SHSAT Score Calculator
Predict your scaled score and admission chances for NYC Specialized High Schools. Enter your raw scores for ELA and Math sections.
English Language Arts
57 Questions (47 Scored)
Mathematics
57 Questions (47 Scored)
Your Estimated Composite Score
Potential School Admissions
Enter your scores to see which specialized high schools you might qualify for based on historical cutoff scores.
Understanding the SHSAT Scoring System (ELA & Math)
The Specialized High Schools Admissions Test (SHSAT) is the sole criterion for admission to eight of New York City's nine specialized high schools. Unlike many other standardized tests, the SHSAT uses a complex "scaled" scoring system. Our SHSAT Score Calculator simplifies this process by converting your raw scores (the number of questions you answered correctly) into an estimated scaled score for each section.
How Raw Scores Become Scaled Scores
Each section of the SHSAT (ELA and Math) contains 57 questions, but only 47 are scored. The remaining 10 are "field questions" used for future test development. Because the difficulty of the test can vary, the NYC Department of Education uses a curve to ensure fairness.
- Raw Score: The number of scored questions answered correctly (0-47).
- Scaled Score: A converted score (typically up to 400 per section).
- Composite Score: The sum of your ELA and Math scaled scores (maximum ~800).
Why "Lopsided" Scoring Can Help
The SHSAT curve is steeper at the higher end. This means that getting one extra question correct when you are already scoring high is worth more points than when you are scoring in the middle. For example, moving from a raw score of 45 to 46 might gain you more scaled points than moving from 25 to 26. Many students find success by mastering one section to "pull up" their composite score.
Historical SHSAT Cutoff Scores (8th Grade)
Admission is based on your composite score and your school preference list. Below are the estimated 2024-2025 cutoff scores for the specialized high schools:
| Specialized High School | Estimated Cutoff |
|---|---|
| Stuyvesant High School | 561 |
| Bronx High School of Science | 521 |
| Brooklyn Technical High School | 507 |
| The City College (HSMSE) | 526 |
| HS of American Studies at Lehman | 515 |
| Queens High School for the Sciences | 527 |
| Staten Island Technical HS | 525 |
| Brooklyn Latin School | 492 |
Note: Cutoff scores change every year based on student performance and seat availability.
SHSAT Scoring FAQs
Is there a penalty for guessing on the SHSAT?
No, there is no penalty for incorrect answers. You should always fill in every bubble on your answer sheet, even if you have to guess.
What is a "good" SHSAT score?
A "good" score is any score that gets you into your preferred school. Historically, any composite score above 500 is very competitive for most specialized high schools, while Stuyvesant usually requires 560+.
How many questions are on the SHSAT?
There are 114 questions total: 57 in ELA and 57 in Math. In each section, 47 questions are scored and 10 are experimental field questions.