What’s Tested on the SHSAT?
The Specialized High Schools Admissions Test (SHSAT) is a standardized test administered by the New York City Department of Education. Students in 8th or 9th grade who are seeking admission to eight of New York City’s elite public high schools must take the SHSAT, which tests competency in English Language Arts (ELA) and Math. The SHSAT has been transitioning to an adaptive, digital test during the 2025 and 2026 exam administrations. In this guide, we’ll break down exactly what is tested on the SHSAT, the new digital format, and how you can prepare.
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
- Why take the SHSAT?
- What’s changing on the SHSAT in 2026?
- Structure of the SHSAT
- SHSAT English Language Arts Section
- SHSAT Math Section
- SHSAT Scoring
- Expert SHSAT Tips
- SHSAT Pop Quiz
Why take the SHSAT?
If you want to attend high school at Brooklyn Latin, Stuyvesant, Bronx Science, Brooklyn Tech, City College, Lehman College, Staten Island Tech, or York College, you must take the SHSAT. It is the sole criterion for admission to these schools. This means that your grades, extracurricular activities, and so on play no role in the admissions process. Do not take the SHSAT if you are not serious about attending! If you score high enough to be accepted at one of these prestigious high schools, you will be expected to attend.
What’s changing on the SHSAT in 2026?
In 2026, the SHSAT is completing its two-year overhaul, moving from a linear digital test to a fully computer-adaptive test (CAT). This shift changes not only how you take the test but also which strategies will help you succeed on the exam.
Here’s a quick summary of the 2026 SHSAT changes:
- Move to adaptive testing (CAT). The SHSAT will now adjust in real-time based on your performance. How well you do on one question determines the difficulty of the next question you’ll see—the test adapts itself based on your responses. This format allows the SHSAT to more accurately evaluate your performance using fewer questions than traditional exams in which every student sees the same questions.
- New enhanced question types. The SHSAT has moved beyond simple multiple-choice questions. Test takers will now encounter interactive question types, including Drag-and-Drop, Multiple-Select, Inline Choice (with drop-down menus), and questions that require you to interact with a number line or graph.
- Shift in testing strategy. Due to the test changes, some of the old SHSAT strategies are no longer applicable. For example, in the Math section and for stand-alone questions in the ELA section, you can no longer return to previous questions once you answer them. Therefore, you must make your best guess and move on if you are stuck on a difficult question.
Despite these changes, the actual content of the 2026 SHSAT will remain consistent with previous years.
Structure of the SHSAT
The SHSAT is a standardized test, which means that it is predictable. Therefore, you can take control and build your confidence by knowing what to expect. When you sit down to take the test, you should know what the test will look like, how it will be scored, and how long you’ll have to complete it.
Note that the structure of the SHSAT may undergo additional changes as the test transitions to its adaptive, digital format in 2026. Be sure to check the NYCPS’s SHSAT website for continued updates. The SHSAT has typically included 57 English Language Arts questions and 57 Math questions on the test. The English Language Arts and Math sections are equally weighted.
| English Language Arts (ELA) | 57 questions | Flexible (Recommended 90 mins) |
| Mathematics | 57 questions | Flexible (Recommended 90 mins) |
| Total | 114 questions | 180 minutes |
SHSAT English Language Arts Section
The SHSAT English Language Arts section has contained 57 questions, accounting for one-half of the total points on the SHSAT. Expect to see several tech-enhanced question types in both the Reading Comprehension and Revising/Editing sections.
Although there may be adjustments to the exam for 2026, the English Language Arts section of the 2025 sample digital exams consisted of:
| English Language Arts Subsection | Total Number of Questions |
| Reading Comprehension | 48 questions |
| Revising/Editing Passage(s) | 5 questions |
| Revising/Editing Stand-Alone Questions | 4 questions |
SHSAT Math Section
The SHSAT Math section has contained 57 questions, accounting for one-half of the total points on the SHSAT. The question formats will be mixed throughout the Math section.
