Test for Admissions into Catholic High Schools (TACHS)
The Test for Admission into Catholic High Schools (TACHS) is required for admission to Catholic high schools in the Diocese of Brooklyn/Queens and Archdiocese of New York. Students in eighth grade are eligible to take this exam.
Test Format:
The TACHS exam consists of 200 multiple-choice questions and is divided into four sections, for a total time of two hours and 17 minutes:
- Reading (35 minutes)
- Vocabulary (20 questions, 10 minutes)
- Reading Comprehension (30 questions, 25 minutes)
- Language (30 minutes)
- Spelling, Capitalization, Punctuation, and Usage/Expression (40 questions, 23 minutes)
- Paragraphs (10 questions, 7 minutes)
- Mathematics (40 minutes)
- Concepts, Data Interpretation, Problem Solving (32 questions, 33 minutes)
- Estimation (18 questions, 7 minutes)
- Abilities (32 minutes)
- Similarities and Changes (40 questions, 25 minutes)
- Abstract Reasoning (10 questions, 7 minutes)
Test Dates:
The TACHS exam is administered once a year in November. One date is dedicated for the Diocese of Brooklyn/Queens, one date is for the Archdiocese of New York, and one date is for the Diocese of Rockville Centre. Students can only take this exam one time.
The test dates for 2024 are:
| Testing area | Test Date | Registration opens | Registration deadline |
| Archdiocese of New York | November 8, 2024 | August 26, 2024 | October 30, 2024 |
| Diocese of Brooklyn/Queens | November 9, 2024 | August 26, 2024 | October 30, 2024 |
| Diocese of Rockville Centre | November 9, 2024 | August 26, 2024 | October 30, 2024 |
How to register:
Students can register for this exam online (preferred method) or by telephone at 1-866-61TACHS (1-866-618-2247). The total cost of the exam is $71, and includes administration of the exam, the reporting of scores to your three high school choices, and online access to the student’s Home report.
For more information, please visit the TACHS website checklist.
Scoring:
Students receive a scaled score on a range of 200 to 800. Students are also sent a percentile score. Scores on the TACHS exam are calculated based upon the number of questions that a student answers correctly. Score reports are delivered to high schools prior to students receiving their scores.
Accommodations:
Extended time is available for the TACHS exam. Students must submit an IEP or evaluation form along with the eligibility form in order to qualify. These forms must be received in the Diocesan office by October 13, 2023. Information on where to mail forms is available here.
The High School Placement Test (HSPT)
The High School Placement Test (HSPT) is another commonly administered exam for students applying to Catholic high schools. This test is known for having many questions in a short time period!
Test Format:
The HSPT exam consists of 298 multiple-choice questions and is divided into four sections, for a total time of two and a half hours (without breaks). There are one or two short breaks during the exam.
- Verbal skills (60 questions, 18 minutes)
- Topics include: analogies, logic, antonyms, synonyms and verbal classification.
- Quantitative (52 questions, 30 minutes)
- Topics include: geometric and non-geometric comparison, number manipulation and number series.
- Reading (62 questions, 25 minutes)
- Topics include: vocabulary and reading comprehension
- Mathematics (64 questions, 45 minutes)
- Topics include: word problems, math concepts and geometry.
- Language Skills (60 questions, 25 minutes)
- Topics include: capitalization, grammar, usage, punctuation, spelling, and sentence structure.
It also has three optional sections that schools can choose to include on the test, which are:
- Mechanical Aptitude
- Science
- Catholic Religion
Many schools do not choose to include these sections on the test!
Test Dates & Registration:
All details of test dates are handled by individual schools. Please check with the school you are interested in for further information on test dates and how to register.
Scoring:
The HSPT is scored using a percentile-rank scale, called the National Percentile, that ranges from 1-99. This score can be used to compare a student’s performance to other students nationwide. For example, a National Percentile score of 99 means that the student scored higher than 99% of all students and is in the top 1% of all test takers.
Since the HSPT is scored using percentiles rather than percentages, students can miss many problems and still do very well! Score reports are delivered directly to high schools. Retaking this exam is strongly discouraged.
Accommodations:
Testing accommodations are handled by each specific school, and each school has its own testing policy with regard to accommodations. We recommend that students and parents contact the school directly.
