Specialized High Schools Admissions Test

The Specialized High Schools Admissions Test (SHSAT) is an examination administered to eighth and ninth grade students residing in New York City and used to determine admission to all but one of the city's nine Specialized High Schools. In 2008, about 29,000 students took the test, and 6,106 students were offered admission to one of the high schools based on the results. On average 30,000 students take this exam annually. The test is given each year in October and November, students are informed of their results in the following March, and those who receive offers decide by the middle of March whether to start attending the school in the following September. The test is independently produced and graded by American Guidance Service, a subsidiary of Pearson Education, under contract to the New York City Department of Education.