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.

Registering for the SHSAT and Applying to NYC High Schools

In September of the 8th or 9th grade, you should inform your guidance counselor of your intention to apply to one or more Specialized High Schools.  The last day to register for the Fall 2010 SHSAT is October 6^th.  Prior to the testing date, your school guidance counselor will give you the SHSAT admission ticket (available for distribution after October 15^th).  The ticket will indicate the location of the test, the date and time of the test, as well as your student ID number and school ID number.  If you have a conflict with the test date/time/location, you should notify your guidance counselor immediately to arrange an alternate plan.

Before the test, on the back of your admission ticket, you will need to rank, in priority order, which Specialized High Schools you want to attend.  You will need to submit this on the test date, signed by your parent/guardian.  Only list those schools that you know you are willing to attend since changes cannot be made once your rankings are submitted.

In order for you to receive the result of your SHSAT and to be considered for admission to a Specialized High School, you must also submit a New York City Public High School Admissions Application to your guidance counselor (deadline is December 3^rd).  On the application you will indicate that you will take or have taken the SHSAT.  You will also have the opportunity to apply to other high schools/programs around New York City.

In February 2011, you will be notified as to whether or not you received an offer to a Specialized High School. If your test score qualifies you for an offer, then your placement will be based on how you ranked the schools.  You will be offered a seat at your highest ranked school that still has openings available.

Click here to see the Fall 2010 SHSAT test dates.

Click here to see some of Partners With Parents’ favorite SHSAT Prep tutors.

Next week’s blog:  What is actually on the SHSAT and how is it scored?

Recently, Partners With Parents has seen a increase in the demand for private tutoring for use as part of a homeschooling program. In the past, homeschooling has had a reputation as a “solution” for parents who differed religiously or disagreed philosophically with how their kids were being taught in school. Now, particularly in places like New York City, there is a new group of parents who want, need, and are finding the vast benefits of homeschooling programs for kids with learning disabilities.

There is a lot to be said for the advantages of socialization in school and for the theory that having all different kinds of kids and abilities in a classroom is a good thing for all involved. I agree. My point in suggesting a short term homeschooling program is to save kids from acute stress — and that is what many with undiagnosed or newly diagnosed learning disabilities are experiencing.  This is especially true if they are in schools that aren’t appropriate for their needs or if their leaning difficulties are also accompanied by emotional, psychological, or physical issues. The fact is that a stressed child is using all of his or her capabilities to cope, not to learn. Changing the environment and social stresses can make all the difference if it is done well and gracefully.

If you think such a change might be beneficial to your child, consider:

1) Does your child complain about school, fear it, pretend to be ill, or otherwise avoid going to school?

2) Can you clearly see your child likes and wants to learn but is just in the wrong environment?

3) Can your child’s school make the accommodations necessary to help your child learn and function socially, in the near term?  Do they have the capacity to include you in a plan to implement changes for your child based on his/her emerging needs?

4) Do you question whether the school you chose was the right one for your current situation?  Is it too late to put your child somewhere else this year or do you worry that he/she can’t get into the school that is a better fit?

5) Can you envision your child connecting with one or two teachers/tutors in your home and getting to study more of what he/she likes and in ways that fit his/her learning needs? Would that be a good thing at this stage?

Depending on your answers to these questions, it might be time to consider a short stint of homeschooling, giving everyone a breather. Kids may need that emotional break, a respite from feeling like they are failing (often socially as well as academically). They need to find their natural love of learning, and discover the strategies that work for them.  Parents and guardians need a moment to get their bearings and figure out what is best for the whole family.  Logistically, it takes time to find and apply to the right schools even if you know that school is the place you ultimately want your child.  While, short term homeschooling may not be the solution, it may just be the right fit at the right time.

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.

