Cynthia Knable - McGraw-Hills New York City Shsat

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PART 1
Getting Started

PART 2
SHSAT Diagnostic Test

PART 3
SHSAT Topic Reviews

PART 4
SHSAT Practice Tests

Before you know it, youll be walking the halls of high school. The four years you spend there will undoubtedly be exciting and memorable. Although there are more than 400 high schools in New York City, there are only nine New York City Specialized High Schools. Entrance into these elite, free schools is extremely competitive. In order to be admitted into eight of these programs, students must pass the Specialized High Schools Admissions Test (SHSAT). In fact, this test is the only factor considered in whether or not students are accepted into these schools.

Schools that require students to take the SHSAT are:

Bronx High School of Science

Brooklyn Latin

Brooklyn Technical High School

High School of Mathematics, Science and Engineering at City College

High School of American Studies at Lehman College

Queens High School for the Sciences at York College

Staten Island Technical High School

Stuyvesant High School

These schools are run by the New York City Department of Education and were created in order to better meet the needs of gifted students in New York City. Each of the schools has its own unique characteristics. Several offer programs focusing on math and science in addition to the courses that are required by the state. Each of these schools has an outstanding reputation and offers students a competitive advantage when applying for college. Many college credit and advanced placement (AP) courses are offered. Also, the Specialized High Schools allow students to focus on the fields that interest them.

New York Citys Specialized High Schools have been attended by a number of people who have gone on to make extraordinary achievements in many fields. These graduates include Nobel Laureates, politicians, award-winning actors and actresses, musicians, sports figures, and even an astronaut. Students earning the opportunity to graduate from one of these schools are definitely in good company and are taking steps toward a promising future.

The SHSAT is generally given in late October for eighth grade students, and in the middle of November for ninth grade students who have taken the test in the past and not been accepted into one of the programs. Actual test dates are not released until late in the previous school year. If you plan to take the test, you must register for it through the guidance counselor at your current middle school.

In order to take the SHSAT and be considered for one of the Specialized High Schools, you must live in the Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, or Staten Island. Because admission into these schools is extremely competitive, being prepared for the SHSAT is a must. Test scores are ranked highest to lowest, with students receiving the highest scores being placed into their first choice school. So, the higher your score, the better your chances of being invited to attend the school you are most interested in. Generally, only about 15 to 20 percent of the students who take the SHSAT are placed into one of the Specialized High Schools each year. Thats less than one in five students who take the test. The best way to make sure that your score is near the top of the list is to be prepared.

About 27,000 students took the test in 2009. Of those, fewer than 20 percent were accepted into one of the Specialized High Schools. You will only have one chance to take the test during eighth grade and possibly one chance during ninth grade. Since there are fewer open spots in tenth grade, the competition for ninth graders taking the test is even tougher. Knowing as much as possible about what to expect and preparing early for the test will help to increase your chances of doing your very best.