SHSAT Prep · Upper West Side
The Specialized High Schools test is in late October. SOMATH SHSAT Prep is built around that deadline — a year-round Wednesday cohort with rolling monthly membership. Same $60/hr SOMATH instructors, small in-person groups at 226 W 79th St. Stuyvesant, Bronx Science, Brooklyn Tech and the other specialized schools.
2026 SHSAT test window: Late October 2026 (exact dates posted by NYCDOE in early September). Most strong scores come from 6–9 months of focused prep.
Rolling 6-month membership — start any week, no cohort deadline.
How SHSAT prep works
One SHSAT track, rolling monthly membership. Wednesday-evening session covering the full 16-topic SHSAT math curriculum over 6 months. Taught in person at 226 W 79th St by the same SOMATH instructor team.
School-year cohort
The classic SOMATH SHSAT prep cohort. Wednesday-evening session covering one major topic per week. Start any week, stay for 6 months, cancel anytime with 15 days notice. Built for 7th graders starting early or 8th graders going deep before the October test.
Curriculum
Build SHSAT math fluency — the four question families the test reuses every year, timing discipline, and the scratch-paper strategy needed to score competitively for Stuyvesant, Bronx Science and Brooklyn Tech.
| Week | Focus |
|---|---|
| 1 | Diagnostic + arithmetic foundations. Fractions, decimals, percent fluency under SHSAT timing. |
| 2 | Ratios, rates, and proportion. Classic SHSAT setups: scaling, similar figures, unit rate traps. |
| 3 | Number theory. Factors, multiples, GCF/LCM, divisibility, remainders — SHSAT favorites. |
| 4 | Algebra I — expressions and equations. Multi-step linear equations, variables on both sides, distribution. |
| 5 | Inequalities and absolute value. Solving, graphing, interpreting in word problems. |
| 6 | Systems of equations. Graphing, substitution, elimination — with SHSAT-style context problems. |
| 7 | Functions and sequences. Function notation, evaluating, arithmetic and geometric sequences. |
| 8 | Word problems toolkit. Distance/rate/time, work, mixtures, age, money — setup strategies. |
| 9 | Geometry — angles and triangles. Angle relationships, Pythagorean theorem, special right triangles. |
| 10 | Geometry — polygons and circles. Area, perimeter, circumference, sectors, composite shapes. |
| 11 | Coordinate geometry. Slope, distance, midpoint, equations of lines, reading graphs under time. |
| 12 | Probability & counting. Simple probability, complementary events, fundamental counting principle. |
| 13 | Statistics & data interpretation. Mean, median, mode, range, weighted averages, complex tables. |
| 14 | Full timed math section — practice test 1. Real conditions; review every miss together. |
| 15 | Full timed math section — practice test 2. Pacing fixes, trap recognition, calculator-free strategies. |
| 16 | Final review + ELA cross-strategies. Last-mile question types, test-day plan, mental game. |
The Test
The Specialized High Schools Admissions Test is a single 180 minute exam that decides admission to eight of NYC's nine specialized high schools — Stuyvesant, Bronx Science, Brooklyn Tech, Brooklyn Latin, HSMSE, HSAS, Queens HSS, and Staten Island Tech. (LaGuardia auditions separately.) You get one test, one score, and roughly one hour to think per section.
| Section | Questions | Time | What it measures |
|---|---|---|---|
| Math | 57 total (52 grid‑in or multiple choice + 5 field‑test) | ~90 min shared | Pre‑algebra, algebra I, geometry, ratios, number theory, probability, coordinate geometry — no calculator. |
| ELA | 57 total (revising/editing + reading comprehension) | ~90 min shared | Grammar, sentence logic, reading passages with inference and evidence questions. |
Key rule: the 180 minutes are shared — students can spend more time on math and less on ELA (or vice versa). Pacing strategy matters as much as content mastery.
