How Is the SHSAT Scored? (What Most NYC Parents Don't Know)
A plain-English guide to raw scores, scaled scores, the 47-question rule, and exactly how many correct answers you need to get into each NYC specialized high school — updated for 2026.
SHSAT scoring overview
114
Questions shown
57 ELA + 57 Math
94
Questions scored
47 per section
20
Unscored (hidden)
10 field-test per section
200–700
Composite range
Practical max ~700
The SHSAT is a 3-hour exam with 114 questions total — 57 in ELA and 57 in Math. There is no penalty for wrong answers, so always fill in every question.
Students are ranked by composite score from highest to lowest. The DOE fills each school's seats from the top of the ranking down. The score where a school closes is its cutoff score — it shifts each year and is announced in March.
Raw score vs. scaled score — what's the difference?
Your raw score is simply the number of questions you answered correctly in each section (0–57). It's a straightforward count.
Your scaled score is what you actually receive. The DOE runs your raw score through an equating formula that adjusts for differences in test difficulty from year to year — so a 44/57 in one year is worth the same as a 44/57 in another, even if one test was slightly harder. Per-section scaled scores run from about 100 to 350.
Your composite score — the number that determines admissions — is ELA scaled + Math scaled. It runs from about 200 to 700.
Minimum composite
200
0 correct per section
Practical maximum
~700
DOE: section max is 'usually ~350'
Stuyvesant 2026 cutoff
561
Highest of all 8 schools
The 47-question rule (what most students don't realize)
This has two important implications for test strategy:
- Never skip questions. You cannot lose points on wrong answers — and you can't tell which questions are unscored anyway. Answer everything.
- Your target raw is lower than it looks. Stuyvesant's cutoff of 561 requires roughly 44/57 shown — but you're only being scored on 47 of those. Getting 43 of the 47 scored questions right (91% of scored questions) is what actually earns that score.
SHSAT scoring chart — raw score to scaled score conversion table
Estimates per section (0–57 raw). Calibrated to DOE anchor points and official 2026 cutoffs. Actual scores use the DOE's proprietary equating table and may vary by ±5–15 points.
| Raw score (per section) | Scaled (per section) | Composite (×2) |
|---|---|---|
| 0/57 | 100 | 200 |
| 10/57 | 140 | 280 |
| 16/57 | 164 | 328 |
| 20/57 | 180 | 360 |
| 23/57 | 194 | 388 |
| 30/57 | 218 | 436 |
| 37/57 | 248 | 496 |
| 40/57 | 261 | 522 |
| 42/57 | 270 | 540 |
| 44/57 | 278 | 556 |
| 51/57 | 308 | 616 |
| 57/57 | ~350 | ~700 |
Scores assume equal raw in both sections. Use the score calculator to enter different ELA and Math values.
Why the conversion is non-linear
The DOE uses a piecewise conversion where the curve is steeper near the top. Going from 40 to 45 correct per section gains more scaled points than going from 15 to 20. This means:
- Drilling your strongest skill areas past 80% accuracy has the highest point-per-hour return.
- Students near a school's cutoff can often gain the needed points by fixing just 2–3 weak topics.
- The gap between the top and bottom school (Stuyvesant 561 vs Brooklyn Latin 495) is only ~7 correct answers per section.
2026 SHSAT cutoff scores — how many correct answers do you need?
Source: NYC DOE official admissions page — lowest qualifying scores for Fall 2026 entry. Aim 10–15 points above the cutoff for a safety margin.
| School | 2026 Cutoff | ~Raw / section |
|---|---|---|
| Stuyvesant High School | 561 | ~57/57 |
| High School of Math, Science & Engineering (HSMSE) | 539 | ~57/57 |
| Queens High School for the Sciences at York College | 531 | ~57/57 |
| Bronx High School of Science | 525 | ~57/57 |
| Staten Island Technical High School | 517 | ~57/57 |
| High School of American Studies (HSAS) | 507 | ~57/57 |
| Brooklyn Technical High School | 506 | ~57/57 |
| Brooklyn Latin School | 495 | ~57/57 |
Key insight: The gap between Stuyvesant (~44/57) and Brooklyn Latin (~37/57) is just 7 correct answers per section. Targeted practice on 2–3 weak skill areas can close that gap in 6–10 weeks.
Common SHSAT scoring misconceptions
"The maximum SHSAT score is 800."
Technically true, but practically wrong. The DOE says the per-section maximum is 'usually around 350' — not 400. A perfect raw score produces a composite near 700, not 800. Scores above 710 are extremely rare.
"I need to get 57/57 to get into Stuyvesant."
No. Stuyvesant's 2026 cutoff is 561. You need roughly 44 correct per section — about 77% — not 100%. The scoring curve gives diminishing returns beyond ~50/57.
"Wrong answers hurt my score."
There is no guessing penalty on the SHSAT. A blank and a wrong answer both score zero. Always fill in your best guess — never leave a question blank.
"The SHSAT cutoff scores are set in advance."
Cutoffs are NOT predetermined. The DOE ranks all students and the cutoff emerges naturally as the score of the last admitted student at each school. Cutoffs shift every cycle.
"All 57 questions in each section count toward my score."
Only 47 of 57 per section are scored. The other 10 are experimental. You cannot tell which ones they are — just answer every question.
Common questions about SHSAT scoring
How is the SHSAT scored in 2026?
The SHSAT has two sections — ELA and Math — each with 57 questions. Only 47 of those 57 questions per section are actually scored; the other 10 are unscored experimental items. Your correct answers are converted to a per-section scaled score (100–350) via a non-linear DOE formula, and the two section scores are added together for a composite (200–700). There is no penalty for wrong answers.
What is the difference between a raw score and a scaled score?
Your raw score is the count of questions you answered correctly (0–57 per section). Your scaled score is what the DOE produces after adjusting for test difficulty — each section scales from roughly 100 to 350. The composite score (what appears on your admissions offer) is ELA scaled + Math scaled, ranging from about 200 to 700.
Why is the SHSAT max score 700 and not 800?
The scale is theoretically 200–800, but the NYC DOE states the per-section max is 'usually around 350' — not 400. A perfect raw score of 57/57 on both sections therefore produces a composite near 700. Scores above 710 are extremely rare.
What are the experimental questions on the SHSAT?
Each section includes 10 experimental field-test questions mixed randomly throughout. They look identical to scored questions — you cannot tell them apart. They do not count toward your score. Always answer every question; you have nothing to lose on experimental items.
Does the SHSAT penalize wrong answers?
No. There is no guessing penalty. A blank and a wrong answer both score zero. Always fill in your best guess — never leave a question blank.
How many questions do I need to get right for Stuyvesant?
Stuyvesant's 2026 cutoff is 561. You need approximately 44 correct per section out of 57 shown — about 77% accuracy. Because 10 per section are unscored, you are effectively getting ~43 of 47 scored questions right (roughly 91% of scored questions).
What is a good SHSAT score?
A score above 520 is competitive for most schools. 560+ puts you in range for all eight, including Stuyvesant. The median admitted student at Brooklyn Latin scores around 495–510; the median at Stuyvesant is around 580–600. Aim 10–15 points above your target school's cutoff for a comfortable margin.
How accurate is the DOE's scoring and when are cutoffs set?
Cutoffs are NOT predetermined. The DOE ranks all students by composite score from highest to lowest, then fills each school's seats from the top down. The score of the last admitted student becomes that school's cutoff. Cutoffs shift every cycle based on how students perform overall — they are announced in March when admissions offers go out.
Know how you're scored — now find out where you stand
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