How SHSAT Scores Are Calculated

The SHSAT — Specialized High Schools Admissions Test — is administered by the NYC Department of Education to 8th and 9th grade students applying to one of the eight specialized high schools in New York City. Understanding exactly how the score is calculated is the first step to knowing what you need to hit.

Source: NYC Department of Education. “Specialized High Schools Student Handbook 2025-2026.” NYC DOE Specialized High Schools →

Raw Score vs. Scaled Score — What’s the Difference?

Your raw score is simply the number of questions you answered correctly. A raw score of 40 on ELA means you got 40 out of 57 questions right. Your scaled score is the converted version that accounts for difficulty variations between different test administrations. This is what actually matters for admissions.

The NYC DOE uses a statistical equating process to ensure that a score of 300 on the 2026 exam represents the same level of knowledge as a 300 on the 2024 exam, even if one was slightly harder or easier. The conversion table changes slightly each year.

SHSAT Cutoff Scores by School (Historical Data)

Each year, the NYC DOE sets a cutoff score for each specialized high school based on the number of available seats and the distribution of applicant scores. Students who score at or above the cutoff for their first-choice school receive an offer. These are the official historical cutoffs from recent years.

What Is a Good SHSAT Score in 2026?

“Good” is relative to your target school. A score that gets you into Brooklyn Technical High School won’t be competitive for Stuyvesant. Here’s a practical breakdown of what score you need for each tier of school.

ELA vs. Math Weighting

Both sections contribute equally to your composite score — there is no weighting between ELA and Math. However, many test-prep specialists note that math raw scores tend to convert more favorably (a higher scaled score per correct answer) than ELA raw scores on recent administrations, due to the difficulty distribution of questions in each section.

The practical implication: students who are stronger in math often have a slight scaling advantage. But don’t neglect ELA — both sections must perform well for a competitive composite score.

SHSAT Raw Score to Scaled Score Conversion Table

The table below shows approximate raw-to-scaled conversion ranges based on historical SHSAT data. The exact conversion varies slightly each year based on the DOE’s equating process, but these ranges give you a reliable estimate for planning your preparation.

Conversion ranges approximated from NYC DOE historical score reporting data and SHSAT prep materials published by licensed NYC test prep organizations.

More Free Education & Finance Tools

Explore our full calculator library. Each tool is built to the same standard — accurate, fast, mobile-friendly, and free.