NYC Specialized High Schools · 8th Grade

Ready for the SHSAT?

Timed practice sections in the style of the real test — ELA and Math — scored instantly, with an explanation for every question. The SHSAT is moving to a computer-based, adaptive format: practicing on paper is practicing for the wrong test.

ELA Section

Revising & editing · Reading comprehension

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Math Section

Word problems & computation · No calculator

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Not sure where your child stands? Start free:

10 questions per section. No signup required. See strengths and gaps before you buy.

Timed, on screen — like the real test · Instant section score · Explanation for every question · No subscription

Original practice questions written in the style of the SHSAT. The 8 Schools is an independent practice tool, not affiliated with or endorsed by the New York City Department of Education, which administers the SHSAT.

Two sections, one score that decides admission

Eight specialized high schools — including Stuyvesant, Bronx Science, and Brooklyn Tech — admit students by SHSAT composite score alone.

English Language Arts

Revising & editing — grammar, usage, organization · Reading comprehension — informational and literary passages with inference, evidence, and structure questions

Mathematics

Multi-step word problems · Arithmetic, ratios & percents · Algebra & equations · Geometry & measurement · Data & probability — no calculator allowed

Why grade-level practice is not enough

A selective test, not a proficiency test

The SHSAT is built to separate the strongest students in the city, not to confirm grade-level skills. Scoring well on state tests does not mean SHSAT-ready.

Trickier distractors

Wrong answers are engineered from the most common mistakes — misread the question once and there is a tempting option waiting.

Time pressure

Roughly a minute and a half per question, sustained for a full section. Pacing is a skill that has to be trained, not assumed.

No calculator

Math is done by hand. Fluency with fractions, percents, and mental arithmetic matters as much as knowing the method.

Multi-step everything

Most math questions chain two or three concepts. One-step drills do not build that muscle.

Computer-adaptive format

The test is moving on screen with adaptive question selection. Practicing in the same medium — timed, on screen — is the honest preparation.

Choose your pack

Each credit is one full-length timed section (ELA or Math) with explanations for every question.

Single Section

One full-length timed section (ELA or Math)

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Common questions from NYC parents

What is the SHSAT?

The Specialized High Schools Admissions Test is the single admissions criterion for eight of New York City's specialized high schools, including Stuyvesant, Bronx Science, and Brooklyn Tech. It is taken in the fall of 8th grade (9th graders can take it for 10th-grade entry), and offers go to the highest composite scores citywide. LaGuardia, the ninth specialized school, admits by audition instead.

What is on the test?

Two sections. ELA: revising/editing questions and reading comprehension passages. Math: word problems and computation through end-of-7th-grade content, no calculator. The DOE is moving the SHSAT to a computer-based, adaptive format, so exact question counts and timing may shift — check the DOE's current SHSAT handbook for this year's specifics.

How is it scored?

Each section is scaled and combined into a composite score. There is no fixed passing score — each school's cutoff is simply the score of the last student admitted that year, so cutoffs move annually with the applicant pool. Our practice reports show your percentage correct per section and a readiness band, plus exactly which topics cost points.

Is this the official practice test?

No. The DOE publishes an official handbook with sample tests, and you should absolutely use it. This site adds what the handbook can't: unlimited timed practice on screen, instant scoring, explanations for every question, and topic-by-topic tracking across attempts.

When should my child start preparing?

The test is in late fall of 8th grade, so the summer before is the main prep window. Starting earlier spreads the work out; starting in September makes pacing practice urgent. Either way, a diagnostic first tells you where the points are.

Is this a subscription?

No. Every purchase is one-time. No auto-renew. Tests stay in your account until used, with a 7-day prorated refund on every purchase.

Find out where your child stands.

Ten questions per section, free, no signup. The diagnostic shows exactly which topics need work before test day.