While most students take the SHSAT in 8th grade, it’s also possible to take it during your freshman year of high school. Maybe you took the exam in 8th grade and weren’t accepted to one of the schools you wanted to attend. Or perhaps you have never taken the SHSAT but are now interested in attending a Specialized High School . In either case, there are several factors you should consider before taking or retaking the SHSAT as a 9th grader.

How is the 9th grade SHSAT different?

The first thing to note is that the 8th grade and 9th grade tests are not identical. While the Verbal section of both tests are more or less the same, the Math section of the 9th grade test is more advanced than that of the 8th grade test. One of the most notable differences is that the 9th grade test may include questions on basic trigonometry, which is not covered on the 8th grade test. If you are planning on retaking the SHSAT as a 9th grader, beware of the following topics for math:

advanced algebra problems
greater emphasis on coordinate geometry
greater emphasis on 3D geometry
basic trigonometry
graphing
slopes
transformations

Click here for a sample of some math questions that you’ll find on the 9th grade SHSAT

What are my chances of getting accepted?

Keep in mind that the acceptance rates for 9th graders are significantly lower than the acceptance rates for 8th graders! Simply put, there are fewer available spots for incoming sophomores at the Specialized High Schools. This means the cutoff scores are generally higher for 9th graders taking the SHSAT. Overall, 9th graders need to achieve higher scores on the test in order to gain acceptance to a Specialized High School.

Should I retake the SHSAT?

If you took the SHSAT in 8th grade and weren’t satisfied with your results, retaking the test the following year is always an option. However, it’s a good idea to take your original score into consideration when deciding whether to retake the test. If your score was 449 or lower, the odds of improving your score enough within one year to gain acceptance as an incoming sophomore, when seats are significantly more limited, may be rather slim. If your score was 450 or higher, it may be worth your while to give it another shot. As always, studying consistently and effectively will go a long way in helping you get into the school of your dreams!

Tutoring/Test Prep

If you are considering taking the 9th grade exam, your best bet to increase your score or getting a high score is to sign up for a test prep course. Although there is a lot of material on the internet and books on the SHSAT, no instruction is more personalized than tutoring. A good tutor will help you through the questions you have difficulty with and give you regular practice tests to monitor your performance. If you are seeking a home tutor then Wyzant.com would be your safest bet. However, home tutoring could be a bit pricey and may not fit your budget. Check out Synergy Prep’s SHSAT program for more information on SHSAT tutoring.

Click here to learn more about our SHSAT program

If you’re a New York City middle-schooler and looking to start applying to high schools, you may want to consider attending a Specialized High School. The Specialized High Schools in NYC are some of the city’s most prestigious public high schools. In addition to their strong reputations, these schools provide challenging and enriching academic environments for high-achieving students.

The nine Specialized High Schools are:

Stuyvesant High School

Bronx High School of Science

Brooklyn Technical High School

Why should I attend a Specialized High School?

If you have a specific area of study you’d like to focus on, you can look into a Specialized High School that caters to your interests. For example, Stuyvesant offers an intensive math and science curriculum, while Brooklyn Latin has a strong emphasis on the humanities. These and the rest of the Specialized High Schools provide rewarding classes, extracurricular activities, and other opportunities for you to explore your interests and pursue what you’re passionate about. And during college admissions season, the stellar reputations of these schools can help your college application stand out.

How do I attend a Specialized High School?

Many NYC public high schools examine several different factors for admission, such as your grades and attendance. But the Specialized High Schools have their own unique admissions process. Eight out of the nine schools use the Specialized High School Admissions Test (SHSAT) as the only factor for admission.

LaGuardia High School, an arts school, is the only Specialized High School that doesn’t consider the SHSAT. Instead, acceptance is based on an audition for one or more studio programs (Art, Dance, Drama, Instrumental Music, Technical Theater, and Vocal Music) as well as an evaluation of your academics.

For the rest of the Specialized High Schools, a sufficient score on the SHSAT is the sole criterion for acceptance. In 2016 approximately 28,000 students took the test, and less than 20% received an offer of acceptance to one of the schools. On the day of the test, you must rank the schools you are interested in attending, in order of preference. Then, you receive an offer from the highest-ranked school that accepts you. Note that you can only be accepted to one Specialized High School. The SHSAT is certainly a competitive exam, but making sure you’re well-prepared goes a long way in achieving a high score.

What is the format of the SHSAT?

The SHSAT is a three-hour long exam divided into two sections: ELA and Math. The ELA section consists of 57 questions split into two categories, Revising/Editing and Reading Comprehension. The Math section consists of 57 computational and word problems. All questions are multiple-choice with the exception of five grid-in math questions. You receive a raw score based on your number of correct answers, which is then converted into a composite score out of 800.

Check out this update from the DOE on the format for the 2018 SHSAT.

How can I prepare for the SHSAT?

If you are interested in attending a Specialized High School, you should take the exam in the fall of your eighth grade year. Many students begin test prep for the SHSAT during sixth or seventh grade, and several test prep resources are available. You can study independently using test prep books that provide drills, exercises, and practice tests. In addition, tutoring programs, paid or unpaid, offer a test prep curriculum, with the added benefit of having an instructor to help you work through the material. For example, Synergy Prep offers SHSAT tutoring for students the summer before they start the seventh grade. Since gaining admission into these high schools is so competitive, it's a good idea to get a head start! On the other hand, DREAM-SHSI is a free test prep program provided by NYC to help eligible sixth-graders prepare for the SHSAT. Here's more information on that, provided by the DOE. Test prep and regular, consistent practice can strengthen your skills and inspire greater confidence in your test-taking ability! Click the button below to learn more about our SHSAT program!

Should I take the 9th grade SHSAT exam?

What is the SHSAT? What are Specialized High Schools?