it to determine which areas require more attention and study appropriately.
It’s now time to create a study plan that fits their academic timetable. Students are just as busy as working adults. Allowing ample time for studies will assist them in becoming more organized and reducing their stress levels.
Every student has their unique method of studying, but they all follow two basic guidelines to ensure they’re learning the right things. Identifying your strengths and shortcomings is the first step. The second is to concentrate on your weak areas.
It’s vital to focus on areas of study where you’re weak rather than merely doing well in ones you’ve mastered since it may increase your performance and lay a solid foundation in crucial areas that can surely help you pass the exam.
If studying alone isn’t enough for you to pass the exam or at least feel secure about it, it’s time to seek expert assistance. You’re considerably more likely to pass the exam the first time if you combine your study time with a tutor who understands the exam inside and out. Hiring a tutor is an investment that will pay off in the long run.
