100+ Free SHSAT Practice Questions

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What is the greatest common factor (GCF) of 36 and 48?

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2026 Statistics

Key Facts: SHSAT Exam

114 questions

Total Questions (57 ELA + 57 Math)

NYC DOE Specialized High Schools Student Handbook 2025–2026

180 minutes

Total Time Limit

NYC DOE Specialized High Schools Student Handbook 2025–2026

Free

Exam Fee

NYC Department of Education

200–800

Composite Score Scale

NYC DOE SHSAT Scoring Guide

9 schools

Specialized High Schools Using the SHSAT

NYC DOE Specialized High Schools Program

8th and 9th graders

Eligible Test-Takers

NYC DOE SHSAT Registration Requirements

The SHSAT consists of 114 questions (57 ELA + 57 Math) to be completed in 180 minutes with no per-section time limits, and is administered free of charge to 8th and 9th graders in New York City (per the NYC DOE Specialized High Schools Student Handbook). The ELA section tests revising/editing (approximately 9–11 questions on grammar, punctuation, and paragraph structure) and reading comprehension (approximately 46–48 questions across informational and literary passages). The Math section includes 52 multiple-choice questions and 5 grid-in questions (no calculator permitted), covering algebra, geometry, number theory, statistics, and word problems. Approximately 94 of the 114 questions are scored; the remaining 20 are unscored field-test items. Students receive a composite scaled score of 200–800, and admission to each specialized high school is determined by competitive rank-order cutoff. (Source: NYC DOE Specialized High Schools Student Handbook, 2025–2026.)

Sample SHSAT Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to test your SHSAT exam readiness. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1Read the following passage and answer the question. "The urban heat island effect occurs when cities experience higher temperatures than their rural surroundings. Buildings, roads, and other infrastructure absorb and re-emit the sun's heat more than natural landscapes do. Dark surfaces like asphalt and rooftops contribute significantly to this phenomenon. As a result, city residents may face increased health risks during heat waves." Which sentence best states the main idea of this passage?

A.Dark surfaces like asphalt contribute to high temperatures in cities.

B.Cities are warmer than rural areas because of human-made structures that absorb and release heat.

C.City residents face more health risks than people who live in rural areas.

D.The urban heat island effect is a phenomenon unique to very large cities.

Explanation: The passage explains the urban heat island effect broadly — cities are warmer than rural areas because buildings, roads, and infrastructure absorb and re-emit heat. This is the central idea that all other sentences support. The mention of asphalt is a supporting detail, not the main idea.

2Read the following sentences and choose the option that best corrects the underlined error. "The students was excited to begin their science project." What change, if any, should be made to this sentence?

A.Change "was" to "were"

B.Change "their" to "there"

C.Change "excited" to "excitedly"

D.No change is needed.

Explanation: The subject "students" is plural, so it requires the plural verb "were," not the singular "was." Subject-verb agreement requires matching the verb number to the noun number.

3Read the following passage and answer the question. "Bioluminescence is the production and emission of light by living organisms. It is found in marine environments more than anywhere else on Earth. Deep-sea fish, jellyfish, and certain bacteria all use bioluminescence. Scientists believe that organisms use this ability to attract prey, communicate, or avoid predators." According to the passage, why do organisms use bioluminescence?

A.To produce warmth in cold ocean depths

B.To attract prey, communicate, or avoid predators

C.To create chemical reactions with seawater

D.To help scientists conduct research

Explanation: The passage directly states that scientists believe organisms use bioluminescence "to attract prey, communicate, or avoid predators." This is an explicit detail directly stated in the text.

4Choose the sentence that uses punctuation correctly.

A.The hikers, who were exhausted stopped to rest at the summit.

B.The hikers, who were exhausted, stopped to rest at the summit.

C.The hikers who were exhausted, stopped to rest at the summit.

D.The hikers who were, exhausted stopped to rest at the summit.

Explanation: The clause "who were exhausted" is a non-restrictive (nonessential) clause that adds extra information about the hikers. Non-restrictive clauses must be set off with commas on both sides. Option B correctly places commas before "who" and after "exhausted."

5Read the passage and answer the question. "When Marie Curie began her research in the late 1800s, science was largely a field dominated by men. Despite facing significant barriers, she persevered and became the first woman to win a Nobel Prize. She later became the first person — male or female — to win the Nobel Prize twice. Her achievements opened doors for generations of women scientists who followed her path." What is the most likely purpose of this passage?

