Key Things to Know About the Specialized High School Admissions Test

resident of Staten Island, New York, Manuel “Manny” Simon holds masters degrees in educational leadership and secondary education in pedagogy and modern language. He serves as a teacher and is the dean at Stuyvesant High School. In his role at Stuyvesant High School, Manuel ‘’Manny’’ Simon employs his expertise in a range of education-related areas, including administering the Specialized High School Admissions Test (SHSAT).

The SHSAT was designed for grade eight and nine students who plan to attend a specialized high school in New York City, and must be taken to gain entrance. This test is used to assess students’ knowledge and skills in English, specifically related to understanding English prose, writing, and editing. It also tests their mathematical problem-solving skills.

Students who write the SHSAT receive a scale score that is calculated based on the number of correct answers they provide. The scores are awarded for the English and mathematics portions of the test. The scores from each portion of the exam are subsequently combined to produce a composite score. Each student’s composite score is ranked among other students’ scores and is a factor in determining which school he or she will be placed in.