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General Information

The Secondary School Admission Test (SSAT) is an admissions test for private middle and high schools.  It is typically required by boarding schools.

There are three versions of the test:

• Elementary Level for students applying to grades 4 and 5. This test is offered two ways: 1) paper-based testing on standard of flex dates, and 2) flex testing with an approved educational consultant.
• Middle Level for students applying to grades 6-8. This test is offered three ways: 1) computer-based SSAT at home, 2) computer-based testing at a Prometric Test Center, and 3) paper-based testing on standard of flex dates.
• Upper Level for students applying to grades 9-12. This test is offered three ways: 1) computer-based SSAT at home, 2) computer-based testing at a Prometric Test Center, and 3) paper-based testing on standard of flex dates.

Elementary Level SSAT Format and Content

Section		Subject	Question Type	# of Questions
#	Length
1	30 minutes	Quantitative/Math1	Multiple-choice: numbers, concepts, operations, algebra, geometry	30 MC3 questions
2	20 minutes	Verbal	Synonyms	15 MC questions
			Analogies	15 MC questions
3	30 minutes	Reading	7 short passages, each with 4 questions	28 MC questions
4	15 minutes	Writing Sample2		1 prompt – written response telling a story of what happened in the picture presented on the test

¹ Math content is based upon the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) standards. It is NOT specifically designated how many questions will test each math topic, but the content tested is always the same, including numbers, concepts, operations, algebra and geometry.  Calculators are NOT permitted.
² The writing sample is not graded, but is sent to schools as part of the admissions materials.
³ Multiple choice

TOTAL LENGTH WITH STANDARD TIME
1 hour and 50 minutes plus one 15-minute break between sections 2 and 3

TOTAL LENGTH WITH EXTENDED TIME
2 hour and 45 minutes plus one 15-minute break between sections 2 and 3

Middle and Upper Level SSAT Format and Content

Section		Subject	Question Type	# of Questions
#	Length
Writing Sample	25 minutes		Essay2	1 essay question (based on a given prompt)
1	30 minutes	Quantitative/Math1	Number concepts, operations, algebra, geometry and other math	25 MC3 questions
2	40 minutes	Reading Comprehension		40 MC Questions
3	30 minutes	Verbal	Synonyms	30 MC Questions
			Analogies	30 MC Questions
4	30 minutes	Quantitative (Math)1	Number concepts, operations, algebra, geometry and other math	25 MC Questions
5	15 minutes	Experimental (not scored)		16 MC Questions

¹ It is NOT specifically designated how many questions will test each math topic, but the content tested is always the same.  The primary topics tested are arithmetic, basic algebra, basic geometry, and data analysis.  Between sections 1 and 4, approximately 28 questions are based on number concepts and operations; approximately 22 questions are based on algebra, geometry, and other math. Calculators are NOT permitted.
² The essay is not graded, but is sent to schools as part of the admissions materials.
³ Multiple choice

TOTAL LENGTH WITH STANDARD TIME
2 hours and 50 minutes plus one 5-minute break between the writing sample and section 1 as well as one 10-minute break between sections 2 and 3.

TOTAL LENGTH WITH EXTENDED TIME
4 hours and 15 minutes plus one 5-minute break between the writing sample and section 1 as well as one 10-minute break between sections 2 and 3.

Scoring

Raw scores are calculated by adding one point for every correct answer and subtracting one quarter of a point for every incorrect answer*.  The writing sample is sent to schools to review but is not scored in any way.

Raw scores are converted into scaled scores based on a formula that the SSAT does not release. Scaled scoring is different for the elementary, middle, and upper level exams. A total score is then also reported, which is the sum of each section’s scaled score. For the Upper Level SSAT, the scaled score for each section can range from 500 to 800. For the Middle Level SSAT, the scaled score for each section can range from 440 to 710. For the Elementary Level SSAT, the scaled score for each section can range from 300-600.

*NOTE: There is only a wrong answer penalty for the middle level and upper level tests.