Cutoff Scores
Cutoff scores shift each year based on the applicant pool. These are the most recent public cutoffs (Fall 2025 admissions cycle, based on the October 2024 test) — use them as a planning target, not a guarantee.
| School | Approximate cutoff (composite) |
|---|---|
| Stuyvesant | ~560 |
| Bronx Science | ~518 |
| Brooklyn Tech | ~493 |
| Queens High School for the Sciences | ~510 |
| Staten Island Tech | ~522 |
| HSMSE at CCNY | ~505 |
| HSAS at Lehman | ~486 |
| Brooklyn Latin | ~482 |
The composite scale runs roughly 200–700. Because math scores tend to spread wider than ELA, math is usually where the specialized-school offer is won or lost.
Prep Timeline
The October test date is fixed. Working backward, here is what a realistic prep timeline looks like at each starting point.
| Start | Runway | What we can realistically do |
|---|---|---|
| January of 7th grade | ~9 months | Ideal. Full 16‑topic curriculum, three timed practice tests, room to fix pacing and specific weak topics. Best chance at Stuyvesant/Bronx Science cutoffs. |
| Summer before 8th grade | ~4 months | Workable. Intensive summer cadence (2×/week) followed by school-year weekly sessions. Realistic for Brooklyn Tech / Queens HSS / Staten Island Tech cutoffs; Stuy/Bronx Science requires strong starting math already. |
| September of 8th grade | 4–6 weeks | Emergency mode. We focus purely on high‑frequency question families and pacing — not content gaps. Honest expectation: consolidate what your child already knows, don't build new math. |
| After the October test | Too late for this year | If the score falls short and your child is still in 7th grade, this is a common re‑entry point for a 9‑month build to the following October. |
Compare
Most SHSAT families we meet have already tried one of these. Here is how the options actually differ for the math half of the test.
| Option | Format | Approx cost/mo | Strength | Trade‑off |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SOMATH SHSAT | In‑person UWS, small group of 6, Wed 6:15–8:15 PM | $587 (rolling) | Deep math content + test tactics with same teacher all year, cancel anytime. | One weekly slot; families needing 2‑3 sessions/week add 1‑on‑1. |
| Kaplan / Princeton Review | Large online cohorts or self‑paced software | $300–900+ one‑time course | Structured content, extensive practice tests. | Not personalized; misses catch weak links late. |
| Bobby Tariq | Large in‑person cohorts, packaged multi‑month program | ~$2,000–3,000 total | Big brand, motivating peer group. | Group size 20–40; hard to get individual attention on math errors. |
| AdaptSHSAT / online adaptive apps | Self‑paced software | $30–100/mo | Cheap, unlimited practice questions. | No teacher, no diagnosis, no pacing coaching — supplement, not a program. |
| Private tutor (1‑on‑1) | 2‑hour weekly at home or library | $700–1,600 (at $90–200/hr) | Fully individualized attention. | Expensive; quality varies wildly; no cohort accountability. |
Related reading: SOMATH vs Russian Math vs Kumon vs Mathnasium, Kumon vs RSM vs Mathnasium (2026 UWS parent guide), and our 2026 Computer‑Adaptive SHSAT parent guide.
FAQ
Same monthly membership as the rest of SOMATH — $587/month for the SHSAT Prep tier (8 sessions, 120 min each). Start any week, pause up to 4 weeks/year, cancel with 15 days’ notice. The one nuance: most families stay enrolled through the October test, then either continue with a different track or step away.
For 7th graders, January–June of 7th grade is ideal. For 8th graders, the latest realistic start is June before the October test. Earlier is better — SHSAT math rewards 6–9 months of accumulated reps, not cram sessions.
Algebra Ignite covers algebra content. SHSAT Prep covers the test — question types, timing, trap patterns, scratch-paper strategy, and the four question families NYCDOE reuses every year. Strong students often do both: Algebra Ignite for content depth, SHSAT for test-specific tactics.
Yes, on request after the free evaluation. Most students do well in the small-group cohort and don't need it. We'll be honest about whether 1-on-1 is necessary based on the diagnostic.
SOMATH is a math school. We brief students on ELA test mechanics in the final week, but we don't teach the ELA section. If your child needs ELA prep, we can refer you to colleagues we trust.
The free 30-minute evaluation includes an SHSAT-style diagnostic. You'll get an honest read on where your child sits today, the realistic October target, and the right cadence — before any payment.