SHSAT Cutoff Scores by School
What the numbers mean, why they move every year, and how to read them without getting fooled.
What a cutoff score actually is
Your child takes one SHSAT and earns a single composite score out of about 700. There is no separate passing mark set in advance. Instead, each spring the NYC DOE sorts every test-taker's composite score from highest to lowest and hands out offers school by school until the seats run out.
The "cutoff" is simply the lowest composite score that still received an offer to a given school that year. It is a result, not a target the DOE publishes before the test. That is an important difference: no one knows the real 2027 cutoffs until after the 2027 test is scored.
Because the DOE does not release official cutoffs, the figures below are widely-reported reference numbers that circulate among families and prep resources each year. Treat them as a rough map of the landscape, not a promise.
Reported 2026 cutoff scores (highest to lowest)
Here are the commonly-cited 2026 composite cutoffs for the eight test-in specialized high schools, ordered from the most competitive to the most accessible.
| Specialized High School | Reported 2026 cutoff (of 700) |
|---|---|
| Stuyvesant High School | 561 |
| HS for Math, Science & Engineering (City College) | 539 |
| Queens HS for the Sciences (York College) | 531 |
| Bronx High School of Science | 525 |
| Staten Island Technical High School | 517 |
| HS of American Studies (Lehman College) | 507 |
| Brooklyn Technical High School | 506 |
| The Brooklyn Latin School | 495 |
These are reference figures reported by families and prep resources, not official DOE numbers. They change every year. A ninth specialized school, LaGuardia, admits by audition rather than the SHSAT, so it has no cutoff.
Why the cutoffs move every single year
A cutoff is a snapshot of one specific applicant pool, so it drifts up and down for reasons that have nothing to do with your child. Two big forces are at work:
- The pool changes. If a stronger group tests in a given year, or more students apply overall, the line to earn an offer rises. A softer or smaller pool pushes it down.
- How students rank schools matters. On the application, each student lists the specialized schools in order of preference. Offers are made using both score and preference order, so a school's cutoff reflects who ranked it high, not just raw scores. A school can see its cutoff swing simply because ranking patterns shifted that year.
This is why chasing an exact number is a trap. Last year's 525 might be a 519 or a 531 next time. For the underlying mechanics, see our guide to the specialized high schools and SHSAT format and scoring.
How to read these numbers without fooling yourself
Use the table as a ballpark, not a bar to clear. A few honest ground rules:
- Aiming comfortably above a school's recent cutoff gives you cushion for a bad year. Landing right at last year's number is not a guarantee of anything.
- Hitting a reported cutoff does not mean an offer to that school, and missing it does not mean rejection everywhere. Placement depends on your score, your ranking, and the whole pool that year.
- Rank schools honestly by preference, not by cutoff. List the schools your child genuinely wants, in order. The algorithm rewards ranking real favorites highly.
- For anything official, confirm with the NYC DOE and MySchools. This page is a study aid from an independent site, not the authoritative source. See SHSAT test dates for timing you should verify directly.
Use the free diagnostic to gauge where you stand
Cutoffs are composite scores, and no practice tool can predict a scaled composite. What a good practice test can tell you is readiness as a percentage: out of the questions your child attempts, how many are correct, and in which areas.
Our free 10-question diagnostic gives you that signal in a few minutes. Treat the result as "how solid are the fundamentals right now," then build a plan from there. A higher percentage means more breathing room against a moving cutoff; a lower one shows exactly what to work on. When you are ready to build a routine, our how to prepare for the SHSAT guide walks through it.
The 8 Schools is an independent practice site and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the NYC DOE. Our questions are original, written in the style of the SHSAT, not real or past exam questions.
Frequently asked questions
Is there an official passing score for the SHSAT?
No. The DOE does not set or publish a passing score in advance. Every student gets one composite score out of about 700, and offers go to the highest scores citywide until each school's seats are filled. The "cutoff" is just the lowest score that got an offer that year, known only afterward.
If my child scores above last year's cutoff, are they in?
Not automatically. Cutoffs move each year with the applicant pool and with how students rank schools, so last year's number is only a reference point. Scoring comfortably above a recent cutoff gives you a cushion, but the actual line is set by this year's results.
Why do the same schools have different cutoffs in different years?
Two reasons: the strength and size of the test-taking pool changes year to year, and students rank the schools in order of preference on their application. Offers use both score and ranking, so a school's cutoff reflects who applied and how they ranked it that year, not a fixed standard.
Does hitting a school's cutoff guarantee admission there?
No. Placement depends on your composite score, your ranked preferences, and the entire applicant pool. Treat the reported cutoffs as a ballpark to aim past, and confirm all official admissions details with the NYC DOE and MySchools.
Can a practice test predict my child's SHSAT score?
No tool can reliably predict a scaled composite score. What a practice test shows is readiness as a percentage of questions answered correctly, plus which topics are weak. Use that as a study signal, not a score forecast.
Curious where your child stands today? Take our free 10-question SHSAT diagnostic — no signup, just a few minutes — and get an honest readiness percentage to build from.
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