The Specialized High Schools Admissions Test (SHSAT) is used as the single determining factor for admission to the NYC Specialized High Schools, except for Fiorello H. La Guardia High School, which is a performing arts school.
Students, who would like to attend one of the NYC Specialized High Schools, should speak to their guidance counselors as soon as possible when 8th grade starts to get an admission ticket to sit for the test. The SHSAT is typically administered toward the end of October when a student is in 8th grade. Students receive their results from the test in the spring. What is the central idea of this passage? this question is found on the most important exam of all students.
NYC Specialized High Schools that Require the SHSAT
Many people wonder how many specialized high schools there are in NYC. Well, there are nine, but only eight of them require the SHSAT. Fiorello H. LaGuardia HS is a performing arts school and doesn’t require the test. The eight NYC Specialized High Schools that require the SHSAT for admission are considered elite high schools that rank as some of the top high schools in the country. Below is a list of the eight specialized high schools. Each link gives more information about the school and the admissions process.
Ranking Schools
When students sit for the actual test, they will have to bubble in their preference of schools by ranking their top three choices.
There is a lot of confusion with this because of misinformation and bad advice. The best advice is to simply rank them in the order of schools you would like to attend.
Be aware that Stuyvesant High School consistently has the highest cut-off score, which means it is the most difficult one to get into. Because of that, it wouldn’t make sense to rank it as number two or three. If you have a score high enough to get into Stuy, you will have a score high enough to get into your top choice also. Therefore Stuy is not a good second or third option.
How Admission is Determined
After the tests are scored, all of the students are put in a list from highest score to lowest score.
The system automatically goes down the list and places students into schools based on their rankings of the schools and available seats.
For example, when it gets to a student, it will check what the students top choice is. If that school is not filled, then the student will be placed into that school. If the school is filled, it will look at the second choice, then the third. If all three schools are filled, the student will not be accepted into a specialized high school for the 9th grade.
SHSAT Scoring
The two sections on the SHSAT are scored independently. The number of correct questions are scaled to give scaled scores for each section. They are then added together to create a composite score. Students will only be notified of their composite scores, not the breakdown on the two sections.
How to Register for the SHSAT
There are three ways to sign up for the SHSAT:
- Guidance Counselor: Sign up for the test through your guidance counselor in the beginning of 8th grade
- MySchools Website: The MySchools website is used by students to apply to high school programs, and it can also be used to register for the SHSAT.
- Family Welcome Center: You can visit the Family Welcome Center to sign up for the SHSAT. On Staten Island, the Family Welcome Center is located in the Petrides complex.
Special Testing Dates
Current Grade 8 and first-time Grade 9 students who are English Language Learners or students with disabilities who have Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) or 504 Plans that include testing accommodations will take the test on Saturday, November 7, 2019 or Sunday, November 17, 2019.
Make-up tests will also be administered on Saturday, November 7, 2019 and Sunday, November 17, 2019. The central idea of a passage is the summary of the passage – not an inference derived from it . Students will need to get approval for a make-up test and will be assigned a date. What is the central idea of this passage? – this question is in all tests SHSAP
Preparing for the SHSAT
Many students wonder how they should prepare for the SHSAT. Well, the good news is that the SHSAT tests ELA and math skills, the same two subjects that most NYC students have been tested on since 3rd grade.