SHSAT Cutoff Scores 2026 — What Score Do You Need for Each School?

2026 SHSAT Cutoff Scores by School

The 2026 SHSAT cutoff scores (for students who tested in 2026 for fall 2026 admission) vary significantly by school. Cutoff scores are officially released by the NYC Department of Education in spring. The scores below reflect published 2026 admission cycle data — scores represent the lowest composite score of an admitted student: Practice with the free SHSAT practice test on PracticeTestGeeks (150+ questions with answer explanations).

NYC Specialized High School 2026 Cutoff Scores (Approximate):

• Stuyvesant High School: Approximately 555–569 (historically the highest cutoff)
• Bronx High School of Science: Approximately 515–530
• Brooklyn Technical High School: Approximately 470–490
• Staten Island Technical High School: Approximately 519–535
• High School of American Studies at Lehman College: Approximately 515–525
• High School for Mathematics, Science and Engineering at City College: Approximately 523–538
• Queens High School for the Sciences at York College: Approximately 509–522
• Brooklyn Latin School: Approximately 464–480

Note: Exact 2026 cutoff scores are released by NYCDOE after offers are made. The figures above reflect historical ranges based on published cycle data — verify current scores with the official NYCDOE offer results. To calculate your projected composite score, use our shsat score calculator.

You can continue preparing with the shsat practice test, which includes answer explanations for every question.

SHSAT Exam at a Glance

Facts verified Oct 20, 2026 against New York City Public Schools (NYC Department of Education), Office of Student Enrollment. Dates that have passed are removed automatically.

Free SHSAT Study Tools

Interactive SHSAT resources on PracticeTestGeeks, free to start:

• SHSAT English Practice Test 1 — 25 questions with instant scoring and answer explanations
• SHSAT flashcards — review key terms and concepts card by card
• SHSAT study guide — topic-by-topic overview of what the exam covers
• SHSAT cheat sheet — one-page printable summary for last-minute review

How SHSAT Cutoff Scores Are Set

The SHSAT cutoff score for each school is not predetermined — it is determined after all students have tested and ranked their school preferences. The process works as follows:

1. Students take the SHSAT and rank their specialized high school preferences (up to 8 schools in order)
2. The NYCDOE matches students to their highest-ranked school where their score is competitive, using all available seats
3. After all matches are made, the lowest score among admitted students becomes that school's cutoff for that year
4. The cutoffs are then published — students discover them when offer notifications are released in spring

This means cutoff scores fluctuate each year based on how many students apply, how they rank their preferences, and how competitive the applicant pool is. A year with many high-scoring applicants listing Stuyvesant first pushes Stuyvesant's cutoff higher. This competitive, market-driven process makes predicting exact future cutoffs difficult, but historical averages provide reliable guidance.

For a detailed breakdown of how scoring works, see our shsat cutoff scores guide and use our shsat score calculator to estimate your projected composite score.

SHSAT Cutoff Score Historical Trends

SHSAT cutoff scores have shown consistent patterns over recent years, though individual cycles vary:

Stuyvesant High School: Has maintained the highest cutoff consistently — typically 550–570. Small variations year to year depend on pool competitiveness. The trend has been relatively stable with slight upward pressure during high-competition years.

Brooklyn Technical High School: Has the most variability due to its large number of seats (~1,800+). Cutoffs typically range 460–490. Having more seats means more students land offers and the bottom cutoff shifts more from year to year.

Smaller specialized schools: Staten Island Tech and HSMSE (City College) have historically had cutoffs in the 515–540 range due to smaller applicant pools and limited seats. Students who rank these schools highly relative to their scores often see better odds than at the three largest schools.

Year-over-year changes: SHSAT cutoffs dropped moderately in 2026–2026 due to COVID-related changes in the applicant pool and testing environment. Scores rebounded significantly in 2026 and 2026 as competition normalized. The 2026 cycle reflects near-normal pre-pandemic competition levels for most schools.

Sample SHSAT Practice Questions

Try these questions from our free SHSAT practice tests. The correct answer and an explanation follow each question.

1. Texas offers a middle school math tournament every year. Students must, however, score 92 on a total of six qualifying tests in order to be considered. Ava's first five examinations scores of 88, 91, 99, 86, and 92. What score must she achieve on her sixth test in order to qualify for the competition?

   • A. 86
   • B. 88
   • C. 96
   • D. 84
   • E. 95

Answer: C. 96

We can solve this problem using the concept average. That is, the average of 6 tests is 92. Let "x" be the score of 6th test (88 + 91 + 99 + 86 + 92 + x)/6 = 92 (456 + x)/6 = 92 Multiply by 6 on both sides 456 + x = 92 (6) 456 + x = 552 Subtract by 456 on both sides 456 + x - 456 = 552 - 456 x = 96 Hence option (96) is correct.

Answer: B. 3

Let a = apples, o = oranges: a + o = 5 and 2a + 3o = 12; solving gives a = 3, o = 2.

Answer: B. M

Each letter skips two positions: A(1), D(4), G(7), J(10), M(13).

Answer: C. $8.25

This response represents the correct total amount Angela paid. The student may have used the following representations to solve the problem: X = 2.75 + 3(2.5) /2 + 1./75 X = 2.65 + 3.65 + 1.75 X = 8/25

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