Jessica is a highly experienced and enthusiastic tutor.  She has her BA from Columbia University and received multiple scholarships and fellowships for getting master’s degrees in art and music from Wesleyan, Brandeis, and Bard.  Over her eight years of tutoring in New York City, she has worked with hundreds of elite independent school students in a wide range of subjects: SATs, ISEEs, SHSATs, SSATs, PSATs, and other standardized test preparation, as well as academic subjects including mathematics, English, history, sciences, and music.  She has also served as the coordinator for the Brandeis University tutoring program, taught intensive SAT prep classes through the Ivy League Tutors Foundation, and taught a range of art and music courses as a graduate teaching fellow at Wesleyan University.  She believes that tutoring should reinforce the student’s strengths, rectify misunderstandings, and nurture independent thinking.  This allows students to gain the knowledge, skills, and confidence to feel empowered and excited about their academic success. She loves teaching and loves learning.

Alisa has a Ph.D in the humanities.  She has been listed in “Who’s Who in American Educators” and has taught a variety of humanities courses at the college level.  Alisa has extensive experience with standardized test preparation and has published on writing techniques for different learning styles.  Prior to working with PWP, Alisa taught SAT and GRE prep for the Princeton Review.  She is expert at developing proficiency in standardized test content, teaching test taking strategies, and building academic self confidence so that students feel ready to successfully take exams.  She has a fun, irreverent approach, siding with the student to outsmart the test, and has a record of substantial score increases for the vast majority of her students.

Regina has an MFA from Columbia University and an MA in Liberal Studies from The Graduate Center.  Regina has been teaching and tutoring for over 10 years.  Before coming to work with Partners With Parents, Regina worked as a private tutor for the Princeton Review.   Her classroom experience has included time as an English teacher at Hunter High School and she has done one-on-one test preparation for a wide array of tests: the ISEE, SHSAT, PSAT, and SAT, among others.  In addition to working with test prep clients, Regina creates and implements curricula for homeschool students, as well as provides academic coaching and conventional subject tutoring.  On the non-tutoring front, Regina recently impressed us all with the breadth of her knowledge as a 4-day champion on Jeopardy! Look out for her on the Tournament of Champions!

If you have general questions about the ISEE, SHSAT, or the SSAT or if you are interested in learning more about Partners With Parents’ other services, please call our office at (212) 928-5016/5014 or e-mail us.

It’s not a traditional powerhouse like Stuyvesant High School (#31) or Bronx Science (#58).

It has a specific theme, but it’s not the High School for Dual Language and Asian Studies (#52), New Explorations Science, Technology, and Math School (#64), or the High School for Law and Public Service (#75).

To enroll, you don’t have to take the Specialized High School Admissions Test (SHSAT), so it’s not Staten Island Tech (#34) or Brooklyn Tech (#63).

It’s not tied to a post-secondary institution, so it’s not Queens High School for the Sciences at York College (#81), or the High School of American Studies at Lehman College (#19).

It is in Queens but it’s not Townsend Harris (#33), or the Baccalaureate School for Global Education (#35),

Stumped?

The answer, coming in at #6 with a whopping College Readiness Index of 100, is Newcomers High School in Long Island City, Queens.  Known as something of an academic Ellis Island and located not far across the East River from the United Nations, Newcomers High School aims to fulfill on the mission created at its founding: to greet recent immigrants to the U.S. of one year or less with high expectations and rigorous support.

To be fair, the criteria for the numerical ranking is based on a scale called the College Readiness Index, which is limited in its scope.   Described as the measure of the degree to which students master college level material, the index only considers total participation and percentage of passing scores on AP exams (or IB exams, where applicable) in its determination of college readiness.  Not quite a complete picture.

Data was included from 21,786 public high schools in 48 states (NE and OK did not submit) and DC, mainly from the 2007-2008 school year.

View the rankings:

http://www.usnews.com/articles/education/high-schools/2009/12/09/americas-best-high-schools-gold-medal-list.html

DATE: Saturday, November 21, 2009

LOCATION: The New York Public Library  328 East 67th St. (between 1st & 2nd)

TIME: 10:30am (The library opens at 10:00am, the test will begin promptly at 10:30am, and it will finish at approximately 3:00pm.)

COST: Free.  Space for this practice administration is limited, so preregistration is required!  Please contact us using the subject line ”ISEE Test Registration” or call 212-928-5016 to sign up.

Bring three sharpened pencils and a snack.