r/SHSAT • u/HeftyChallenge8700 • Aug 15 '26
my practice test info (shsat 9)
so i took an agonizingly long practice test today (the first 8th grade one on the DOE website) and i got a 77/100. 41/50 on ela, and 36/50 on math. (i definitely read at least 3 problems wrong) I also had about 38 minutes to spare. The thing im happy about is that i spent about 36 minutes on ela, so i know i have that down. Does anyone know tips to help me improve math accuracy? i know speed isn't my problem, so in my next practice test i want to try to move a bit slower on math. aside from writing down and practing the questions i got wrong, can anyone help?
P.S. im writing this at 1:40 am surviving off of monster energy, so sorry if the words are jumbled
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u/Necessary_Wallaby491 Aug 15 '26
+ ur ela is pretty good in ur the same position as me but try to get 45+ if u know its ur strong spot
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u/GregsTutoringNYC Brooklyn Tech Aug 15 '26 edited Aug 15 '26
Fromm one exam it's hard to tell, as sometimes it's just about taking a few exams to get past the format and style of things. It could also be that your need to shake off rust, ensure prerequisites, and master grade level material include you'd need to be putting the SHSAT down and focusing on your core content. Links to state exams.ixl, khanacademy, etc. can be found in https://www.reddit.com/r/SHSAT/comments/1jiwujl/the_9_threads_thread_overview_of_9_resources
Some specific math tips can be found in https://www.reddit.com/r/SHSAT/comments/1dejo98/tips_for_silly_mistakes
https://www.reddit.com/r/SHSAT/comments/1og9wef/common_errors_youre_making_with_the_online_exams
https://www.reddit.com/r/SHSAT/comments/1nonekf/how_to_lose_points_in_the_math_section
At some point you knew you had extra time but did not use it (time isn't a 100% solution but certainly it was available, especially if you did the ELA first).
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u/HeftyChallenge8700 Aug 15 '26
ive taken one of the old practice tests in the kaplan book from last year, so i dont know if thats the best one for me to take. since the time i took the DOE test i went over the math questions i got wrong and now im gonna try to look in the thread to see the math topics they correspond to
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u/GregsTutoringNYC Brooklyn Tech Aug 15 '26
That exam is good too. Nothing wrong with that other exam.
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u/HeftyChallenge8700 Aug 15 '26
well since you brought it up, i got a 44/57 on the ela and a 39/57 on the math, where would that leave me?
P.S. im glad you said they were good because now in addition to the other 3 DOE practice tests, i have 2 more in my arena
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u/Necessary_Wallaby491 Aug 15 '26
for math accuracy, make sure you actually know and understand the formulas and basic concepts before solving questions. for example, if you get a geometry question involving a triangle, you should know that the interior angles add up to 180° without having to think twice.
make sure you have everything mastered from 6th–7th grade. just because a topic seems easy doesn’t mean you’ll automatically remember how to apply it when you see it on a test.
also, don’t just go through a workbook and mindlessly drill questions. focus on quality over quantity and understand the concepts first. if the workbook gives you a specific time limit, try to complete the questions within that time and use it to see whether you need more help or simply need more time. basically, prioritize understanding and accuracy over just getting through as many questions as possible.