Official SHSAT practice tests, all in one place
There are four official full-length SHSAT practice tests for fall 2026, Forms A–D, on the NYC SHSAT Portal. They are free, need no login, and run in the same software as the real test. Each one has a printable PDF and an answer key with explanations, and 9th graders get two extra math mini forms.
Updated · Links checked against NYC Public Schools on
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Forms A–D and grade 9 mini forms: every link
Each grade 8 form has 50 ELA and 50 math questions, like the real test. On the portal you choose ELA first or math first, and a timed version (3 hours) or an untimed one, which NYC suggests for practicing extended time (6 hours) or reviewing explanations as you go. Two of the four forms have new content for 2026.
| Form | Take it online | Printable test | Answer key and explanations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Practice Test A Grade 8 | NYC SHSAT Portal, Practice Test A | Printable PDF, Practice Test A | Explanations PDF, Practice Test A |
| Practice Test B Grade 8 | NYC SHSAT Portal, Practice Test B | Printable PDF, Practice Test B | Explanations PDF, Practice Test B |
| Practice Test C Grade 8 | NYC SHSAT Portal, Practice Test C | Printable PDF, Practice Test C | Explanations PDF, Practice Test C |
| Practice Test D Grade 8 | NYC SHSAT Portal, Practice Test D | Printable PDF, Practice Test D | Explanations PDF, Practice Test D |
| Grade 9 Mini Form 1 Grade 9 | NYC SHSAT Portal, Grade 9 tab, Grade 9 Mini Form 1 | Online only | Explanations PDF, Grade 9 Mini Form 1 |
| Grade 9 Mini Form 2 Grade 9 | NYC SHSAT Portal, Grade 9 tab, Grade 9 Mini Form 2 | Online only | Explanations PDF, Grade 9 Mini Form 2 |
- Grade 9 mini forms cover math through grade 8. NYC says 9th graders should use them together with the grade 8 forms.
- No score. After you submit, a summary report shows which answers were right or wrong. Save it with “Print this page”, because the portal does not save answers. To turn the number right into a likely score range, use our SHSAT score calculator.
- Timed tests can’t be paused. If your child doesn’t have 3 hours in one stretch, use the untimed version.
- Translated directions and footnotes come in 12 languages for English Language Learners; the questions stay in English. Text-to-speech versions are for students with that accommodation on an IEP or 504 Plan.
Source: NYC SHSAT Portal practice tests page and the NYC Guide to the SHSAT for 2027 Admissions, checked October 6, 2026.
More official SHSAT resources
| Resource | What it is | Link |
|---|---|---|
| Student Readiness Tool (SRT) | A tutorial of the test tools and question types on Pearson’s TestNav platform. The SRT says its sample items do not represent SHSAT content. | Open the SRT: Student Readiness Tool (SRT) |
| NYC Guide to the SHSAT for 2027 Admissions | For the fall 2026 test. 31 pages: how to prepare, ELA and math tips with sample questions and explanations, and what to bring on test day. | Guide PDF: NYC Guide to the SHSAT for 2027 Admissions |
| NYC Guide to the SHSAT for 2026 Admissions | Last year’s guide, for the fall 2025 test (114 questions, computer-based, fixed form). | Guide PDF: NYC Guide to the SHSAT for 2026 Admissions |
| How to Prepare for the SHSAT | The guide’s tips as a web page that can be translated or read aloud. | NYC web page: How to Prepare for the SHSAT |
| NYC Public Schools SHSAT page | Format, adaptive scoring, accommodations and test views. | NYC web page: NYC Public Schools SHSAT page |
How the SHSAT format changed: 4 versions
Official practice tests from different years follow different rules. Match the test to the format your child will take: the fall 2026 test is the first computer-adaptive SHSAT.
| Test | Format | Questions | Details | Practice material |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall 2026September 2027 admission | Computer-adaptive (CAT) | 100 | 50 ELA + 50 math, 180 minutes. Answer each question to move on; go back only inside a passage set. Students choose which section to start with. Once a section is submitted it cannot be revisited. | Forms A–D and Grade 9 Mini Forms 1–2 on the NYC SHSAT Portal |
| Fall 2025September 2026 admission | Computer-based, fixed form, not paper | 114 | 57 ELA + 57 math, 180 minutes. Same questions for everyone; a bookmark tool let students return to questions. | Two digital sample tests on the portal; the Guide for 2026 Admissions |
| Fall 2017 to fall 20242018 to 2025 admission | Paper | 114 | 57 ELA + 57 math, 180 minutes. ELA (revising/editing + reading) and Math, including grid-ins. | Two printed sample tests in each year’s handbook (archive below) |
| Through fall 20162017 admission and earlier | Paper | 95 | 45 verbal + 50 math. Verbal section with scrambled paragraphs, logical reasoning and reading. | Old handbooks. Not linked here: this format is gone. |
Sources: NYC Public Schools SHSAT page, the 2027 and 2026 admissions guides, and the student handbooks below. See how the 2026 adaptive SHSAT works.
