SHSAT Tutoring
A Difficult Test. A Clear Path Forward.
For more than two decades, Next Level Learning has prepared New York City students for the SHSAT (Specialized High School Admission Test). Our instructors have extensive, hands-on experience with the exam’s content, structure, and pacing, as well as a clear understanding of how the computer-adaptive digital format and its technical features affect performance.
Our personalized, one-on-one SHSAT preparation is tailored to each student’s unique academic profile, learning style, and goals, with an emphasis on both content mastery and the strategic demands of this high-stakes exam.
Not every student aspires to attend a Specialized High School, but for those who do, preparation must be deliberate and focused. Through years of working with New York City students and careful analysis of exam outcomes, Next Level has developed a proven approach to SHSAT preparation. Our instructors design individualized plans that address skill gaps, pacing, test strategy, and confidence under pressure.
At the conclusion of each one-on-one session, instructors provide a written report outlining progress, challenges, expectations for upcoming work, and assigned homework. Parents may reply directly to these reports with questions or comments and our director will coordinate with the instructor and follow up with the parent. Session reports are a valuable communication tool that allow parents to stay informed and involved without placing additional pressure on students, which can sometimes exacerbate anxiety.
Why is the SHSAT such a big deal?
With the exception of LaGuardia High School, students who want to attend any of New York City’s elite Specialized High Schools are required to take the SHSAT to be considered for admission. The competition to get into these schools is intense, and the SHSAT is difficult. Unlike most other schools, no other factors such as previous grades, extracurricular activities, admissions essays, or interviews are considered for admission, which means an outstanding test score is vital.
When and where is the test taken?
The SHSAT is administered in late October or early November to 8th and 9th grade students living in New York City. Approximately 30,000 eighth graders—and a much smaller number of ninth graders—take the SHSAT each year. While most students take the exam for entry into 9th grade, eligible 9th graders may also take a version of the SHSAT for admission into 10th grade at a few specialized high schools with limited available seats. Students will take the exam on DOE-provided computers either at their home school during a school day administration or at a testing site on one of the designated weekend administration dates.
What is the test format?
The SHSAT is a three-hour exam with 57 ELA (English Language Arts) questions and 57 Math questions. In the fall 2025, the SHSAT transitioned to a digital format, adding features such annotation, zoom, and highlighting. English Language Learners (ELLs) can access embedded glossaries in their native languages, and students with accommodations such as extra time will continue to be supported. While the content topics and level of difficulty remain the same as they were on the paper test, the digital SHSAT presents a few questions in new, tech-enhanced ways. These “tech-enhanced items” (TEIs) are simply standard content questions that utilize tech features to answer them (like dragging the correct answer to a box).
As of 2026, the SHSAT is a computer-adaptive test (CAT), which means the difficulty level of each question will depend on how accurately the student answered the previous question. If, for example, a student correctly answers a moderately difficult question, they will receive a more difficult question; however, if they incorrectly answer a moderately difficult question, they will receive a less difficult question. While the DOE does not publish scoring scales, computer-adaptive tests are typically scored the way all CATs are: the students who receive and correctly answer less difficult questions will plateau at a lower maximum score than the students who receive and correctly answer more difficult questions. Because of the adaptive nature of the test in 2026 and beyond, students will NOT be able to revisit questions or move back and forth between sections beginning in fall 2026.
When should preparation begin?
One of the most frequent questions we are asked about the SHSAT is when students should begin preparing, and the answer varies depending upon the following factors:
- Is the student working at grade level?
- Are there concepts or material on the SHSAT that require significant review?
- Does the student typically perform well on important tests and standardized exams?
- Is anxiety a factor in performance?
- Is motivation an issue?
- Does the student have any familiarity with online standardized tests?
- Does the student have a learning disability that needs remediation?
- Is the student able to focus full attention on preparation?
- Does the student have time to complete homework assignments as part of preparation?
- Is the student applying to the more popular Specialized High Schools, such as Stuyvesant and Bronx Science where a high score is more imperative?
- How important is it to the student to gain admission to a Specialized High School? Is it a high priority?
Some students begin SHSAT preparation as early as the 6th grade, but most students start sometime in the 7th grade. Especially with students in this age range, it’s vital not to be in the position of “cramming” a few weeks or months before the exam. Our experience has proved that getting started early and investing in calm, measured preparation spread over a longer period absolutely reduces pressure and makes a substantial difference in results. Rushing to prepare immediately before the SHSAT generates significant pressure and can sometimes cause debilitating anxiety in students who have never previously exhibited symptoms of being anxious. Even high performing students generally begin preparation a year or more before the exam. At Next Level Learning our highly trained SHSAT instructors are mindful of the ways in which pressure can adversely affect performance, which is why our professional SHSAT test preparation is designed to alleviate anxiety and improve test-taking skills relevant to the SHSAT.
We recommend scheduling an initial session and assessment as early as possible. In some instances it will be apparent the student is well-positioned for the exam and doesn’t need to begin at that point; in other instances we may identify significant areas that need to be addressed over a longer period. If you have doubts or questions about the ideal time to begin SHSAT prep, contact Next Level right away and we can help you make an informed decision about the best SHSAT tutoring plan for your child.
What’s on the SHSAT?
The SHSAT lasts three hours long and consists of two multiple-choice sections:
- English Language Arts (ELA):
Contains 57 questions: approximately 48 Reading Comprehension questions and 9 Revising/Editing questions, including a few “tech-enhanced items” (TEIs) in which the student uses the cursor to do things like drag-and-drop acceptable answers. - Mathematics:
Contains 57 problem solving questions in basic math, algebra, probability, statistics, and geometry. The bulk of the questions are multiple choice, but a few are “grid-ins” where the student generates their own answer, or “tech-enhanced items” (TEIs) in which the student uses the cursor to do things like drag-and-drop acceptable answers.
On the computer-adaptive digital SHSAT, the math and ELA sections are scored separately and then scaled and added together to produce a total score. This score is used to ‘rank’ students, with the highest ranked students being slotted into their first choice schools before lower ranked students. Prior to the computer-adaptive test, the SHSAT rewarded lopsidedness: the closer a student got to a perfect score, the more scaled points each question was worth. Now that the SHSAT is a computer-adaptive test, the DOE will likely continue to reward excellence by granting a higher maximum score to students who are able to answer more difficult questions, though they will likely continue to avoid publishing the scale charts.
When are the SHSAT scores released?
The SHSAT exam is held in the fall and results are typically released to students via MySchools accounts the following March.
What is a good SHSAT score?
Determining a “good” SHSAT score is complicated by the variables involved in deciding the cutoffs for each Specialized school, which vary from year to year. For example, the cutoff for Stuyvesant (typically the most popular and competitive school for admissions) can range from the 550s to 570s depending, among other factors, on how many students select it as their first choice school in a given year. At Next Level our SHSAT instructors are familiar with the requisite score ranges for each school and can advise students as to whether they are in contention for the school(s) they are targeting.
Get Started
No matter where you are in deciding next steps for your child to take the SHSAT, it is never too early to speak to an SHSAT expert at Next Level Learning and beginning the planning process. As stated, the SHSAT is a difficult exam for the vast majority of students, and it is therefore important to ensure you put your child in the best position to excel and perform to their greatest potential. Please contact Next Level Learning now about how to obtain the best SHSAT tutoring in New York.