A.To criticize the scientific community of the late 1800s

B.To explain how the Nobel Prize is awarded

C.To inform readers about Marie Curie's historic accomplishments

D.To argue that women are better scientists than men

Explanation: The passage focuses on describing Marie Curie's historic achievements — being the first woman to win a Nobel Prize and the first person to win it twice. The author's purpose is to inform readers about these accomplishments.

6Read the following paragraph and select the revision that best improves sentence clarity. Original: "The scientist, she discovered the new element, her work was published in a journal." Which revision is best?

A.The scientist, discovering the new element, and her work was published in a journal.

B.The scientist discovered the new element, and her work was published in a journal.

C.The scientist she discovered the new element and published in a journal.

D.The scientist; discovered the new element; her work published in a journal.

Explanation: The original sentence is a run-on. The best revision creates two clear independent clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction ("and"), making both ideas grammatically correct and clearly expressed.

7Read the following passage and answer the question. "Coral reefs, often called the 'rainforests of the sea,' support an enormous variety of marine life. Although they cover less than one percent of the ocean floor, they provide habitat for approximately 25 percent of all marine species. Rising ocean temperatures and acidification, largely caused by human activity, are threatening these ecosystems at an alarming rate." What does the phrase 'rainforests of the sea' suggest about coral reefs?

A.Coral reefs are found in tropical regions like rainforests.

B.Coral reefs are as biologically diverse and ecologically important as rainforests.

C.Coral reefs have the same plants as rainforests.

D.Coral reefs receive as much rainfall as rainforests do.

Explanation: The comparison to rainforests — which are well known for their biodiversity — suggests that coral reefs are similarly rich in biological diversity and ecological importance. The passage supports this by noting that reefs support 25% of all marine species despite covering less than 1% of the ocean floor.

8Which of the following sentences contains an error in pronoun-antecedent agreement?

A.Each of the students submitted their assignment on time.

B.Neither the coach nor the players could explain their decision.

C.The committee made their final decision after three hours of debate.

D.Everyone on the team gave their best effort during the game.

Explanation: "Committee" is a collective noun that acts as a singular entity making one unified decision. It should take the singular pronoun "its," not the plural "their." While "their" is increasingly accepted informally, standard academic usage requires "its" with singular collective nouns like "committee."

9Read the passage and answer the question. "The Amazon River carries more water than any other river on Earth, discharging about 20 percent of all freshwater that flows into the world's oceans. Its basin contains the Amazon Rainforest, which is home to an estimated 10 percent of all species on Earth. Deforestation in this region has accelerated in recent decades, raising concerns among scientists and environmentalists worldwide." Which statement is best supported by information in the passage?

A.The Amazon River is the longest river in the world.

B.Deforestation in the Amazon has been decreasing.

C.The Amazon region contains remarkable levels of biodiversity.

D.Scientists are unconcerned about changes to the Amazon Rainforest.

Explanation: The passage states the Amazon basin contains an estimated 10% of all species on Earth, which directly supports the conclusion that the region has remarkable biodiversity. This is explicitly and strongly supported by the text.

10Read the following sentences. Choose the word or phrase that best fills the blank. "The speaker gave a __________ presentation that confused rather than clarified the issues."

A.lucid

B.convoluted

C.compelling

D.succinct

Explanation: "Convoluted" means overly complex and difficult to understand, which matches the context that the presentation "confused rather than clarified." The other words are positive descriptions that contrast with confusion.

About the SHSAT Exam

The SHSAT is a 3-hour, 114-question admissions exam for 8th and 9th graders seeking admission to NYC's specialized high schools, including Stuyvesant, Bronx Science, and Brooklyn Tech. It is divided into two sections — ELA (57 questions: revising/editing + reading comprehension) and Math (57 questions: multiple-choice + 5 grid-in problems, no calculator) — and is scored on a 200–800 composite scale. Students are ranked by score, and each school sets an annual cutoff.

Questions

100 scored questions

Time Limit

180 minutes (3 hours total; no per-section limits)

Passing Score

No fixed cutoff; admission is by competitive rank order. Composite scaled scores range 200–800. Stuyvesant High School historically requires the highest cutoff.

