The SHSAT: dates, format, scoring and results
The SHSAT is the only thing that decides admission to eight of New York City’s nine specialized high schools. In fall 2026 it has 100 questions, takes 180 minutes, and for the first time adapts to each student’s answers.
What is the SHSAT?
The Specialized High Schools Admissions Test is the sole admission criterion for eight specialized high schools, including Stuyvesant, Bronx Science and Brooklyn Tech. Grades, attendance and state tests do not count. The ninth specialized school, LaGuardia, admits by audition instead.
Who can take the SHSAT?
New York City residents who are in 8th grade now, or in 9th grade for the first time (not repeating it). Students in charter, private and parochial schools and homeschooled students can take it too.
When is the SHSAT in 2026?
The date depends on the student’s grade and school. Registration ran from October 6 to October 30, 2026.
- Wednesday, November 18: 8th graders at public middle schools that end in 8th grade, at their own school.
- Saturday, November 14 or Sunday, November 15: 8th graders at 6–12, K–12, charter, private or parochial schools and homeschooled students, at a central test site.
- Saturday, November 21: all registered 9th graders, at a central test site.
How many questions are on the SHSAT, and how long is it?
There are 100 questions: 50 in English Language Arts and 50 in math. Standard test time is 180 minutes. Eligible English language learners and students with extended time as an approved accommodation get 360 minutes. Students choose which section to start with and divide their time as they like.
What changed in the SHSAT in fall 2026?
The test is now computer-adaptive: it adjusts how hard the questions are as a student answers, while everyone answers the same number of questions. It is taken only on a computer the DOE provides. Older prep books and websites may describe a different format, so check them against the DOE’s current guide.
What is on the test?
English Language Arts covers Revising and Editing and Reading Comprehension. Math covers ratios and proportional relationships, the number system and expressions, equations, inequalities, statistics and probability, and geometry. Both sections mix multiple-choice, fill-in-the-blank and technology-enhanced questions. Calculators are not allowed; scrap paper is provided and collected at the end.
How is the SHSAT scored?
Each question has a set difficulty, and the score depends on the pattern of right and wrong answers relative to that difficulty. The English and math scores are each converted to a scaled score, and the two are added into one composite score. Students are ranked by that composite score.
What SHSAT score do you need?
It depends on the school and the year. For 2026 admissions the DOE’s lowest qualifying scores ranged from 495 at The Brooklyn Latin School to 561 at Stuyvesant. Cutoffs are set after the test, by how students score and rank the schools, so past years are a guide and not a target.
When do SHSAT results come out?
Students get their score, and an offer if they qualify, in early spring 2027. The DOE lists March 3, 2027, after 3 p.m., as the date high school offers are released. Students who take the test in fall 2026 can also sign up for a Test View in spring 2027.
Can you retake the SHSAT?
Not in the same school year. Eighth graders cannot take it again until the following school year, when they can test as first-time 9th graders.
How should you prepare for the SHSAT?
Start with the free official materials: the NYC Guide to the SHSAT and the practice tests and Student Readiness Tool on the NYC SHSAT Portal. Learn the question types so that time on test day goes to answering and not to reading directions, and decide in advance which section to take first. Eligible public school students can also look at the DREAM program.
NYC Guide to the SHSAT (PDF)NYC SHSAT PortalDREAM programPrep options
What if my child does not get a specialized school offer?
Most test takers do not, so the main MySchools application matters for every family. It is separate from the SHSAT, is due December 4, 2026, and your child can hold an offer from it alongside a specialized school offer. Students from low-income backgrounds who score below the cutoff may also be contacted about the summer Discovery program, which can lead to enrollment at a specialized school.
How the main application worksAll 9 specialized high schools
Sources
All facts on this page come from the NYC Department of Education. School Match is not affiliated with NYC Public Schools, and the DOE can change dates and rules.
About the SHSAT (DOE)How to prepare (DOE)Specialized High Schools (DOE)
Checked against NYC DOE pages on November 5, 2026.