Although there may be adjustments to the exam for 2026, the Math section of the 2025 sample digital exams consisted of:
| Math Question Formats | Total Number of Questions |
| Fill-in-the-Blank | 4-5 questions |
| Multiple-Choice Questions | 44-47 questions |
| Tech-Enhanced Items | 6-8 questions |
SHSAT Scoring
Scoring for the SHSAT is a little different. It’s not that the scoring is difficult to understand; it’s just that individual scores matter only to the extent that they are above or below a cutoff line, and that cutoff line changes each year depending on how that group of students performs on the test.
Here’s how SHSAT scoring works: You’ll receive a score for each section based on a formula known only to the Department of Education that is based on the difficulty of the questions you answered on the adaptive exam. In addition to receiving a score for each section, you’ll also get a Composite Score for the entire test. According to the test makers, the highest possible Composite Score varies from year to year, but it is usually around 700.
Note that the SHSAT scoring procedures will likely be updated as the exam transitions to its digital, adaptive format for the 2026 test administration.
What’s a good SHSAT score?
There is no specific SHSAT score that will guarantee admission. Admission to all specialized high schools (except LaGuardia) is based solely on your Composite Score. The way this works is that all of the students are ranked from high score to low score and then assigned to the school of their first preference until all the available seats are filled. For example, if Stuyvesant had exactly 500 spaces available and the top 500 scorers all picked Stuyvesant as their first choice, all 500 scorers would be admitted. If the 501st scorer listed Stuyvesant as her first choice and Bronx Science as her second choice, she would be assigned to Bronx Science.
Therefore, SHSAT scores are relative; it matters only whether they are above the cutoff, but there is no way of actually knowing what the cutoff score will be. All you know is that you should do your best to get the highest SHSAT score possible and increase your chances.
Expert Tips for Success on the SHSAT
Review the following expert SHSAT tips to help you maximize your score on test day.
SHSAT Tip #1: Think Before You Look at the Answers
One of the most damaging mistakes that students make when taking the SHSAT is that they jump immediately from the question to the answer choices without stopping first to think. This is particularly true with the Reading Comprehension questions, but it is a problem with most question types. Here’s what will happen if you read the questions and then go directly to the answer choices: you will be confronted with very tempting, but very incorrect, answer choices. If you take the time to think before looking at the choices, you will be much less likely to fall for the traps.
Try to predict the answer—or at least think about it—before you look at the answer choices. If nothing else, you may realize what the answer won’t be. This will help you to avoid the tempting traps set by the test maker.
SHSAT Tip #2: Use Strategic Elimination
One important strategy to keep in mind is that if you can determine that one or more answer choices are definitely incorrect, you can increase your chances of getting the correct answer.
If you make a prediction for the answer and find a match, select it and move to the next question. Otherwise, eliminate answer choices as needed by doing the following:
- Read each answer choice.
- Use the digital test’s elimination tool to cross out any answer choices that you determine are incorrect.
- If only one answer choice is left (or two or three, depending on how many answers the question indicates are correct), select it and move on.
- If more than one answer choice remains, take your best guess. Remember, you’ll need to answer each question (or passage set) before you can move on to the next one.
The digital tools on the SHSAT provide many helpful features that can make you more efficient and accurate as you work through the exam. However, you can maximize your use of these tools only if you get familiar with them ahead of time and have a plan for how you can best use the tools to your advantage. Since every student works and thinks a bit differently, every student’s plan will be individual to them. For example, the SHSAT has a built-in timer that will help you keep track of your progress. You can choose to make the clock visible or hidden, depending on your preference.
As the SHSAT continues to transition to its adaptive, digital format, the test maker may continue to update the digital tools. Visit the NYCPS’s SHSAT website for continued updates and to access the provided resources and practice tests so you can prep with the exact tools that will be available to you on test day.
SHSAT Pop Quiz
Ready to tackle the SHSAT? See where you stand today by taking our free quiz.
Written by Kaplan experts, reviewed by Melissa McLaughlin, Pre-College Content Developer and Heather Waite, Director of Content and Curriculum, Pre-College at Kaplan North America.
