SHSAT Tutoring Online: Math and ELA Prep

How it works, in short

TaleemSquare SHSAT tutoring is live, one-to-one preparation for New York City's Specialized High Schools Admissions Test, taught online in 45-minute lessons. One tutor covers both halves of the test, English Language Arts and math, so a student who is strong in one subject can bring the other up to the same level.

From fall 2026 the SHSAT is computer-adaptive: 50 ELA and 50 math questions in 180 minutes. Students answer each question before moving on and cannot return to a subject once it is submitted, and calculators are not allowed. Plans start at $85 a month after a free assessment.

Also called:Years 9-10 (UK)Grades 8-9 (CA)Years 8-9 (AU)

Format: Live, one-to-one, online
Lesson length: 45 minutes
Level: Ages 12-15
Price: From $85 a month

What changes after a term of lessons

Lessons happen on a shared whiteboard, so your child solves while the tutor watches and guides (example lesson).

Comfortable with no going back

Answers each question with care before moving on, because the computer-adaptive SHSAT does not allow returning to most questions.

Fast math without a calculator

Works through middle school math by hand, using scrap paper the way test day allows.

Steady across the ELA section

Handles reading passages and revising and editing questions with the same method from start to finish.

What we cover

Lessons follow your child's own school or homeschool curriculum. These are the areas we work on most at this level.

Middle school math, secured

Ratios, percents, integers, equations, geometry and probability up to the grade 8 standards the test forms are based on.

Mental math and scrap paper

Calculators are not allowed, so lessons build quick, accurate arithmetic and tidy written working.

Revising and editing

Grammar, sentence structure and organization questions, practised in the passage-based format the ELA section uses.

Reading comprehension

Literary and informational passages, with a method for main idea, evidence and inference questions.

Adaptive test habits

Answering each question before moving on, deciding when a passage set is ready to submit, and managing 180 minutes across two subjects.

Official practice tests

NYC's free full-length digital sample tests, used for timed practice and reviewed question by question with the tutor.

Signs your child could use help

NYC 8th grader aiming for a specialized high school
First-time 9th grader planning to take the SHSAT
Strong in math or ELA but not both
Reaches for a calculator for routine arithmetic
Nervous about the new computer-adaptive format
Wants a plan built around the official practice tests

One of these on its own is normal. Two or three together usually point to a specific gap, and finding it is what the free assessment is for.

Taught to your curriculum, wherever you live

SHSAT, NYC Public Schools

The SHSAT is for New York City residents applying to eight of the city's nine specialized high schools; LaGuardia High School admits by audition. Students in grade 8 and first-time test takers in grade 9 sit forms based on standards up to grade 8.

Families moving from the UK to NYC

Only New York City residents can take the SHSAT. Families relocating from the UK should check eligibility and registration dates with NYC Public Schools before planning around a test date.

Level: Years 9-10

Families moving from Canada to NYC

Students moving from Canada take the grade 8 or grade 9 form once they live in New York City. Lessons can begin before the move, with math aligned to the grade 8 standards the test uses.

Level: Grades 8-9

Families moving from Australia to NYC

Students arriving from Australia should confirm SHSAT eligibility and dates with NYC Public Schools. Lessons compare what was covered in Year 8 with US grade 8 math and fill any gaps.

Level: Years 8-9

Inside a 45-minute SHSAT lesson

One 45-minute session. Tutors adjust the timings to your child.

6 min
Mental math warm-up
Quick calculator-free arithmetic and estimation.
14 min
Skill focus
One math or ELA skill taught, then practised.
12 min
One-way timed set
Questions answered in order with no going back.
9 min
Review
Every miss explained, including rushed answers.
4 min
Next steps
Practice for the week and a WhatsApp note for you.

How we prepare students for the SHSAT

A diagnostic in both subjects

The free assessment checks math and ELA, so lesson time is split by need rather than by habit.

One-way practice

Practice sets are done in order with no returning, which builds the decision-making the adaptive format requires.

No calculator from day one

Math is practised by hand from the first lesson, so test day feels normal rather than strange.

Official materials first

NYC's own digital sample tests and their explanations are the backbone of timed practice.

Fractions and multiplication practice worksheet — Practice set for between lessons (example).

Student progress report showing math skills — Progress by skill, reviewed with you (example).

WhatsApp message from a math tutor to a parent — A WhatsApp update after every class (example).

Simple monthly plans

$85a month for 2 one-to-one math lessons a week

Free 45-minute assessment first
No contract, cancel any month
No registration fee
4-class money-back promise
Switch tutor at no cost
WhatsApp update after every class

Starter

2 lessons a week, best for keeping up with school

$85/mo

GrowthMost chosen

3 lessons a week, best for catching up + building confidence

$119/mo

Intensive

4 lessons a week, best for exam prep & fast improvement

$149/mo

Full pricing and how we compare

Common worries, honest answers

“The test changed. Do you prepare for the new format?”

Yes. Practice follows the fall 2026 format: 50 ELA and 50 math questions answered in order and timed against the 180-minute limit, using NYC's official digital sample tests.

“Can you tell us the score needed for our first-choice school?”

No. Cutoff scores depend on each year's applicants and seats, and NYC Public Schools makes the offers. We focus on your child's skills and test readiness.

“My child is strong in math but weaker in reading.”

That is common. Both halves of the test count, so lessons give most of the time to ELA while short timed sets keep math sharp.

Frequently asked questions

What is the SHSAT format in fall 2026?

From fall 2026 the SHSAT is a computer-adaptive test with 50 English Language Arts items and 50 math items in three hours of testing time. Students must answer each question before moving on. In ELA they can revisit items within a passage set until they submit it, and no one can return to a subject after submitting it.

Who can take the SHSAT?

New York City residents in grade 8, and first-time test takers in grade 9, can take the SHSAT to apply to eight of the nine specialized high schools. LaGuardia High School admits by audition instead. Registration runs through MySchools.

Can my child use a calculator on the SHSAT?

No. Calculators are not permitted, and a watch that works as a calculator is not allowed either. Scrap paper is provided for math, which is why lessons practise arithmetic and algebra by hand.

How much does an online SHSAT tutor cost?

At TaleemSquare, one-to-one SHSAT tutoring starts at $85 a month for two 45-minute lessons a week, which is about $10.63 a lesson. Three lessons a week is $119 and four is $149, with no contract, no registration fee and a free first assessment. Private test prep tutors in the US often charge $40-$60 an hour or more.

Where can we find official SHSAT practice tests?

NYC provides full-length digital sample tests on its SHSAT portal, each with an answer key and explanations, plus sample grade 9 questions. Tutors use them as timed practice and review every missed question with your child.

When should SHSAT prep start?

Ideally in 7th grade or the summer before 8th grade, so math and reading gaps close before timed practice begins. Students who start later can still focus on the official sample tests and the topics that cost the most points.

SHSAT Tutor for NYC Specialized High Schools