SHSAT guide
How SHSAT Practice Scores Work (Raw vs Scaled)
Parents and students often ask what a “good” SHSAT score is. Official admissions uses scaled scores that vary by year. Practice is clearer when you track raw correct answers first.
Raw scores
A raw score is simply how many questions you got right in a section. On the official exam, each section has 57 questions. Tracking raw corrects over time shows real improvement without guessing this year’s scale.
Scaled scores and cutoffs
NYC converts raw performance to scaled scores for admissions. Cutoffs differ by school and year. That is why chasing a single internet “cutoff number” can mislead—especially early in prep.
The ~48 raw benchmark
Many prep programs discuss aiming near ~48 raw correct per section as a competitive practice target. It is a study heuristic, not an official guarantee of admission to any school.
Tests Pro projections
Our free diagnostic has 10 ELA and 10 Math items. We project section performance onto a 57-question scale so you can talk about readiness bands. Treat projections as directional—confirm with official full-length forms.