How to Calculate SHSAT Score and Cutoff Scores

‍

Two students answer the same total number of SHSAT questions correctly. One earns a seat at Bronx Science, the other doesn’t even make the cutoff. How can that happen? 

The secret is the SHSAT’s unique scoring system. The SHSAT doesn’t just count correct answers; it converts them into scaled scores that can dramatically change outcomes for students aiming for specialized high schools. 

For tutors, this technical detail is the difference between setting realistic score targets, guiding families with confidence, and ultimately helping students secure a spot at their dream school.

In this guide, we break down exactly how to calculate the SHSAT score so you can use these insights in scoring your students’ practice results and prepare them to meet (and exceed) their dream school’s cutoff scores. 

SHSAT Score Calculator 

When your student’s parents look at the SHSAT practice scores and ask what this means for their child’s admission, you’ll need a straightforward way to show how the raw scores translate to SHSAT’s scaled scores.

That’s where a ready-to-use SHSAT score calculator will come in handy. 

An SHSAT score calculator converts raw ELA and Math scores into estimated scaled scores for each section, as well as a composite total. Use the calculator to estimate your SHSAT scaled score quickly.

Note for tutors: These tools rely on historical conversion tables from past SHSAT exams to approximate the DOE’s scaling process. However, they’re estimation tools only. The DOE recalibrates the scoring scale every year based on the difficulty of that year’s test and the performance of the applicant pool.

With EdisonOS, tutors don’t have to rely on third-party calculators. It's built-in diagnostic tools automatically convert raw practice test results into scaled scores and composites. We make it easier for tutors to:

• Run full simulations
• Show parents clear performance reports
• Keep scoring conversations consistent across sessions

EdisonOS is the first tutor-focused digital SHSAT prep platform, so you can create high-quality SHSAT practice tests and deliver an official-like digital testing experience. 

Prep your students with Digital SHSAT on EdisonOS.

How is the SHSAT Scored?

The SHSAT calculator will help you calculate a student’s practice score estimate instantly. Yet, tutors should understand how the Department of Education (DOE) scores the test. 

Students and parents often think SHSAT works like a classroom test where the percentage of correct answers equates to the final grade. However, that’s not true. SHSAT uses a three-step process to grade the tests as outlined below:

1. Calculate the raw score: Each correct answer in each section (ELA and Math) earns the student one raw point. There’s no penalty for wrong/skipped answers, so tutors should encourage their students to attempt all questions.
2. Scale the score: DOE converts students’ raw scores to a scaled score using a statistical process called equating to ensure fairness across different test versions. Therefore, a more challenging test won’t disadvantage students, since fewer correct answers might still yield the same scaled score.
3. Composite the score: This is the final admission score, where the scaled scores of ELA and Math sections are added to form the composite. The final score determines a student’s rank and whether the school makes an admission offer.

Note: Each section (ELA and Math) contains 57 questions, out of which approximately 10 are field test questions. These don’t count toward the score, but students won’t know which ones they are.
‍

SHSAT Raw Score vs. Scaled Score

So, now you know that a student’s raw score — the number of correct answers — is not the number that matters for admissions. 

What really counts is the scaled score, and the conversion isn’t one-to-one. Even two sections with raw scores are not comparable to the scaled scores. 

See how this student has more correct answers in Math over ELA, and yet their ELA scaled score is more than Math:

As per the above situation:

• Raw Score: The student answers 34 out of 47 scored questions in Math correctly; their raw Math score is 34.
• Scaled Score: That 34 may be converted to 247 scaled points, depending on that year’s scaling curve. Another year, it might scale slightly higher or lower.
• Composite Score: This one’s straightforward. Add the scaled scores from ELA (269) and Math (247) together for the final admissions number (516). 

Here’s the catch for tutors: The conversion is also a nonlinear function. One extra raw point in the middle of the curve can sometimes boost a student’s scaled score by only 3–4 points. However, when the student’s score is near the very top, that same extra raw point might increase their score by 10 to 20 scaled points.

So, say Student A answered 70% in both Math and ELA. Student B scored 100% in Math and 40% in ELA. Even though both answered the same total number of questions correctly, one extra point in Math for Student B is more than one additional point for Student A in either section. 

The SHSAT rewards mastery in a single section just as much as balance across both. That’s why Student A may finish below Student B despite the same raw score.

