TEST PREP · CENTRAL PARK TUTORS
SHSAT Tutoring NYC — Private Prep for the Specialized High Schools Admissions Test
A Twenty-Year Track Record With the SHSAT
The SHSAT is the single test that decides admission to eight of New York City’s nine Specialized High Schools. Central Park Tutors has been preparing NYC students for it for more than twenty years. Our tutors — many of them Stuyvesant, Bronx Science, and Brooklyn Tech alumni themselves — work one-on-one with your child, in your home, at a pace and sequence built around how your child actually learns.
Our tutoring has been recommended by The New York Times, and we have been invited by Columbia University Teachers College to teach test prep. Our students have gone on to Stuyvesant, Bronx Science, Brooklyn Tech, and dozens of other top NYC schools.
What the SHSAT Is
The Specialized High School Admissions Test is a three-hour, 114-question exam covering English Language Arts and Mathematics. Since 2025, the SHSAT has been administered digitally. Eighth graders take the test in the fall of their eighth-grade year; ninth graders can also take a ninth-grade version of the exam if they have not already been admitted to a specialized high school.
The exam is scored on a composite scale. There is no essay. There are no recommendations, no interviews, and no consideration of school grades. The SHSAT score is the sole criterion for admission to the eight testing specialized high schools — Stuyvesant, Bronx Science, Brooklyn Tech, Brooklyn Latin, Queens High School for the Sciences at York College, High School for Math Science and Engineering at City College, High School of American Studies at Lehman College, and Staten Island Tech. The ninth specialized high school, LaGuardia, admits by audition rather than by the SHSAT.
Roughly 30,000 NYC students sit for the SHSAT each year. Approximately 6,000 receive an offer from a specialized high school — an admission rate under 20%. For Stuyvesant specifically, which requires the highest composite scores, the rate is closer to 3%.
How We Prepare Students for the SHSAT
Every student we work with begins with a full-length diagnostic. We use that diagnostic to build a sequence — not a generic curriculum, but an ordered list of the specific skills your child needs to master, in the order that makes most sense for them. One student may need twelve weeks on reading comprehension and three weeks on math. Another may need the reverse. We don’t know until we’ve sat with the student.
From there, we meet one-on-one, typically once or twice a week, either in your home or online. Sessions run 60 or 90 minutes. We practice with digital-format questions so the medium is familiar by test day. We time sections. We review wrong answers more carefully than right ones. And we pay close attention to what’s actually slowing your child down — because it’s rarely what the student thinks it is.
Timeline and Cost
Most students prepare for the SHSAT over a period of three to six months, with one or two sessions per week. A student starting earlier — say, at the beginning of seventh grade — has more flexibility to build skills gradually and avoid cramming. A student starting twelve weeks out can still make substantial gains with focused, sequenced instruction.
Our rate for SHSAT tutoring is $165 per hour. We do not require prepayment or the purchase of hour packages. We bill monthly. All materials are included.
Our tutors attended Hunter, Stuyvesant, Bronx Science, and Brooklyn Tech before going on to Harvard, Dartmouth, Columbia, and other top universities. We stay intentionally small so every match is deliberate. Here is what one recent family shared: “I just got my results for the SHSAT. I got a 574, and I made it into Stuyvesant! My mom said we’ll hook up with you for the SATs!” — Victor, now a student at Stuyvesant High School.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long should my child prepare for the SHSAT?
Most students prepare for three to six months with one or two sessions per week. Earlier is almost always better — it reduces pressure, allows for real skill-building rather than test strategy alone, and gives us room to diagnose what your child actually needs.
What score does my child need for Stuyvesant or Bronx Science?
Cutoff scores vary year by year based on how all test-takers perform. Recent Stuyvesant cutoffs have landed in the range of 559–583 composite. Bronx Science has generally been in the 493–518 range. Brooklyn Tech typically sits below that. We track these closely and calibrate each student’s prep to a realistic target.
Is the SHSAT now digital?
Yes. Starting in 2025, the SHSAT is administered digitally. This changes how students interact with the test — scrolling, flagging, and pacing all feel different from a paper exam — which is why we practice on digital-format questions throughout preparation.
When is the SHSAT offered?
The SHSAT is offered in the fall of eighth grade, typically late October through early December. Public middle school students take it at their school on a weekday; charter, private, and homeschooled students take it on a weekend at a central NYC location. The NYC Department of Education publishes exact dates each summer.
What’s the difference between the 8th- and 9th-grade SHSAT?
Both versions cover ELA and Math at the same length and format. The ninth-grade math is meaningfully more advanced, reflecting the year of additional schooling. Far fewer seats are available at the ninth-grade entry point, which makes ninth-grade admission significantly more competitive.
Do you offer SHSAT tutoring in Brooklyn as well as Manhattan?
Yes. We tutor throughout Manhattan and across Brooklyn, including Park Slope, Brooklyn Heights, Cobble Hill, Carroll Gardens, Prospect Heights, and Dumbo. Online sessions are also available.
How is private SHSAT tutoring different from a prep class?
A prep class has to teach to the median student. A private tutor teaches to your child. We build the sequence around what your child needs, not what the class is covering this week, and we adjust after every session. For most students, a well-run 1-on-1 program achieves in half the time what a group class takes.
Can my child prep for SHSAT and ISEE at the same time?
Yes, and many do. The skill overlap — especially on reading comprehension and foundational math — is substantial. We build a combined study plan and sequence sessions so preparation for one test reinforces the other.
Ready to Begin SHSAT Prep?
Every family’s situation is different. Call us at (917) 502-9108 and we will set up a conversation about your child’s goals, schedule a diagnostic, and match your child with the right tutor.