The SHSAT is the only way to get admitted into of of the 8 specialized high schools. The eight schools are Stuyvesant, Bronx Science, Brooklyn Tech, Staten Island Tech, Queens High School for the Sciences(QHSS), High School of Math, Science, and Engineering(HSMSE), and High School of the American Studies, and Brooklyn Latin. There’s also Laguardia High School but there’s a separate admission process.
The Specialized High Schools are ranked one of the best in the city because of the amount of AP(Advanced Placement) classes, extracurricular activities, and special opportunities. Anyone who attends a Special High School has to take the SHSAT: a 114-question test, with 57 English and 57 math questions. The English part is divided into 2 parts: 9-11 questions on revising/editing(multiple choice) and 6 passages each with 6-10 questions(multiple choice) on reading comprehension. The Math section has 5 grid-in-questions and 52 questions with multiple choices. There are only 3 hours to complete the test, and you're not allowed to use a calculator at all.
Since the SHSAT was just admitted to the 8th grade, we wanted to ask 8th graders who took the test about their opinions/experiences on the test.
Questions:
How do you feel about the SHSAT?
Do you think you were prepared for the 2023 SHSAT?
How did you study to prepare for it?
How stressed are you about the SHSAT on a scale of 1-10?
(8th Grade) How did you feel when taking the test?
(8th Grade) What advice would you give to 7th and 6th graders to prepare them for the exam?
Anonymous 8th Grader:
How do you feel about the SHSAT?
“Good.”
Do you think you were prepared for the 2023 SHSAT?
“6-7/10 prepared”
How did you study to prepare for it?
“I went to Prep Class and took like 20 mock tests.”
How did you feel when taking the test?
“5/10. I was more stressed before because I was panicking.” “I was going to pass out after from anxiety”
What advice would you give to 7th and 6th graders to prepare them for the exam?
“Good luck! Pray to the examination gods.”
Eric 803
How do you feel about the SHSAT?
“The math section was very easy, but the ELA was very difficult.”
Do you think you were prepared for the 2023 SHSAT?
“I feel like I could have prepared a bit more, but I prepared over the summer.”
How did you study to prepare for it?
“I went to summer prep and took a few mock tests and did a few other questions.” “10,000”
How did you feel when taking the test?
“When I was taking the math test I felt very prepared, but when taking the ELA section I did not feel prepared.”
What advice would you give to 7th and 6th graders to prepare them for the exam?
“Pay attention, focus a lot, take prep courses early, read a lot, try to do a lot of problems.”
Jose Torres 805
How do you feel about the SHSAT?
“It was medium -difficulty and I got through it in sufficient time”
Do you think you were prepared for the 2023 SHSAT?
”Yes”
How did you study to prepare for it?
”I got a tutor”
How stressed are you about the SHSAT on a scale of 1-10?
”3-4”
How did you feel when taking the test?
“I felt good”
What advice would you give to 7th and 6th graders to prepare them for the exam?
”Review the previous exams a lot”
Victoria Wang 807
How do you feel about the SHSAT?
“It was so easy”
Do you think you were prepared for the 2023 SHSAT?
”Yes”
How did you study to prepare for it?
”I went to prep for 2 years and had a private tutor”
How stressed are you about the SHSAT on a scale of 1-10?
”1”
(8th Grade) How did you feel when taking the test?
”I felt not stressed at all and was very prepared”
(8th Grade) What advice would you give to 7th and 6th graders to prepare them for the exam?
”Studying does not always work.
These are some of the 8th-grade experiences of the SHSAT. To all the 6th and 7th-graders planning to take the test, study hard and try your best, and who knows, you might get into a specialized high school. Good luck to all the 6th and 7th graders who are planning to take the test.