NYC SHSAT Cutoff Scores Explained: Stuyvesant, Bronx Science, Brooklyn Tech & All 8 Schools
NYC Specialized High School admissions offers are determined strictly by rank-order SHSAT composite score, seat capacity at each school, and the order in which a student ranks the 8 testing schools on their MySchools application.
- There is no preset cutoff score before test day; cutoffs are set automatically when the last available seat at each school is filled.
- Composite scores combine scaled ELA (200–400+) and scaled Math (200–400+) into a total score typically ranging from 400 to 700+.
- Because scoring is non-linear (convex at the top), pushing one strong section into the 95th+ percentile yields a disproportionately higher scaled boost than splitting average scores.
Every year, roughly 26,000 NYC 8th and 9th graders sit for the SHSAT to compete for approximately 4,000 seats across the eight testing Specialized High Schools. During seat assignment, the computer processes students from the highest composite score downward.
When your student’s score is reached, the system checks their #1 ranked choice first. If seats remain at that school, they receive that offer; if #1 is full, the system immediately checks their #2 choice, and so on.
Never rank schools based on rumors or reverse psychology: always rank your true top-choice school #1, followed by your genuine second choice. Listing a lower-cutoff school first will place your student into that school even if their score was high enough for Stuyvesant or Bronx Science.
| NYC Specialized High School | Borough | Typical Target Score Band (8th Grade) | Safe Practice Target |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stuyvesant High School | Manhattan | 560 – 566 | 575+ |
| Queens High School for the Sciences (QHSS) | Queens | 535 – 548 | 555+ |
| High School of American Studies at Lehman (HSAS) | Bronx | 525 – 538 | 545+ |
| Bronx High School of Science | Bronx | 518 – 526 | 535+ |
| High School for Math, Science & Engineering (HSMSE) | Manhattan | 518 – 528 | 535+ |
| Staten Island Technical High School | Staten Island | 520 – 530 | 538+ |
| Brooklyn Technical High School | Brooklyn | 503 – 510 | 520+ |
| Brooklyn Latin School | Brooklyn | 488 – 498 | 510+ |
Frequently Asked Questions
Are 9th-grade SHSAT cutoff scores higher than 8th-grade cutoffs?
Yes. Because far fewer 10th-grade seats are available (typically 100–150 seats across all 8 schools combined), 9th-grade SHSAT cutoff scores are usually 30 to 50 points higher than 8th-grade cutoffs.
Does ranking a school #1 vs. #3 change the cutoff score I need for that school?
No. You need the exact same score to enter a school whether you rank it #1 or #3, provided your higher-ranked choices had higher cutoffs that your score did not reach.
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