What is the hardest Specialized High School to get into in USA? Stuyvesant High School among the nine Specialized High Schools is the toughest Specialized High School to get into in the US. In this write-up, I will give you several reasons why Stuyvesant is the hardest of the nine schools.
The State of New York is the only jurisdiction that has designated Specialized High Schools. In the year 1934, Stuyvesant implemented a system of entrance examinations. The examination was developed with the assistance of Columbia University, and the program was later expanded to include the newly founded Bronx Science and Brooklyn Tech.
Due to consistent threats from factions in the New York education system and the government against the special status of the three schools, the Hecht-Calandra Act was passed by the New York State Legislature in 1972, designating these schools as specialized science and math high schools for New York City.
Soon, the three specialized schools grew to become nine specialized schools in all.
LaGuardia High School, Staten Island Technical High School, High School of American Studies at Lehman College, High School for Mathematics, Science and Engineering at City College of New York, Queens High School for the Sciences at York College, and Brooklyn Latin as the last addition to the group of Specialized High Schools.
All these Specialized High Schools except LaGuardia were mandated by the Hecht-Calandra Act to use standardized math and science exams in admitting students into the respective schools. This mandate ensured the continuation of the uniform entrance already adopted by the three pioneering schools.
Laguardia High School of Music & Arts and Performing Arts was to admit new students by audition and portfolio rather than examination. This enables them to continue with their artistic mission.
Now, What is the hardest Specialized High School to get into in USA?
As I have already stated in my introduction, Stuyvesant High School is the hardest Specialized High School to get into in the United States. Let’s see why;
Stuyvesant is the most selective of the eight schools in the specialized high school system. It has consistently required the highest cutoff scores in the Specialized High School Admission Test (SHSAT) for some years now.
In 2022, applicants desiring Stuyvesant High School must score above 563 out of 800 in the SHSAT to make a cut for placement. Out of the 30,000 plus applications each year, only 800 – 850 are placed into Stuyvesant, which only highlights the higher standards of Stuyvesant and how extremely difficult it is to get in.
Looking at the numbers above, fewer students are admitted at Stuyvesant than the rest of the 7 schools considering the number of applications received.
The high standards in Stuyvesants’ admission requirements ensure that they get only the best of the numerous applicants. This inevitably, solidifies their quest to be ranked among the top schools in the New York State and nation.
What Is The Hardest Specialized High School To Get Into In USA?
Stuyvesant High School