SHSAT Cutoff Scores
The lowest composite score admitted to each NYC specialized high school in 2026. Cutoffs ran from 495 at The Brooklyn Latin School to 561 at Stuyvesant High School, out of a maximum 700.
| School | 2026 cutoff | 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Stuyvesant High School | 561 | 556 |
| HS for Mathematics, Science and Engineering (CCNY) | 539 | 526 |
| Queens High School for the Sciences (York) | 531 | 518 |
| The Bronx High School of Science | 525 | 518 |
| Staten Island Technical High School | 517 | 527 |
| HS of American Studies (Lehman) | 507 | 504 |
| Brooklyn Technical High School | 506 | 505 |
| The Brooklyn Latin School | 495 | 496 |
How SHSAT Cutoffs Work
There is no fixed passing score on the SHSAT. Every student who takes the test is ranked by composite score, and each specialized high school fills its seats from the highest scorers down. The cutoff is simply the last score admitted to a given school that year.
Because of this, cutoffs shift from year to year with the number of available seats and how that year's applicants score. A school's cutoff can move by several points in either direction, so aim comfortably above your target school's most recent number rather than treating it as a guarantee.
Students also rank the schools in order of preference when they register, and receive at most one offer: their highest-ranked school where their score clears that year's cutoff.
A Note on the Computer-Adaptive SHSAT
The 2026 numbers above are the most recent reported cutoffs, from students who tested in fall 2025. The composite scale (200 to 700) has been consistent across recent years, so they remain a useful reference. The fall 2026test is the first computer-adaptive SHSAT, and its cutoffs won't be known until offers go out in spring 2027.
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the cutoff score for Stuyvesant?
In the 2026 admissions cycle the lowest composite admitted to Stuyvesant was 561 out of 700, the highest cutoff of any specialized high school.
Is there a passing score on the SHSAT?
No. There's no fixed passing score. Students are ranked by composite score, and each school fills its seats from the top down, so the cutoff is just the last score admitted that year.
Do SHSAT cutoff scores change every year?
Yes. Cutoffs move a few points each year with the number of seats and how that year's applicants score, so treat any single year as a guide rather than a fixed target.
When will the 2027 SHSAT cutoff scores come out?
When offers go out in spring 2027. The 2026 cutoffs above come from students who tested in fall 2025. The fall 2026 test is the first computer-adaptive SHSAT, so the 2027 cutoffs are the first ones on the new format.