SHSAT · 2026 update · unofficial explainer
What changed in the 2026 SHSAT
Starting with the fall 2026 administration, the Specialized High Schools Admissions Test (SHSAT) will be administered in a computer-adaptive format. The questions a student sees can change based on how they are doing on the test.
Committed is $29/month after the trial. A card is required; you are not charged until the trial ends. Then it renews monthly until you cancel in Account Settings, then Manage Billing & Subscription.
What “computer-adaptive” means
According to the New York City Department of Education, a computer-adaptive test selects the questions a student sees based on their ongoing performance. For example, a student who does well on a moderately challenging question may then see a more difficult one; a student who misses that kind of question may then see a less difficult one.
Students are still tested on the same grade-level standards. The DOE states that students will not be tested on standards that are above grade level, and that all students will answer the same number of questions for each subject.
Moving through the test
The DOE states that, beginning with fall 2026, students will not be able to revisit questions or move around within sections in the same way as before, and will need to respond in order to advance.
For passage-based question sets in the ELA section, students may return to questions within that set and change answers until they complete and submit the set. After they submit the set, they cannot review those responses. In the Math section and for stand-alone ELA items, students must answer each question before moving on, and cannot return to it after they advance. After they complete and submit a subject, they cannot revisit that subject’s questions.
Fall 2026 dates families should know
These dates come from the NYC Public Schools high school admissions timeline. They can change; check the DOE site for the latest.
- SHSAT registration closes Friday, October 30, 2026.
- SHSAT School Day is Wednesday, November 18, 2026.
- SHSAT weekend test dates include November 14/15 and November 21, 2026.
- High school offer release is Wednesday, March 3, 2027 (after 3pm), per the same timeline.
Official practice from the DOE
The DOE publishes free SHSAT practice materials and a Student Readiness Tool for the digital exam. Those tools help families get used to the digital format. ASPIRE is not the DOE, and this page is not an official form or an official practice test.
How ASPIRE fits in
ASPIRE offers unofficial SHSAT practice and a free Explorer diagnostic. Nothing here promises a higher score, a specialized high school offer, or a result on the real SHSAT.
If you want the full practice library, Committed is $29 per month after a 7-day free trial. A card is required for the trial; you are not charged until the trial ends. After the trial, the plan renews automatically each month at $29 until you cancel. Cancel anytime in Account Settings, then Manage Billing & Subscription, including during the trial to avoid the first charge.
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What ASPIRE costs
Explorer
Free
50 practice questions per month. 1 diagnostic practice test. No credit card.
Committed
$29/month
7-day free trial. A card is required. You are not charged until the trial ends. Cancel anytime.
All-In
$199/year
The household plan for serious families. Up to 5 student accounts.
In the product today: 300+ practice questions, a 180-day curriculum, 5 exams (SHSAT, SSAT, ISEE, and NGAT have exam pages; SAW is practice in the app and has no exam page), and 100+ writing prompts. Submitted essays are scored from 1 to 6. When the AI gateway is available, the model scores five criteria and includes the prompt's stored rubric. If that call fails, the score is a word-count estimate, not a rubric score. No score is guaranteed. Full pricing.
ASPIRE practice is unofficial. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the New York City Department of Education or New York City Public Schools. The SHSAT name and related marks belong to their owners. No score, specialized high school offer, or admission outcome is guaranteed. ASPIRE is operated by MLN Learning LLC.