We publish 33 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 Manhattan admissions assessment is 60% writing and math reasoning — and most students walk in with zero preparation. This guide breaks down exactly what the humanities writing prompt tests, how the scoring rubric works, and how to build the analytical writing skills Bard faculty actually reward.
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 humanities writing assessment counts for 30% of your child's total admissions score — equal to math and the interview. This guide explains what the writing prompt asks, how it's scored, and five targeted essay strategies that give your child a real edge on test day.
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 Technical High School accepts roughly 5% of SHSAT registrants, and the math section's multi-step word problems are the biggest differentiator. This post breaks down the exact SHSAT critical thinking question types that decide admission, explains the planned 2026 computer-adaptive format changes, and shows how targeted STEM critical thinking practice can push your 7th or 8th grader past Brooklyn Tech's ~506 composite cutoff.
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.
Most families wait until 8th grade to start TACHS prep — and that's too late for the section that matters most. This grade-by-grade timeline shows 7th and 8th grade families exactly when to start preparing for the TACHS, why the Ability section requires the longest runway, and how to build a study plan that leads to stronger scores and better scholarship outcomes at NYC Catholic high schools.
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 HSMSE at City College requires an SHSAT composite near 526 — and the test goes fully adaptive in Fall 2026. This guide covers the current cutoff, explains what the new format means for your child's prep, and shows how STEM Critical Thinking practice tests build the reasoning skills HSMSE-bound students need most.