NYC Specialized High Schools — Complete Guide
New York City has 8 specialized high schools that admit students based solely on the SHSAT score. Here is everything you need to know — 2026 official cutoff scores, what each school offers, and how the admissions process works.
2026 SHSAT cutoff scores — all 8 specialized high schools
Source: NYC DOE official admissions page — lowest qualifying SHSAT composite scores for Fall 2026 entry.
| School | 2026 Cutoff |
|---|---|
| StuyvesantStuyvesant High School Manhattan | 561 |
| HSMSEHigh School of Math, Science & Engineering (HSMSE) Manhattan | 539 |
| Queens ScienceQueens High School for the Sciences at York College Queens | 531 |
| Bronx ScienceBronx High School of Science Bronx | 525 |
| SI TechStaten Island Technical High School Staten Island | 517 |
| HSASHigh School of American Studies (HSAS) Bronx | 507 |
| Brooklyn TechBrooklyn Technical High School Brooklyn | 506 |
| Brooklyn LatinBrooklyn Latin School Brooklyn | 495 |
“Recent Range” reflects cutoffs from the past 5 admissions cycles. The 2026 cutoff is the official lowest qualifying score for students entering high school in Fall 2026.
All 8 NYC specialized high schools
Each profile includes the 2026 official cutoff, notable programs, and what type of student thrives there.
Manhattan · ~3,300 students · 345 Chambers St, New York, NY 10282
2026 Cutoff
561
NYC's most competitive specialized high school. Known for rigorous academics, top-tier math & science programs, and a track record of Ivy League admissions.
Academic Focus
Career Paths
Notable Alumni
4 Nobel Prize winners · Eric Holder (US Attorney General) · Tim Robbins (actor) · Lucy Liu (actress) · Téa Leoni (actress) · Multiple Intel/Regeneron Science Talent Search winners
Manhattan · ~480 students · 240 Convent Ave, New York, NY 10031
2026 Cutoff
539
The most volatile cutoff in the system — a small elite school on the CCNY campus where students work alongside college professors and use real university labs.
Academic Focus
Career Paths
Notable Alumni
Top university placement in STEM fields · Research partnership alumni at Columbia, MIT, and CCNY
Queens · ~430 students · 94-50 159th St, Jamaica, NY 11433
2026 Cutoff
531
A small research-focused school on the York College campus in Jamaica, Queens — where students conduct original science research alongside college faculty from day one.
Academic Focus
Career Paths
Notable Alumni
Intel/Regeneron Science Talent Search finalists · Siemens Competition winners · Alumni at top research universities and medical schools
Bronx · ~3,000 students · 75 W 205th St, Bronx, NY 10468
2026 Cutoff
525
Premier science-focused school with the most Nobel Prize-winning alumni of any secondary school in the world — 8 laureates and counting.
Academic Focus
Career Paths
Notable Alumni
8 Nobel Prize winners · Neil deGrasse Tyson (astrophysicist) · Bobby Darin (musician) · Stokely Carmichael (civil rights leader) · Multiple Regeneron Science Talent Search winners
Staten Island · ~1,200 students · 485 Clawson St, Staten Island, NY 10306
2026 Cutoff
517
NYC's most selective school per seat — consistently one of the top-performing public high schools nationally, with near-perfect college placement rates.
Academic Focus
Career Paths
Notable Alumni
Multiple Intel/Regeneron Science Talent Search finalists · Joan Breibart (fitness pioneer) · High college scholarship recipients nationally
Bronx · ~425 students · 2925 Goulden Ave, Bronx, NY 10468
2026 Cutoff
507
The only specialized high school focused on humanities and social science — located on the Lehman College campus for students who want to study American history, policy, and writing at a deep level.
Academic Focus
Career Paths
Notable Alumni
Strong Ivy League and liberal arts college placement · Alumni in law, journalism, public policy, and academia
Brooklyn · ~6,100 students · 29 Fort Greene Pl, Brooklyn, NY 11217
2026 Cutoff
506
The largest specialized HS in NYC — 6,100 students, 18 STEM majors, and a culture built around making, building, and engineering.
Academic Focus
Career Paths
Notable Alumni
2 Nobel Prize winners · Robert Grubbs (Nobel Prize chemist) · George C. Wolfe (Tony Award director) · Norman Augustine (CEO Lockheed Martin) · Multiple FIRST Robotics national champions
Brooklyn · ~600 students · 223 Graham Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11206
2026 Cutoff
495
The most accessible specialized HS by cutoff score — a classical education school that requires 4 years of Latin and is built for students who want rigorous humanities, debate, and critical thinking.
