We publish 19 in-depth prep guides covering 18 selective enrollment and competitive admission schools in New York, including Bard High School Early College Bronx (BHSEC Bronx), Bard High School Early College Brooklyn (BHSEC Brooklyn), Bard High School Early College Manhattan (BHSEC Manhattan), Bard High School Early College Queens (BHSEC Queens), Brooklyn Technical High School, Catholic High Schools — Archdiocese of New York & Diocese of Brooklyn/Queens (TACHS schools), High School for Mathematics, Science, and Engineering at City College (HSMSE), High School of American Studies at Lehman College, and 10 more — covering essays, exam strategy, and application timelines.
BHSEC Bronx admissions hinge on a faculty-designed assessment that is 60% writing and math — yet almost no prep content exists for the Bronx campus. This post breaks down every scored component, explains the STEM writing section most families miss, and shows you exactly how to prepare.
The BHSEC Humanities Writing Prompt counts for 30% of your admissions score at Bard High School Early College Brooklyn — and most 8th graders prep for it the wrong way. This post breaks down exactly what the passage-based analytical essay requires, how it's scored, and how to practice effectively before test day.
BHSEC Brooklyn uses a three-part admissions assessment where 60% of your score comes from a timed essay and a no-calculator math exam. This guide breaks down the reported 30/30/30/10 scoring rubric and gives you targeted prep strategies for every section — including the invitation-only interview.
The BHSEC admissions rubric splits your child's score across four components — and most families don't learn the weights until it's too late to prepare strategically. This post breaks down exactly how Bard High School Early College Manhattan scores applicants and tells you where to focus prep time first.
The BHSEC Queens assessment weights your child's essay and math scores equally at 30% each — yet almost no prep resource addresses the writing section at all. This guide covers the full scoring breakdown, what the humanities writing prompt actually tests, and how targeted practice questions can help your 8th grader earn that coveted interview invitation.
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.
The TACHS Ability section — covering figure matrices, paper folding, and figure classification — is the one section no school teaches and almost no student prepares for. This guide explains why spatial reasoning is trainable, how it affects Catholic high school admissions and scholarships, and how to build the skill before November test day.
Getting into the High School for Mathematics, Science, and Engineering at City College means beating a 526+ SHSAT cutoff for roughly 140 seats. This guide covers the 2026 adaptive SHSAT format, HSMSE-specific score targets, and how STEM critical thinking practice raises your composite. If your child is in 7th or 8th grade, the prep decisions you make right now are the ones that matter.
The 2025 HSAS-Lehman cutoff was approximately 504 — but with only 104 seats and a computer-adaptive SHSAT format anticipated for 2026, your child needs a sharper target and a smarter prep plan. This guide gives you exact score benchmarks, registration deadlines, and a STEM critical thinking practice strategy built specifically for High School of American Studies admissions.
The Hunter College High School entrance exam changed significantly in January 2026, adding ISEE-licensed Quantitative Reasoning and Mathematics Achievement sections. This guide covers what changed, who qualifies, how the two-stage scoring works, and how to build a 16-week STEM critical thinking and essay prep plan for your 6th grader.
Mark Twain IS 239 offers two rigorous talent programs — Computer/Math and Science — each with its own aptitude test format. This post compares both tests in detail, explains the dual-application strategy, and shows you exactly how to prepare for the redesigned STEAM-oriented exam.
The NEST+m admissions essay counts for 50% of your child's final score — equal weight to four years of core grades. This guide explains exactly how the essay is scored, what the rubric rewards, and how 8th graders can write to NEST+m's four core values before the December deadline.