SHSAT exam-day guide
SHSAT · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Admission ticket / test notice
Print the ticket or save it as your school instructed, and check the assigned test site, report time, and your name/ID number on it. Bring it with you - you may not be admitted without it. Confirm the exact accepted format (print vs. digital) with your school counselor or the testing provider.
Two or more No. 2 pencils with erasers
Needed if your administration is paper-based. If your site uses computer-based testing, pencils are usually unnecessary. (needs_review - confirm the current test format and permitted materials with the provider before test day.)
Acceptable identification
Some sites require a photo ID or a school-issued ID; many middle-school sites admit students on the ticket alone. (needs_review - confirm the specific ID requirement for your site with the provider.)
A non-smart watch (optional)
Useful for pacing, but only if your site permits it. Smartwatches and phones with watch functions are not allowed. Confirm whether a wristwatch is permitted at your site.
Leave phones and smart devices at home
If you must bring a phone, plan to power it completely off and stow it as instructed. Devices out during testing can void your score. Confirm the site's storage policy with the provider.
Do NOT bring a calculator
Calculators are not permitted on the SHSAT math section. All arithmetic should be done by hand, so practice under that condition.
Know the route and arrival buffer
Do a dry run mentally or physically: know the building entrance, transit lines, and how long it takes. Plan to arrive well before the report time on the ticket - late arrivals may not be seated.
Breakfast, water, and a snack
Eat a normal breakfast - not an unusually heavy or unusually light one. Bring water and a snack only if your site allows food items; confirm the site's rules on food and drink.
Comfortable layers
Testing rooms vary in temperature. Dress in layers you can adjust without distracting others.
A single page of your own review notes
One sheet of formulas, grammar reminders, and your personal error patterns. Read it the night before, then put it away - do not try to learn new material in the final hours.
A full night's sleep
Sleep is worth more than one more practice set. Aim for your normal bedtime, not an artificially early one that leaves you lying awake.
Plan the day
Stop learning new content. Do at most two timed, full-length practice sessions at the same time of day as your real test, then review every wrong answer to identify the pattern behind the error (misread, rushed, concept gap). Rebuild your one-page notes sheet from those patterns.
Rehearse the logistics: confirm the site address and report time, decide your transportation and backup route, and lay out your ticket, pencils, ID, and clothing the night before the night before. Confirm any uncertainty (test format, ID, permitted items) with your school counselor or the provider now, not on test morning.
Do a light, untimed review of your one-page notes only - no new practice tests, no cramming. Pack everything in one bag and place it by the door. Eat a normal dinner, avoid excessive caffeine or screen time late at night, and go to bed at your usual hour.
Wake with enough time to eat a real breakfast and travel without rushing. Leave earlier than you think you need to. Arrive at the site before the report time, use the restroom before you are seated, and keep conversation light - other students' nervous chatter about the test is not information you need.
Read the printed directions for the section carefully, confirm how many questions there are and how many minutes you have, and note whether the test is paper or computer-based and how answers must be recorded. Raise your hand immediately if a material or the format looks wrong.
Pace by question count, not by feel: divide the section's time by its number of questions to get your average per question, and check the clock at the quarter, half, and three-quarter points. Work in passes - answer what comes easily first, mark anything slow, and return to it. Never leave a blank; there is no penalty for a wrong answer.
Answer from the passage, not from memory or general knowledge. For grammar and editing items, read the whole sentence silently before choosing. If two answers seem right, choose the one that is most precise and best supported by the text.
Show scratch work, write down what the question is asking before computing, and check units and the reasonableness of your answer. If a problem stalls you for more than roughly a minute, mark it and move on - the next question is worth the same.
Stop starting new problems with a few minutes left. Sweep for unanswered questions and fill in an answer for every one, even by estimation or elimination. If time is called, stop writing or clicking immediately and follow the proctor's instructions.
Write down nothing about specific questions and discuss the content only in general terms. Results, score reports, and any school-choice steps come later - confirm the timeline and how scores are used with your school counselor or the provider.
Rules to check
Bring only permitted items. Phones, smartwatches, and other devices must be off and stored exactly as the site directs; a device visible during testing can invalidate your score. Confirm the site's specific device policy with the provider.
Follow all proctor instructions immediately, including when to start, when to stop, and how to submit or hand in materials. Do not open a section or continue writing after time is called.
No talking, no sharing materials, and no looking at another student's work at any point during testing. Raise your hand for the proctor if you need anything.
Restroom breaks are generally permitted during testing, but the clock typically does not stop for them, so use the restroom before you are seated. Confirm the site's break policy with the provider.
There is no penalty for an incorrect answer. Answer every question on the test, guessing whenever you must - an unanswered question can never earn points.
Calculators are not permitted on the math section. Scratch paper or the on-screen scratch tools may be provided; use only what the proctor issues and turn in or clear everything at the end.
Your score is based on both sections combined into a single composite, and admission cutoffs vary from year to year depending on the applicant pool and seat availability. Do not assume a specific target score - confirm how scores are scaled and used with the provider.
Testing is typically offered once per admissions cycle, so treat this administration as your only attempt. Confirm your eligibility and any retest rules with your school counselor.