Academic Focus
Career Paths
Notable Alumni
Strong college placement in humanities and pre-law programs · Alumni at Yale, Columbia, NYU, and other top universities
How NYC specialized high school admissions works
Admission to the 8 testing specialized high schools is determined by a single criterion: your SHSAT composite score. Grades, attendance, recommendations, and extracurriculars are not considered. This is mandated by the Hecht-Calandra Act, a New York State law.
After taking the SHSAT, students submit a preference list ranking the specialized high schools they want to attend. The DOE then processes offers in descending score order:
- The student with the highest SHSAT score gets their first-choice school.
- The next-highest scorer gets their first-choice school — unless it's full, in which case they get their second choice.
- This continues until all seats are filled. The last score that fills a seat becomes that school's cutoff.
Cutoffs are not announced in advance — they are determined by the year's applicant pool. Results are released in March. There are no waitlists.
Register for the SHSAT
Registration opens in September through your school's guidance counselor. Both 8th and 9th graders can apply.
Take the SHSAT
The test is given in October–November. It has 57 ELA and 57 Math questions (3 hours). Starting Fall 2026, it is fully digital.
Receive results in March
Scores and offers are released together. If you receive an offer, you don't need to do anything to accept it.
SHSAT Discovery Program
The Discovery Program is an NYC DOE initiative that gives economically disadvantaged students who score just below an official cutoff a conditional admissions offer to a specialized high school. Students must complete a free summer enrichment program to confirm the placement.
Who qualifies?
- • Score falls just below a school's official SHSAT cutoff (historically 5–15 points)
- • Student is from an economically disadvantaged household (free/reduced lunch eligible)
- • Attends a middle school designated as “underrepresented” by NYC DOE
All 7 SHSAT-based schools participate. You cannot apply to Discovery directly — the DOE identifies eligible students automatically after scores are released.
Full Discovery Program Guide →Common questions about NYC specialized high schools
How many NYC specialized high schools are there?
There are 9 NYC specialized high schools in total. Eight of them — Stuyvesant, Bronx Science, Brooklyn Tech, HSMSE, HSAS, SI Tech, Queens Science, and Brooklyn Latin — require the SHSAT for admission. The ninth, LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts, admits students based on auditions instead.
What is the SHSAT cutoff score for 2026?
The 2026 official cutoffs (source: NYC DOE) are: Stuyvesant 561, HSMSE 539, Queens Science at York 531, Bronx Science 525, Staten Island Tech 517, HSAS at Lehman 507, Brooklyn Tech 506, and Brooklyn Latin 495. These are the lowest composite SHSAT scores that received an admissions offer for Fall 2026 entry.
What score do you need to get into a specialized high school in NYC?
The minimum score to qualify for any of the 8 testing specialized high schools was 495 in 2026 (Brooklyn Latin School). However, cutoffs shift each year based on how many students apply and overall test performance. Aim for at least 520 to be competitive for most schools, and 560+ for Stuyvesant.
Who can apply to NYC specialized high schools?
Any current 8th or 9th grade NYC resident can register to take the SHSAT and apply. The SHSAT is the only criterion used for admission to the 8 testing specialized high schools — grades, teacher recommendations, and extracurriculars do not affect admissions.
When is the SHSAT?
The SHSAT is typically administered in October and November for 8th and 9th graders. Registration opens in September through your school's guidance counselor. Results are released in March. Starting with the Fall 2026 admissions cycle, the SHSAT will be fully digital and computer-adaptive.
Which NYC specialized high school is the hardest to get into?
Stuyvesant High School consistently has the highest SHSAT cutoff score — 561 in 2026. HSMSE (539) and Queens High School for the Sciences (531) follow. These three schools require the highest scores, though HSMSE and Queens Science are smaller schools with fewer seats.
Can you get into a specialized high school without the SHSAT?
Not for the 8 testing specialized high schools. The SHSAT is the only criterion by law (the Hecht-Calandra Act). The only specialized high school that doesn't use the SHSAT is LaGuardia High School, which admits based on auditions.
Is your child on track for their target school?
Take the free SHSAT diagnostic to get a real score estimate and see exactly which specialized high schools are within reach — plus a 33-topic breakdown showing where to improve.