Older practice tests from past handbooks
Through the 2024–25 edition, each year’s guide or handbook printed two full sample tests with answer keys. For the fall 2025 test, NYC moved its sample tests online to the NYC SHSAT Portal.
Every handbook below uses an older format: a paper test with 114 questions (57 ELA + 57 math, including grid-ins) that students could answer in any order. Use them for extra reading, editing and math practice, not to rehearse timing or the adaptive rules. Handbooks from before fall 2017 used the Verbal format (scrambled paragraphs, logical reasoning), so we don’t link them.
| Edition | Test it prepared for | Format | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024–25 SHSAT guide | Fall 2024 test, for 2025 admission | Paper, 114 questions | PDF, 2024–25 SHSAT guide (NYC Public Schools InfoHub) |
| 2023–24 SHSAT guide | Fall 2023 test, for 2024 admission | Paper, 114 questions | PDF, 2023–24 SHSAT guide (NYC Public Schools) |
| 2022–23 SHSAT guide | Fall 2022 test, for 2023 admission | Paper, 114 questions | PDF, 2022–23 SHSAT guide (NYC Public Schools) |
| 2020–21 SHSAT guide | 2020–21 school year test, for 2021 admission | Paper, 114 questions | PDF, 2020–21 SHSAT guide (NYC Public Schools) |
| 2019–20 student handbook | Fall 2019 test, for 2020 admission | Paper, 114 questions | PDF, 2019–20 student handbook (NYC Public Schools) |
| 2018–19 student handbook | Fall 2018 test, for 2019 admission | Paper, 114 questions | Archived copy, 2018–19 student handbook (Internet Archive) |
| 2017–18 student handbook | Fall 2017 test, for 2018 admission (first year of this format) | Paper, 114 questions | Archived copy, 2017–18 student handbook (Internet Archive) |
How to use the official practice tests
Start with the tutorial, take one form untimed to learn from the explanations, then take the others timed. NYC’s guide encourages at least one full test under timed conditions.
| When | Do this | Where |
|---|---|---|
| First | Take the Student Readiness Tool tutorial so the tools and question types feel familiar. | Student Readiness Tool |
| Week 1 | Take Practice Test A untimed. Pick ELA or math first, the same choice your child makes on test day. Review every miss with the explanations PDF. | NYC SHSAT Portal · Form A explanations |
| After each test | Print or save the summary report with “Print this page”: the portal does not save answers. Write down the topic behind each miss. | NYC SHSAT Portal |
| Every week | Practice the 3 weakest topics. Every 1–2 weeks, retake a short adaptive test to watch the trend. | Practice questions · free SHSAT practice test |
| Last 3–4 weeks | Take Practice Tests B–D timed (3 hours; a practice test can’t be paused). Switch between ELA first and math first. | NYC SHSAT Portal |
| 9th graders | Add Grade 9 Mini Forms 1–2, which cover math through grade 8. | NYC SHSAT Portal |
| Final week | Light review only. Check the test ticket, the test day, and what to bring. | SHSAT test dates |
Want dates filled in? Use the study plan builder. Test day is in November: see the fall 2026 SHSAT test dates and registration.
Official SHSAT practice test FAQ
Where can I find the official SHSAT practice tests for 2026?
On the NYC SHSAT Portal, run for NYC Public Schools. It has four full-length digital practice tests (Forms A–D) for students testing in grade 8 in fall 2026, two with new content this year, plus Grade 9 Mini Forms 1–2, printable PDFs, answer explanations and the Student Readiness Tool.
Are old SHSAT practice tests from past handbooks still useful?
Yes, for content practice. Handbook tests from fall 2017 to fall 2024 are 114-question paper tests (57 ELA + 57 math), and the fall 2025 test was a 114-question fixed form taken on computer. The fall 2026 test has 100 questions, adapts to each answer, and needs an answer before moving on. Tests before fall 2017 also had a Verbal section that no longer exists.
Do the official practice tests give a score?
No. After you submit, a summary report shows which questions were right or wrong, and the explanations PDF explains each answer. NYC does not publish raw-to-scaled conversion tables, so any score from a practice test is an estimate. PrepCAT’s SHSAT score calculator turns the number right into a likely score range, and PrepCAT’s free adaptive test gives a PrepCAT estimate with a ±50-point margin.
How many practice tests should my child take?
NYC encourages at least one full test under timed conditions. A common plan: the Student Readiness Tool first, one untimed official test with explanations, then the other forms timed in the last month, switching between ELA first and math first, with weak-topic practice in between.