Testing Schedule

2023-2024 Paper-Based Test Dates

• October 14, 2023
• November 11, 2023
• December 9, 2023
• January 6, 2024
• February 3, 2024
• April 20, 2024

Costs

Prices vary depending on the mode and test level. There is also different pricing for domestic and international testing. Details can be found on the publisher’s website by clicking here.

Registration Site/Additional Information

Visit the official SSAT website to register and learn more.

View a comparison of the ISEE and SSAT tests.

General Information

The Specialized High School Admissions Test (SHSAT) is an entrance exam for the specialized high schools in New York City taken by 8th and 9th graders who reside within the five boroughs. After two decades with the same format, the test was redesigned for the 2017-2018 school year in order to be better aligned with New York State Learning Standards and daily classroom instruction. Please note that Fiorello H. Laguardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts requires an audition in lieu of the SHSAT.

NYC Specialized High Schools

• Bronx High School of Science
• Brooklyn Latin School
• Brooklyn Technical High School
• High School for Math, Science, and Engineering at City College
• High School of American Studies at Lehman College
• Laguardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts
• Queens High School for the Sciences at York College
• Staten Island Technical High School
• Stuyvesant High School

Format and Content

¹ The SHSAT is now 3 hours instead of 2.5 hours. Students can still work between the two sections freely the whole time. 90 minutes per section is only a suggestion.
² It is NOT specifically designated how many questions will test each math topic. Students will be asked to solve problems involving addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division as well as fractions, decimals and statistics. Calculators are NOT permitted.
³ All reading passages for 2017 testing will be nonfiction passages. Starting in 2018, the DOE may revise the test to include persuasive and literary passages.
⁴ All multiple choice questions on the redesigned test will provide four answer choices (instead of 5 choices).
⁵ Though each section is comprised of 57 items, only 47 items are scored. The other 10 items in each section are field test items that are not used to determine a student’s score. Students will not be able to determine which items are field test items.

Scoring

First, a raw score is calculated for each student. There is no wrong answer penalty, so the raw score is simply the total number of correct answers.

The raw score is converted into a scaled score using a formula that the New York City Department of Education does not release. The scaled scores for the verbal and math sections are then added together to create a composite score out of 800. Each of the specialized high schools creates their own cut-off score, which varies from year to year depending on the students’ scores and the number of open spaces at the school.

Admissions Process

On the day of the exam, students choose which schools they would like to apply to and then rank their preference. If their score meets or exceeds the cut-off score of their first choice school, they will be accepted there. If it does not, then it is compared in the same way to the cut-off score of their second choice school and so on. In 2016, over 28,000 students took the SHSAT.

Testing Schedule/Registration

The SHSAT is administered once annually, typically in late October for 8th graders and early to mid-November for 9th graders. Results are used for admissions for the following school year.

2023-2024 Testing Schedule

Historically, the SHSAT was administered in October, but it was administered on November 17, 2022 this past school year.

The DOE shares updated information about the testing schedule on this page.

Cost

It is FREE to take the SHSAT exam.

Additional Information

Visit the official SHSAT website to learn more.

Click to preview the 2023 specialized high schools admissions guide.

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ISEE Test Overview

The Independent School Entrance Exam (ISEE) is an entrance exam for private elementary, middle and high schools (day and boarding) administered by the Educational Records Bureau (ERB). The ERB is also the publisher of the CTP grade level achievement tests used by many independent schools.

There are four (4) versions of the test:

• Primary Level (PL) for students applying to grades 2, 3 and 4. Because each of these entry points has its own grade level version, we have the Primary Level 2, Primary Level 3, and Primary Level 4.
• Lower Level (LL) for students applying to grades 5 and 6.
• Middle Level (ML) for students applying to grades 7 and 8.
• Upper Level (UL) for students applying to grades 9 through 12.

Testing is offered 4 ways:

1. At-school testing either paper-based or online (group or individual)
2. ERB testing office either paper-based or online (small group or individual)
3. Prometric Test Center online (small group or individual)
4. At-home testing online (individual).