Therefore, when you review your student’s practice results, don’t just say, “You got 40 right, that’s about 70%.” Instead, translate it into scaled terms. Parents and students need to understand that what looks like the same raw score on paper can lead to very different outcomes on the official exam.
‍

How to Calculate Your SHSAT Score

Familiarize your students and their families with SHSAT scoring during practice sessions by calculating scores with the calculator in two steps:

Step 1: Tally the raw score with the correct answers in the ELA and Math sections, respectively.

Step 2: Convert the corrected answers to a raw score.

Step 3: Put each raw score in the SHSAT calculator and click on “calculate scaled score” to get a scaled composite score.

For example, a student who gets 36 correct in ELA and 39 correct in Math. The calculator might see those converted to a scaled composite score of 488. 

Tutor note: The calculators are based on historical data, as the DOE does not publish the exact raw-to-scaled conversion tables for future exams. DOE recalibrates each year’s scale after scoring, based on the difficulty of that year’s test and the overall performance of test-takers. Therefore, the official scaling may curve each year. 

Practice calculations are estimates, and aren’t perfect, but are meant to give a close-enough estimate to track progress and set targets during prep.
‍

SHSAT Cutoff Scores Explained

An SHSAT cutoff score is the lowest composite score that can get your student admitted to a particular specialized high school in a given year. If a student’s composite score is below the composite score, they won’t receive an offer even if they listed the school as their first choice.

Here’s a common query amongst SHSAT givers:

The truth is, SHSAT cutoff scores are not fixed, and they shift every year based on three main factors:

1. The number of seats available: Schools with fewer seats, like Stuyvesant, naturally have higher cut-offs because there are fewer spots to fill.
2. Strength of the applicant pool: If more high-scoring students apply to a given school that year, the cutoffs increase. If the overall pool is weaker, cutoffs dip.
3. Ranking strategy: Students are admitted based on both their composite score and the order in which they rank schools on the SHSAT application. A student who qualifies for Stuyvesant but puts Bronx Science as their first choice will be placed at Bronx Science. This indirect factor also influences yearly cutoff thresholds.

Here’s what a user responded to the above query:

Therefore, the best practice for tutors is to treat cutoff scores like benchmarks rather than guarantees. Use historical cutoff data to set goals and always recommend aiming a few points above the recent year’s cutoff as a safety net.
‍

Recent SHSAT Cutoff Scores for NYC Specialized High Schools

To help tutors set benchmarks, here are the most recent cutoff scores for NYC’s specialized high schools. 

Notice how cutoffs fluctuate slightly from year to year. Bronx Science dipped from 526 in 2024 down to 518 in 2025, while HSMSE climbed from 518 in 2023 to 542 in 2024 before dipping again. 

Teach your students and families to always aim 5 to 10 points above the latest cutoff rather than treat it as a fixed number. 
‍

What’s a Good SHSAT Score?

The truth is, there’s no single “good” SHSAT score. A good score depends on the student’s target school. Recent cut-offs of top-tier schools like Stuyvesant, Bronx Science, and HSMSE suggest students need to aim for high 500s to low 560s to get in.  

For Stuyvesant, a “good” score will typically be 565+ to stay safely above the cutoff. For Bronx Science and HSMSE, the scores are usually competitive, around 530 to 540.

If your students are competing for mid-range specialized schools, such as Staten Island Tech, Queens Science, and American Studies, a composite score in the 510-530 range is a good score. 

Lastly, if your students score in the 495–510 range, it’s still not a bad score. Historically speaking, it’s been sufficient to get into schools like Brooklyn Tech and Brooklyn Latin.

Therefore, instead of telling families “a good score is xyz,” create the scoring tiers based on school goals. For a student set on Stuyvesant, 520 isn’t “good enough.” But for a student looking to get into Brooklyn Tech, it might be more than sufficient.

Tips for Students and Tutors on Reaching Cutoff Scores

Reaching (and exceeding) a target cutoff isn’t just about knowing the content of the test. It’s about strategy, consistent practice, and smart guidance. 

Here’s what you need to help your students with:

• Perfect the pace: Teach students to build a pacing strategy to go through the test without getting stuck. Teach them that skipping a question will cost them less than wasting time.
• Target weak spots early: Use diagnostic tools, such as EdisonOS, to identify the types of questions that drag your student’s scores down and drill those consistently.
• Simulate test conditions: Practice full-length exams over and over again under strict timing. The SHSAT is as much about stamina as skill.

