Is it still in time — and what does it cost now?
Every exam has more than one way in, and they close at different times for different money. Pick the exam and the date you are aiming at. This tells you which window is still open, the day it shuts, and the fee that applies once the earlier one has gone. We publish rules, not a calendar we made up: the ISEE has no national list of dates, so you enter the one your centre gave you.
Check my deadlineLoading today’s date…
- There is one registration window and no late registration. If 30 October passes without a registration in MySchools, there is no second chance in this cycle.
- From autumn 2026 the SHSAT is a computer-adaptive test. Any raw-score-to-scaled-score conversion chart you find for earlier years no longer describes the exam your child will sit.
- Students at charter, private or home schools register the same way but sit the test at a weekend site rather than at their own school.
Other SHSAT fees on the books
- Registration: free
Check it yourself before you pay. Rules and fees change, and only the organisation that runs the exam can tell you what applies to your sitting. We read NYC Public Schools — SHSAT and NYC Guide to the SHSAT for Fall 2026 Admissions on Tuesday, September 15, 2026. Go to schools.nyc.gov — SHSAT to register. GeniusPrep is an independent tutoring company and is not affiliated with College Board, ACT, E3n or the New York City Department of Education.
Once the date is locked in, the question becomes what to do with the weeks in between. That is what our SHSAT tutoring page sets out.
Take the next step
Send me these deadlines
We’ll email you the dates above, and a note on what to do with the weeks in between. Tell us where your child is and we’ll answer that part properly.
The six exams, and where each one’s rules come from
SHSAT — Specialized High Schools Admissions Test
The single test for admission to eight of New York City’s specialized high schools. Taken in 8th or 9th grade.
One testing window, no date to choose. Read from NYC Public Schools — SHSAT on Tuesday, September 15, 2026.
ISEE — Independent School Entrance Exam
Admission test for independent schools, Lower Level (grades 5–6), Middle Level (7–8) and Upper Level (9–12).
No national calendar — rules counted from your own test date. Read from ISEE registration deadlines and fees on Tuesday, September 15, 2026.
SSAT — Secondary School Admission Test
The other independent-school admission test, used by many boarding schools and by day schools outside NYC.
Official dates published by the exam board. Read from SSAT standard paper test dates and deadlines on Tuesday, September 15, 2026.
SAT
The College Board’s college admission test, taken on weekend dates at test centres.
Official dates published by the exam board. Read from SAT test dates and deadlines 2026–27 on Tuesday, September 15, 2026.
ACT
The other college admission test, offered seven times a year at national test centres.
Official dates published by the exam board. Read from ACT national test dates 2026–2027 on Tuesday, September 15, 2026.
PSAT/NMSQT
Taken in school in the autumn. It is the qualifying test for National Merit in 11th grade.
One testing window, no date to choose. Read from PSAT/NMSQT test dates, fall 2026 on Tuesday, September 15, 2026.
Questions families actually ask
Is there a national calendar of ISEE test dates?
No. Each school and each test centre opens its own sittings, so there is no list to pick from. What is fixed is the rules: online registration closes 3 days before the test, regular paper registration 21 days before, late paper registration runs from 20 to 14 days before, and walk-in registration covers anything under 13 days. Enter the date your centre gave you and this tool counts the days.
When does SHSAT registration close?
SHSAT registration in MySchools opens Tuesday 6 October 2026 and closes Friday 30 October 2026. There is no late registration and no fee. If that date passes without a registration, there is no second chance in this admissions cycle.
Can I still register after the deadline?
It depends on the exam. The ISEE has late paper registration and walk-in registration, both at a higher fee. The SSAT has a late window and then a rush window. The ACT has a late deadline and then standby testing, which does not guarantee a seat. The SHSAT has neither: one window, then nothing.
Do I have to register for the PSAT/NMSQT?
No. Schools and districts handle PSAT registration, and the school picks its day inside the October testing window. The only thing to do is ask your school counsellor which day it has chosen.
Dates in hand, the next question is what to do with the time. The free tools hub has the rest of what we have built, and the GeniusPrep blog is where we write down how New York’s tests fit together.