Brooklyn Latin School
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.
2026 Cutoff
495
-1 vs. 2025
Rank
#8
of 8 schools
5-yr Low
481
recent minimum
5-yr High
497
recent maximum
About Brooklyn Latin School
Brooklyn Latin School is the newest of NYC's specialized high schools, founded in 2006 in the Williamsburg neighborhood of Brooklyn. It holds a distinctive educational philosophy: a classical liberal arts model inspired by the best classical schools in the country, built around the study of Latin, Socratic discussion, rigorous writing, and the great texts of Western civilization. Every student takes four years of Latin — a requirement that might seem unusual today, but research consistently shows Latin study improves SAT scores, reading comprehension, and logical reasoning. Brooklyn Latin enrolls approximately 600 students and places an unusually high percentage into selective colleges and universities, including Ivies, top liberal arts schools, and strong research universities. The school's culture is discussion-driven and writing-intensive — classes regularly involve Socratic seminars where students debate primary sources and texts. Brooklyn Latin has the lowest SHSAT cutoff of the eight testing specialized schools, making it the most accessible entry point into the specialized HS system. Its 2026 cutoff was 495, and it has ranged between 481 and 497 over the past six years — showing remarkable stability. For students who are strong readers and writers but whose SHSAT score places them at the edge of the specialized school range, Brooklyn Latin offers a serious, rigorous academic environment that prepares students exceptionally well for college.
Academic Focus
Career Paths
Notable Alumni
Strong college placement in humanities and pre-law programs · Alumni at Yale, Columbia, NYU, and other top universities
Brooklyn Latin SHSAT cutoff scores — 2021 to 2026
Source: NYC DOE official admissions data. Cutoffs shift each cycle based on applicant volume and performance.
| Admissions Year | Cutoff Score |
|---|---|
| 2026 Latest | 495 |
| 2025 | 496 |
| 2024 | 492 |
| 2023 | 493 |
| 2022 | 497 |
| 2021 | 481 |
How to get into Brooklyn Latin School — admissions strategy
Brooklyn Latin has the most stable and accessible cutoff in the system — it has ranged from 481 to 497 over 6 years. A score of 500+ should give you a comfortable margin.
Don't underestimate Brooklyn Latin's rigor. The 4-year Latin requirement and Socratic curriculum produce strong college outcomes — this is not a fallback school for students who couldn't get in elsewhere.
Brooklyn Latin is particularly well-matched for students who are strong in ELA: the Latin and writing-intensive curriculum rewards those skills directly.
Located in Williamsburg, Brooklyn Latin is one of the most accessible specialized schools by subway — easy to reach from most Brooklyn and Manhattan neighborhoods.
What score do you need for Brooklyn Latin?
The 2026 cutoff was 495. Use the SHSAT score calculator to see how close you are — and which schools are within reach based on your current practice test results.
Check your score →Brooklyn Latin — frequently asked questions
What is the SHSAT cutoff score for Brooklyn Latin in 2026?
The official 2026 SHSAT cutoff score for Brooklyn Latin School is 495. This is the lowest composite score that received an admissions offer for students entering in Fall 2026, as published by the NYC Department of Education. Cutoff scores shift each year based on applicant volume and performance.
How many questions do I need to get right to get into Brooklyn Latin?
To reach a composite score of 495, you need approximately 248 points per section. Based on the DOE's scoring curve, that translates to roughly 37–38 correct answers per section out of 57 total questions. Note that 10 of the 57 questions per section are unscored experimental items — so your effective accuracy on the 47 scored questions needs to be approximately 78%.
Is Brooklyn Latin hard to get into?
Brooklyn Latin School has a 2026 SHSAT cutoff of 495, which ranks #8 among the 8 testing specialized high schools. Only the top 15–20% of SHSAT test-takers score at or above this level. Preparation matters enormously — students who start targeted prep 6–12 months before the exam see the most significant score improvements.
What programs does Brooklyn Latin offer?
Brooklyn Latin School is known for its programs in Latin, Humanities, Classical Studies, Debate, Philosophy. Every student takes four years of Latin — a requirement that might seem unusual today, but research consistently shows Latin study improves SAT scores, reading comprehension, and logical reasoning. Brooklyn Latin enrolls approximately 600 students and places an unusually high percentage into selective colleges and universities, including Ivies, top liberal arts schools, and strong research universities.
Where is Brooklyn Latin located?
Brooklyn Latin School is located at 223 Graham Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11206 in Brooklyn, New York. The school was founded in 2006 and currently enrolls ~600 students.
What happens if I don't get into Brooklyn Latin?
You can list multiple specialized high schools on your SHSAT registration in order of preference. If Brooklyn Latin is your first choice and your score doesn't reach the cutoff, you'll be considered for your second choice, then third, and so on. You can also retake the SHSAT once — once in 8th grade and once in 9th grade. Students who don't receive any specialized school offer can continue in the NYC high school application process through MySchools.
Schools with similar cutoff scores
Start preparing for Brooklyn Latin today
The free SHSAT diagnostic tells you exactly where you stand across 33 skill areas — and how far you are from the 495 cutoff. Takes about 90 minutes.