Exam Fee

Free — no testing fee (New York City Department of Education (NYC DOE))

SHSAT Exam Content Outline

~9–11 questions

ELA — Revising/Editing

Grammar and editing questions testing subject-verb agreement, pronoun agreement, verb tense, misplaced and dangling modifiers, comma usage, semicolons, apostrophes, commonly confused words, sentence clarity, redundancy, transitions, and paragraph coherence

~46–48 questions

ELA — Reading Comprehension

Multiple passages (informational and literary) with questions on main idea, explicit details, inference, vocabulary in context, author's purpose and craft, text structure, figurative language, argument analysis, and evaluating evidence

~20–25%

Math — Numbers, Operations & Number Theory

Integers, fractions, decimals, percent, ratios and proportions, absolute value, exponents and roots, prime numbers, GCF, LCM, perfect squares, and the order of operations (PEMDAS)

~30–35%

Math — Algebra

One- and two-step equations, inequalities, systems of equations, slope-intercept form, FOIL multiplication, factoring (GCF and difference of squares), evaluating functions, consecutive integers, and algebraic word problems

~20–25%

Math — Geometry & Coordinate Geometry

Area and perimeter (rectangles, triangles, circles), volume (prisms), surface area, Pythagorean theorem, similar triangles, scale factor, supplementary and complementary angles, midpoint and slope formulas

~10–15%

Math — Statistics & Probability

Mean, median, mode, range, working backward from a mean, basic and compound probability, probability without replacement, and counting principles (permutations)

~15–20%

Math — Word Problems

Multi-step problems involving distance-rate-time, percent discount and percent change, rates and unit rates, coin problems, scale drawings, and real-world applications of algebra and geometry

How to Pass the SHSAT Exam

What You Need to Know

Passing score: No fixed cutoff; admission is by competitive rank order. Composite scaled scores range 200–800. Stuyvesant High School historically requires the highest cutoff.
Exam length: 100 questions
Time limit: 180 minutes (3 hours total; no per-section limits)
Exam fee: Free — no testing fee

Keys to Passing

Complete 500+ practice questions
Score 80%+ consistently before scheduling
Focus on highest-weighted sections
Use our AI tutor for tough concepts

SHSAT Study Tips from Top Performers

1Practice without a calculator every day — the SHSAT Math section is calculator-free, so build speed and accuracy with mental math, especially for percentages, fractions, and multi-step problems.

2Read every day to build comprehension speed and vocabulary. For reading questions, always find evidence in the passage before choosing an answer — the correct answer is always supported by the text.

3For revising/editing questions, learn the five most common error types: subject-verb agreement, pronoun agreement, misplaced modifiers, comma usage (especially with non-restrictive clauses), and commonly confused words (their/they're/there, then/than).

4Work through official NYC DOE practice tests — the Student Handbook includes two full-length tests with answer keys. Time yourself to build exam endurance across the full 3 hours.

5On grid-in Math questions, always double-check your computed answer before filling in the grid. Unlike multiple-choice, you have no answer choices to guide you — a careless arithmetic error cannot be caught by process of elimination.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who can take the SHSAT?

The SHSAT is open to current 8th graders (for admission to 9th grade) and current 9th graders (for admission to 10th grade) who live in New York City. Most test-takers are 8th graders.

How many questions are on the SHSAT and how long is it?

The SHSAT has 114 questions — 57 ELA and 57 Math. Students have 180 minutes (3 hours) with no per-section time limits and can choose which section to start. Approximately 94 questions are scored; 20 are unscored field-test items.

Is a calculator allowed on the SHSAT?

No. Calculators are NOT permitted on the SHSAT. The Math section must be completed without any calculator, so practicing mental math and written computation is essential.

How is the SHSAT scored?

Raw scores (number of correct answers) are converted to scaled scores for each section, which are then combined into a composite score ranging from 200 to 800. There is no penalty for wrong answers, so students should answer every question.

What are the specialized high schools I can apply to with the SHSAT?

Nine NYC specialized high schools use the SHSAT for admissions: Stuyvesant, Bronx Science, Brooklyn Tech, Staten Island Tech, Brooklyn Latin, High School for Math, Science, and Engineering (HSMSE), High School of American Studies (HSAS), Queens Science at York, and Lehman College (High School for Mathematics, Science, and Engineering).

What is the difference between the revising/editing and reading comprehension parts of the ELA section?

Revising/editing questions (approximately 9–11 on the exam) present sentences or paragraphs with errors that students must identify and fix. Reading comprehension questions (approximately 46–48) ask students to read passages and answer questions about meaning, evidence, and the author's craft.