Preparation for high school begins before middle school, but 8th and 9th grade is when students sit for the Specialized High School Admissions Test (SHSAT), which determines entrance to the most exclusive and prestigious public schools in the city. To learn more about the schools and the exam, download the SHS handbook or click on the links below.
The schools that require this exam for entrance are:
Stuyvesant High School
Bronx High School of Science
Brooklyn Latin
Brooklyn Technical High School
High School for Math, Science & Engineering at City College
High School of American Studies at Lehman College
Queens High School for the Sciences at York College
Staten Island Technical High School
The city's Specialized High School Institute is a special after-school and summer program that helps students prepare for the exam. It is open by application to 6th and 7th graders.
Specialized high schools in New York City
