What is the SHSAT?

The Specialized High School Admissions Test (SHSAT) is the test taken by 8th or 9th graders who are interested in applying to any of eight of New York City’s Specialized High Schools:

• The Bronx High School of Science
• The Brooklyn Latin School
• Brooklyn Technical High School
• High School for Mathematics, Science and Engineering at the 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

The ninth Specialized High School, Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts, requires an audition and a review of academic records rather than the SHSAT. (more…)

The New York City Department of Education has announced the tentative test dates for the SHSAT (Specialized High Schools Admissions Test) in Fall 2010:

September 15 – October 6, 2010 – SHSAT Registration (through school counselors)

October 23 & 24, 2010 – SHSAT Test Days for 8^th graders

October 30, 2010 – SHSAT Test Day for 9^th graders, as well as 8th and 9th graders with testing accommodations

November 14, 2010 – SHSAT Test Day for all 9 ^th grade Sabbath observers, 8^th and 9^th grade Sabbath observers who need testing accommodations, as well as make-up tests (with permission only and must register by November 4^th)

Taking the SHSAT is a requirement for admission to the following high schools:

• Bronx High School of Science
• The Brooklyn Latin School
• Brooklyn Technical High School
• High School for Mathematics, Science and Engineering at the 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

If you are interested in more specific information about the SHSAT or other entrance exams for New York City’s public and independent schools (like the ISEE, SSAT, or COOP), please give us a call at (212) 928-5016 or e-mail us.

To read the bios of a few of our favorite SHSAT tutors, click here.

This is the time of year when New York City families with late elementary and middle school students begin to think about preparing for the ISEE, SHSAT, or SSAT in the fall.  Partners With Parents has a long history of successfully preparing students for these tests.  If you are considering tutoring, we recommend scheduling a couple of sessions before the summer to lay out a cohesive study plan for the next 6 months.  If you get an early assessment of your child’s needs then the appropriate plan can be set in motion with enough time to make substantial progress.  Our students benefit from preparation that focuses on test taking strategies and building academic self confidence, as well as simply mastering the test content.  Remember, the best tutors book quickly, so the sooner you contact PWP, the more likely you’ll be to get the best match for your child.  Below are the bios for a few of our favorite test prep tutors. (more…)

During the fall, it seems every week we encounter a new ISEE, SAT or ACT registration deadline or administration date.  Most of the major standardized tests fall into certain periods of concentration.  This is true for state and independent school exams, like the ISEE, SSAT, and the SHSAT, to college admissions exams like the SAT and ACT, as well as graduate school entrance exams like the GRE, GMAT and LSAT.  We are about to enter a period of such clustering from mid-October through mid-December.  There is also a concentration in the spring from mid-April through mid-June.

It is important to realize that test preparation cannot merely begin at the registration deadline, which is usually less than a month prior to the test date.  To ensure a confident, level-headed approach on test day, the material must be examined and taken seriously well in advance.  Standardized tests are not measures of any innate intelligence or ability; in a sense, performance on these exams is just an indicator of how well you perform on these exams. (more…)