The Future of SHSAT: What to Expect from the 2025 and 2026 Updates

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Year 2025 Eighth graders are  the first to take the digital version of the Specialized High School Admission Test. Commonly known as the SHSAT, it is the sole basis of entry for eight of New York City’s most prestigious high schools, including Stuyvesant and Bronx Science.

Why is the SHSAT moving to a digital format?

The SHSAT is adapting to align with recent developments across the testing landscape, as exams have increasingly moved from paper- to computer-based formats. For example, starting in 2024, the New York State Education Department (NYSED) began a three-year transition of the New York State Grades 3 – 8 English Language Arts, Mathematics and Science Tests that will end in all subjects and grades being administered and scored on a computer by 2026. 

The timeline for the transition is as follows: 

  • Fall 2025: The exam will be administered in a digital format and will include tech-enhanced item types, as well as embedded supports, including those for English Language Learners and students with disabilities. The layout of the test and the number of items will remain the same.
  • This administration is for students who are applying to Specialized High Schools for the 2026 – 27 school year.   
  • Fall 2026: The SHSAT will be administered in a computer-adaptive format.  
  • This administration is for students who are applying to Specialized High Schools for the 2027 – 28 school year.   

What is changing in 2025?

Content and Item Types 
 
The 2025 exam will largely be the same as previous years: there will be two sections, one for ELA and one for Math, with each part consisting of 57 items. Students who do not have an extended-time testing accommodation will have three hours to complete the exam. Students will be able to choose which section (ELA or Math) they begin with, and they will be able to go back to questions until they submit their responses at the end of the test. The key difference between the 2025 exam and previous versions is that it will be administered on a computer rather than via paper. 
 
While the number of questions across both subjects will remain consistent with previous paper-based administrations, tech-enhanced items (TEI) will begin replacing a select number of multiple-choice or grid-in questions. These test questions will provide alternative ways to assess students’ understanding. 

Will there be a paper version of the exam?

Paper exams will be available for the extremely limited number of students who have Individual Education Plans (IEPs) or 504 plans with approved testing accommodations that require paper versions in order for the students to access the exam. Otherwise, all exams will be administered on the computer.

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In 2025, students will be able to review their answers before submitting


Just like on the print test, the digital test will allow students to review previously completed questions prior to submitting their exam. Students will also be able to choose whether they begin the test with the ELA or Math section and can navigate between sections at will.


…but in 2026, the original answer will have to do!


According to the DOE, the 2026 SHSAT will be item-level adaptive, meaning that your performance on individual questions will affect the difficulty of following questions. With this model of testing, once you answer a question, you will not be able to return to it.
The only exception to this will be in Reading Comprehension passages. Here, students will be able to see all the questions for a given passage at a time. After submitting the passage, you will no longer be able to return to these questions.

The 2025 test will not be adaptive, but 2026 is expected to be.


Though students this year do not need to worry about adjusting to adaptive testing, in 2026 the DOE is expecting to transition the Digital SHSAT to an adaptive format. Current 6th graders-this could mean you’ll be the first class to take an adaptive SHSAT!


Not long ago, the SAT went digital and adaptive. It seems like the SHSAT will be following suit. This means that students’ tests will adapt to their performance as they take it. In many other similar tests, high performance means question difficulty may increase along with the opportunity to score top marks; low performance may mean the test gets easier with less opportunity for top marks. 7th graders, worry not! In 2025, the test will be digital, but NOT adaptive.

For now, the SHSAT will continue to serve as the key to entry for New York’s most prestigious public schools. Whether this move marks a genuine step towards improving admissions process or simply reinforces the status quo remains to be seen.