The Big Apple is home to nine specialized high schools servicing the city’s most gifted and talented students. These schools are: 

• The Bronx High School of Science
• The Brooklyn Latin School
• Brooklyn Technical High School
• High School for Mathematics, Science and Engineering at City College of New York
• High School of American Studies at Lehman College
• Queens High School for the Sciences at York College
• Staten Island Technical High School
• Stuyvesant High School

Unlike all the highly selective private high schools out there, these high schools don’t call upon applicants to jump through countless hoops and assemble many application materials. Instead, eighth and ninth graders across the city sit for the Specialized High Schools Admissions Test (SHSAT). The results determine their admissions eligibility.

Many of Ivy Coach’s clients are surprised but pleased to learn that their local specialized school is the best option for their elite college-bound child. Not only are these competitive high schools affordable and academically distinguished, but they all have track records for their students earning admission to the top schools in the nation. These schools are a great alternative to the costly New York City private day and boarding schools that many families wrongly believe are the only means of getting their child on track for a top college acceptance.

Let’s review the admissions procedures at NYC’s specialized high schools and discuss how to choose the right school for your child.

The Specialized High School Admissions Test

The following information on the SHSAT was pulled directly from the Stuyvesant High School admissions website:

The New York City Specialized High Schools admission test (SHSAT) is offered to all eighth and ninth grade students residing within the five boroughs of New York City who wish to attend Stuyvesant or any of the other specialized high schools. The same exam is given for all eight schools, and students who qualify will be offered a seat in one of their choices. The qualifying score depends upon the number of seats available and the scores of all the candidates. The tests are graded and are arranged in order of rank, from the highest to the lowest score. Each school has a number of freshman and sophomore seats to fill. Seats are filled starting with the highest test scores. When all available seats have been filled, the cutoff mark is determined. Students who miss the cutoff of their first choice school may be assigned to their second choice school if their score is above the cutoff for that school. This procedure continues until all seats in the specialized high schools have been filled.

The fact that the admissions process for these schools has been distilled into a single test is both a blessing and a curse. It means you and your child can save yourself a lot of time you might otherwise spend pulling together recommendations and writing essays for admission to private high schools, but it also means if your child has one bad testing day, their access to the best schools NYC has to offer could be in jeopardy.

How Ivy Coach Helps Students Get Into NYC’s Specialized High Schools

Fortunately, Ivy Coach’s own Dr. Fran Bigman is well-versed in the SHSAT. She has coached many students into specialized high school acceptance using her unique method focused on individualized instruction and personalized test-taking strategies.

And if you come to us after your child has already sat for the SHSAT, we’ll help steer them in the right direction based on their admissions eligibility. Sometimes, the best high school for your child isn’t one you’ve even considered. Our package clients have access to our hidden gem lists of little-known schools with superb track records for elite college admissions. These schools may not be as well-known as the specialized high schools, but they offer excellent academic programs and have a strong track record of sending students to top colleges.

Our team will work with you and your child to determine the best high school for them and their future college aspirations. To get started, fill out our complimentary consultation form, and we’ll be in touch with an outline of our services.