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SHSAT guide

SHSAT Study Plan After a Free Practice Test

The best SHSAT study plan starts with data. Take a free SHSAT practice test, note ELA versus Math gaps, then build a weekly routine that mixes skill drills and timed full-lengths.

  1. Phase 1

    Week 1 — Diagnose

    Complete the Tests Pro diagnostic untimed if you are new to the format, then review every miss. Tag each error as a content gap, a careless slip, or a pacing problem. Content gaps get lessons. Careless slips get a slower second pass. Pacing problems wait until week 4, when a timer is useful.

  2. Phase 2

    Weeks 2–3 — Fix the weaker section

    Spend about 70% of study time on the lower section and keep a light touch on the stronger one so it does not rust. For ELA, drill grammar and revision, then practice finding the line that evidence actually supports. For Math, rebuild arithmetic fluency, algebra, and word problems, and write grid-in answers by hand with no calculator. Stop a set when you can explain each miss in one sentence.

  3. Phase 3

    Week 4 — Timed mix

    Do mixed ELA and Math sets under partial timing, still with no calculator. Practice entering grid-ins carefully: a right idea with a misplaced digit is still wrong. When the timer creates new misses, note whether you rushed reading or skipped setup steps in Math.

  4. Phase 4

    Every 4–5 weeks — Full official form

    Sit an official NYC practice form in one 180-minute block, with the same breaks you expect on test day. Score correct answers per section and compare with your previous sitting. Ignore viral cutoff lists until you have at least two full forms. The scaled score and school cutoffs are published after the real exam, not before.

  5. Phase 5

    Retake the Tests Pro diagnostic

    Use the free 20-question diagnostic again only after the weaker section has had real practice. Compare the new projection with the first one. If the gap closed, shift time toward timed full forms. If it did not, go back to untimed review of that section before another long sitting.

Sources

  • NYC Public Schools — Specialized High Schools

    Official overview of specialized high school admissions, including which schools use the SHSAT and how LaGuardia differs. Dates, handbooks, and eligibility change. Check this page before test day.