On your end, here’s what you can do to ensure you’re prepared to help your students: 

• Always convert raw scores to scaled scores: Convert practice test results into estimated composites so families see real admissions context.
• Balance your student’s focus: If a student excels in Math but their ELA scores bring them down, lean into their strength while also improving their weaker side enough to compete.
• Review errors as teachable moments: Go beyond just right/wrong answers. Unpack why the student missed an answer and what strategy can help prevent it next time.
• Use benchmarks with a buffer: Position cutoffs as moving targets and set goals slightly above them to ensure your student can meet new targets even if they go up.
  ‍

Common Misconceptions About SHSAT Scoring

Misunderstandings about SHSAT scoring can be pressurizing for both students and tutors. Clearing these up early can help set their expectations right. The myths are,

1.“Cutoff scores are fixed.”

Truth: Cutoffs shift every year depending on seats, applicant strength, and ranking choices. What was enough last year may not be this year.

2. “You need a perfect score for top schools.”

Truth: Stuyvesant’s recent cutoffs have been in the mid-550s, far below a theoretical max of ~700. Excellence matters, but rather than perfection, students should focus on pragmatic strategizing.

3. “Scaled scores are just percent correct.”

Truth: By now, you already know that SHSAT uses nonlinear scaling. One extra raw point can mean +3 scaled points in the middle or +15 at the top. That’s why two students with the exact raw totals can end up with different composites. Make sure you explain this to the exam-giving students and their families.
‍

How can EdisonOS help?

Understanding SHSAT scoring is one thing, and managing dozens of students and their preparation is another. Instead of juggling spreadsheets, scoring charts, and external tools, EdisonOS can centralize everything — from testing and scoring to progress tracking and even bringing in new students.

EdisonOS offers built-in tools for tutors to:

• Auto-calculate scores: Raw practice test results are instantly converted into scaled and composite scores, so you don’t have to rely on third-party calculators.
• Replicate the real exam: Students practice in a digital environment that mimics the official SHSAT interface, reducing test-day surprises.
• Offer diagnostics and tutor mode: Run baseline diagnostics and use tutor mode to provide real-time explanations of answers during practice tests.
• Track progress with analytics: Get detailed breakdowns of scaled scores, time spent, and weak areas. Share reports with parents to keep them informed.
• Support lead generation: Use public assessments and diagnostic tests to attract new students while showing your expertise.

While the platform handles the scoring math and reporting, you can focus on teaching, creating a study plan, and building confidence in your students so they get into their dream schools. 
‍

Conclusion

Now you know that raw scores from answers alone don’t reflect your students’ SHSAT scores. DOE calculates composites from scaled scores, and admission cutoff scores shift every year. 

Use calculators to track practice progress, but remind test-takers and their families that they’re only estimates. Always aim above recent cutoffs and explain results in scaled terms. 

With EdisonOS, you can strategize the SHSAT for your students, so they don’t just meet the cutoff but exceed it with automated scoring and advanced diagnostics. 

Book a demo with EdisonOS today and simplify scoring for SHSATs. Give your students a true test-day advantage.
‍

FAQs 

How is the SHSAT scored?

The SHSAT counts correct answers for ELA and Math as raw scores, then converts them into scaled scores through a curve called equating. The two scaled scores are added for a composite used in admissions.

What is a raw score vs. a scaled score on the SHSAT?

A raw score is simply the number of correct answers. A scaled score is the adjusted value after conversion, accounting for test difficulty.

What is the highest possible SHSAT score?

Composites typically top out around 700, though the exact maximum depends on the year’s scaling.

What are the SHSAT cutoff scores for specialized high schools?

Each school has the lowest composite score that earns admission every year, which is known as the cutoff score. Cutoffs shift annually based on the number of available seats and the performance of applicants.

How do I calculate my SHSAT score from my practice test?

Tally correct answers in each section, convert them into scaled scores using a calculator or chart, then add them for a composite estimate.

What’s a good SHSAT score to aim for?

It depends on the target school. For Stuyvesant, aim for 565 or higher; for Bronx Science, 530–540 or higher; and for Brooklyn Tech, around 500 or higher. Always add a buffer above recent cutoffs.

‍

‍