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Primary Level ISEE Format and Content

Primary Level 2 (PL2):

Primary Level 3 (PL3):

Primary Level 4 (PL4):

¹
Math content is based upon the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) standards. Included on the test are: numbers and operations, algebra, geometry, measurement, data analysis, probability, and problem solving. Calculators are NOT permitted.
² The Writing Sample is not graded, but is sent to schools as part of the admissions materials. However, New York City independent schools are not currently requiring the writing sample.
³ Multiple choice.

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Lower Level ISEE Format and Content

¹
Math content is based upon the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) standards. Included on the test are: numbers and operations, algebra, geometry, measurement, data analysis, probability, and problem solving. Calculators are NOT permitted.
² The Essay is not graded, but is sent to schools as part of the admissions materials.
³ Multiple choice.

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Middle and Upper Level ISEE Format and Content

¹

Math content is based upon the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) standards. Included on the test are: numbers and operations, algebra, geometry, measurement, data analysis, probability, and problem solving. Calculators are NOT permitted.
Deleted: ² The Essay is not graded, but is sent to schools as part of the admissions materials.
Deleted: ³ Multiple choice.
Deleted:

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Total length with standard time

PL2: 53 minutes
PL3: 54 minutes
PL4: 60 minutes
LL: 2 hours and 20 minutes plus two 5-minute breaks
ML and UL: 2 hours and 40 minutes plus two 5-minute breaks

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Total length with extended time

PL2: 80 minutes
PL3: 81 minutes
PL4: 90 minutes
LL: 3 hours and 30 minutes plus two 5-minute breaks
ML and UL: 4 hours plus two 5-minute breaks

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Scoring

Raw scores are calculated by adding one point for every correct answer. There is no wrong answer penalty on the ISEE, so students should never leave a question blank. The writing sample is sent to schools to review but is not scored.

For the Lower Level, Middle Level, and Upper Level tests, raw scores are converted into scaled scores based on a formula that the ERB does not release. Students receive a scaled score between 760 and 940 for each section: Verbal Reasoning, Reading Comprehension, Quantitative Reasoning, and Math Achievement. The scaled score is derived from the raw score (the number of questions the student answered correctly) but is more useful than the raw score because the scaled score has the same meaning regardless of which version of the test was used. ERB administers many versions of the test each year, so the scaled score takes these slight differences into consideration.

Percentile rankings and stanines are provided along with scaled scores. Percentile rankings compare a test-taker’s performance with other students of the same grade who have taken the ISEE in the last three years.  Percentile rankings are not the same as the percentage of questions the student answered correctly. Stanines are an abbreviated version of percentiles.  Students are assigned a stanine score between 1 and 9 for each section.

Regardless of the number of students who take the test (at any level), the percentage breakdown remains standard:

• 4% of students will receive a 9
• 7% of students will receive a 8
• 12% of students will receive a 7
• 17% of students will receive a 6
• 20% of students will receive a 5
• 17%  of students will receive a 4
• 12%  of students will receive a 3
• 7%  of students will receive a 2
• 4%  of students will receive a 1

• Stanines of 1 to 3 are below average
• Stanines of 4 to 6 are average
• Stanines of 7 to 9 are above average

Stanines are simply percentile ranges:

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NYC Test Dates

The test is offered at different locations throughout the five boroughs and beyond. Students may register for any test site or date. Testing is available for students entering grades 2-12 unless otherwise noted.

Test dates for the 2023-2024 school year are available from September to June. Registration typically opens in August. From September to early January, there are many options available. The options then become more limited from March through June. Please note that test dates and testing locations vary by grade level and whether or not a student has testing accommodations.
Click here to search for a test date on the ERB website.

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Cost

• Grades 5-12, Standard Registration Fee: $150
• Grades 2-4, Standard Registration Fee: $125
• Phone registration fee: $30

Test dates during the week occur at the ERB office at 470 Park Avenue South (between 32nd and 33rd streets) with a smaller group of 10-12 students.

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Registration Site/Additional Information

Visit the official ERB ISEE website to register and learn more.
View a comparison of the ISEE and SSAT tests.