The SHSAT (Specialized High School Admissions Test) is a highly competitive exam administered to eighth and ninth-grade students in New York City who wish to apply to one of the city’s eight specialized high schools.
Ninth graders take the same SHSAT as eighth graders, but there are a few critical differences that the ninth graders need to be aware of in order to ace the SHSAT.
What is the 9th-grade SHSAT?
The SHSAT for the 9th graders is a 3-hour long test and is usually conducted in November. The exam can be taken by both first-time applicants as well as those who couldn’t meet the cutoff score in the 8th grade SHSAT.
The SHSAT comprises two sections, Math and English and the highest possible score for each section is 400. It implies that the highest you can score in the SHSAT is 800 points.
The SHSAT cut-off scores vary from school to school and it certainly becomes more challenging every year owing to the increasing number of applicants and the limited number of spots available in schools. So, generally speaking, 9th graders need to be more prepared and score about 30 to 45 points higher than what the 8th graders need to score.
Why is the SHSAT for 9th graders more competitive?
The format of the SHSAT exam for both the 8th and 9th graders is the same, but the content for 9th graders is a lot more complex than that for the 8th graders. For instance, in the 9th grade, there are quite a few additional topics to be covered in Maths. Also, the difficulty level in reading and editing is a lot more than what it is in the 8th-grade syllabus.
Also, the number of seats available in each of the specialized schools is pretty less for the 9th graders as compared to the availability of spots for the 8th graders, which is evidenced in the following table.
High School | 9th Grade Seats | 10th Grade Seats |
Stuyvesant | 814 | 10 |
Bronx Science | 730 | 3 |
Queens Science – York College | 100 | 3 |
Staten Island Tech | 300 | 4 |
HSMSE – City College | 100 | 2 |
HSAS – Lehman College | 90 | 2 |
Brooklyn Tech | 1,400 | 34 |
Brooklyn Latin | 180 | 20 |
TOTAL | 3,714 | 78 |
*Source: 2019 NYC High School Directory
How can a 9th grader ace the SHSAT?
If a 9th grader has missed out on making it to one of the specialized schools in the eighth grade, they still stand a chance. Although the number of seats available in each school is too less, the positive aspect is – the number of 9th graders appearing for the SHSAT is about a tenth of the number of students who appear for the SHSAT in the eighth grade.
If the students are determined to settle on nothing below the specialized schools, they can still aim to ace the SHSAT for 9th graders. But, determination alone can’t do wonders!
To better the admission odds, it is best for the students to seek SHSAT tutoring from a reputed institution.
How can Kitab help you ace the SHSAT?
Kitab is a renowned tutoring institute that has helped 85% of its students to get selected for Specialized High Schools like Stuyvesant, Bronx Science, and Brooklyn Tech.
At Kitab, we believe in equally shouldering all our students’ dreams to achieve the finest education from specialized schools. To maximize the chance of success for SHSAT aspirants, we have a team of highly qualified and experienced teachers who make use of the well-curated and comprehensive curriculum to tutor our students. Moreover, we do not trap our students in rote learning, instead, we equip them with intelligent tactics to solve challenging problems in minimum time.
Apart from the attributes mentioned above, we mentor our students on a one-to-one basis, take rigorous practice tests, and provide regular feedback to ensure that their learning and success metrics are meticulously tracked.
So, make Kitab your dependable learning partner to achieve your dream of making it to NYC’s Specialized High Schools. Good luck!