Frequently Asked Questions

The Specialized High Schools Admissions Test (SHSAT) is a free exam administered by the NYC Department of Education. It is the sole admissions criterion for eight of New York City's specialized high schools, including Stuyvesant, Bronx Science, and Brooklyn Tech. The test has two sections — ELA (57 questions, 90 minutes) and Math (57 questions, 90 minutes) — for a total of 114 questions over 3 hours.

Ideally, students should begin SHSAT preparation in the spring or summer before the exam, which is administered in October and November. Starting 4 to 6 months before the test allows enough time to cover all content areas, build test-taking strategies, and complete multiple full-length practice exams. However, even students who start later can make significant improvements with focused, targeted preparation.

Tutoring rates vary based on the frequency and duration of sessions. During your free consultation, Dr. Donnelly will discuss your child's needs and recommend a preparation plan with transparent pricing. Contact us at 917-568-2473 for details.

Yes. Dr. Donnelly offers private one-on-one SHSAT tutoring sessions via Zoom. Online sessions provide the same personalized instruction, strategies, and practice materials as in-person sessions. Many families across all five NYC boroughs choose online tutoring for its convenience and scheduling flexibility.

Stuyvesant is the most competitive of the eight specialized high schools. In recent years, the cutoff score has been approximately 500 out of about 800. However, cutoff scores fluctuate each year based on the applicant pool. Dr. Donnelly recommends aiming 20 to 30 points above the published cutoff as a safety margin.

The SHSAT is challenging because it is designed to identify top students for NYC's most academically rigorous public high schools. The content itself draws from 7th and 8th grade curricula, but questions are written to test deeper understanding and problem-solving ability. With proper preparation and practice, students can significantly improve their performance and achieve scores well above the cutoffs.

The SHSAT produces a composite score based on performance in both the ELA and Math sections, which are weighted equally. Raw scores are converted to scaled scores using a statistical equating process. The composite score range is approximately 0 to 800. There is no penalty for wrong answers, so students should answer every question.

Registration for the SHSAT is handled through your child's school guidance counselor. The exam is free to take and open to all current 8th graders (and 9th graders at certain schools) enrolled in a NYC public or charter school, or residing in New York City. Registration typically opens in the early fall.

Both formats provide private, one-on-one instruction with Dr. Donnelly using the same curriculum and practice materials. In-person sessions take place at our NYC office on Columbus Avenue. Online sessions are conducted via Zoom with screen sharing and digital whiteboard tools. The choice often comes down to personal preference and scheduling convenience.

Absolutely. Many students who come to Dr. Donnelly have gaps in their math foundation that hold back their SHSAT performance. He identifies these gaps through diagnostic assessment and builds targeted lessons to address them. Students consistently improve their math scores through focused work on the specific topics and question types where they struggle most.