The SHSAT (Specialized High School Admissions Test) is a crucial examination for students in New York City seeking admission to specialized high schools. While the raw scores from the English Language Arts (ELA) and Mathematics sections are important, the New York City Department of Education often uses a weighted score that considers the student's school district. This calculator helps estimate that weighted score.
The SHSAT consists of two sections: ELA and Mathematics, each scored out of 600 points, for a maximum raw score of 1200. However, admission is competitive and often involves more than just the raw score. The calculation below applies a district-specific multiplier to the combined raw score to create a weighted score, which can be a factor in the admissions process.
How the Weighted Score is Calculated
The formula used in this calculator is a simplified representation of how a weighted score might be derived. It involves the following steps:
Sum of Raw Scores: The ELA score and the Math score are added together.
Raw Score = ELA Score + Math Score
District Multiplier: A multiplier is applied based on the student's borough of residence. This accounts for potential variations in school district performance or admissions priorities. The multipliers used here are approximations and may vary year to year or by specific school.
Manhattan: 0.9
Bronx: 0.95
Brooklyn: 1.0
Queens: 0.92
Staten Island: 0.88
Weighted Score Calculation: The sum of the raw scores is multiplied by the district multiplier.
Weighted Score = (ELA Score + Math Score) * District Multiplier
Example Calculation
Let's consider a student who scored 520 on the ELA section and 550 on the Math section, and resides in Brooklyn.
Combined Raw Score: 520 (ELA) + 550 (Math) = 1070
District Multiplier for Brooklyn: 1.0
Weighted Score: 1070 * 1.0 = 1070
Now, consider another student who scored 530 on ELA and 560 on Math, residing in Manhattan.
Combined Raw Score: 530 (ELA) + 560 (Math) = 1090
District Multiplier for Manhattan: 0.9
Weighted Score: 1090 * 0.9 = 981
Important Considerations
This calculator provides an estimated weighted score. Actual admissions decisions are complex and depend on many factors, including:
The number of available seats in each specialized high school.
The performance of all other applicants in a given year.
Specific admission criteria for each school (e.g., some schools may use a different weighting system or have different cutoffs).
The SHSAT scoring can be adjusted year-to-year by the NYC DOE.
Always refer to official NYC Department of Education resources for the most accurate and up-to-date information regarding SHSAT scoring and admissions.
function calculateSHSAT() {
var elaScoreInput = document.getElementById("elaScore");
var mathScoreInput = document.getElementById("mathScore");
var schoolDistrictSelect = document.getElementById("schoolDistrict");
var resultDisplay = document.getElementById("result");
var elaScore = parseFloat(elaScoreInput.value);
var mathScore = parseFloat(mathScoreInput.value);
var districtMultiplier = parseFloat(schoolDistrictSelect.value);
var validScores = true;
if (isNaN(elaScore) || elaScore 600) {
alert("Please enter a valid ELA score between 0 and 600.");
validScores = false;
elaScoreInput.focus();
}
if (isNaN(mathScore) || mathScore 600) {
alert("Please enter a valid Math score between 0 and 600.");
validScores = false;
mathScoreInput.focus();
}
if (validScores) {
var rawScore = elaScore + mathScore;
var weightedScore = rawScore * districtMultiplier;
// Round to two decimal places for precision, though SHSAT scores are usually integers
weightedScore = Math.round(weightedScore * 100) / 100;
resultDisplay.textContent = "Your Weighted Score: " + weightedScore.toFixed(0); // Display as integer
}
}