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Prep for Bellarmine HSPT STEM critical thinking with score targets, test format details, and quantitative reasoning practice tests for 8th graders in the Bay Area.
Brooklyn Tech's 2026 SHSAT cutoff was 506 for 8th graders — and the test is going fully adaptive in fall 2026. This guide covers exact score targets, the new digital format, and a STEM-focused prep timeline starting in 7th grade. If your child has Brooklyn Technical High School on their list, here's what you need to know now.
Getting into Baltimore Polytechnic Institute means mastering the BCPSS Composite Score — a formula most parents have never seen explained. This guide breaks down every component of the composite, shows the MCAP score ranges competitive Poly applicants actually hit, and tells you exactly what your child can do starting in 7th grade to build a winning application.
Your child gets one shot at the Bellarmine HSPT — no retakes, no second chances. This guide gives 8th graders and their parents a week-by-week prep plan, score targets, and section-by-section strategy for Bellarmine College Preparatory's 2026 admissions test.
Archbishop Riordan's HSPT is the one entrance exam your child can only take once — on a single Saturday in early December. This guide gives you score targets, a September-to-December prep timeline, and a strategy for the personal statement video that most Riordan applicants overlook entirely.
Archbishop Mitty receives 1,500+ applications for roughly 450 freshman seats each year. This post breaks down exactly how to write the Archbishop Mitty admissions essay and film the student video required through Ravenna — two components almost no prep resource explains in detail. If your 8th grader is applying for fall 2026, start here.
Getting into Xavier College Preparatory means preparing for two separate assessments — the HSPT and a distinct on-site Writing Sample — plus a full application review of your daughter's transcripts. This guide covers XCP's admissions process, diocesan test dates, competitive score benchmarks, and exactly how to prepare for both components before the January deadline.
Baltimore City College High School admits roughly 425 students from nearly 3,000 applicants each year. This post breaks down the BCPS composite score formula — including how MCAP ELA and Math percentiles feed into your child's total — and tells you what score range is actually competitive, not just the 610 minimum floor.
Benjamin Banneker Academic High School is one of DC's most competitive selective high schools — and its admissions process includes two separate writing assessments, a scored interview, and three teacher recommendations. This guide walks DC parents through every stage of the 2026–2027 application, from the February 2 MySchoolDC deadline to the onsite written prompt at the interview.
Seattle Prep is Washington's top-ranked Catholic high school, and every applicant must take the HSPT by early January. This guide covers the December test window, competitive score targets, and the class placement stakes that most prep resources completely miss.