How to get into Hunter College High School
Photo: Ajay Suresh
Introduction
In addition to the nine Specialized High Schools, Hunter College High School (HCHS) stands out as one of the best public high schools in New York City. Founded in 1869, HCHS offers an exceptional academic program for its students starting in 7th grade and continuing through 12th grade.
Is Hunter College High School hard to get into?
Yes. HCHS is a highly selective public magnet school with its own admissions process. In order to gain admission, students must complete a multiple-choice reading and math exam along with a writing assessment.
Students must meet certain eligibility requirements in order to take the entrance exam.
Who can take the Hunter College High School entrance exam?
The entrance exam is administered for eligible 6th grade students. In 2023, in order to be eligible to have taken the exam, a student must have scored at least a 479 on the 5th Grade NYS English Language Arts (ELA) Test and a 492 on the 5th Grade NYS Mathematics Test. This translates roughly to a score in the 90th percentile (or above) on each test.
A smaller subset of students from Hunter College Elementary School are also granted admission to the high school.
What is on the Hunter College High School entrance exam?
The HCHS entrance exam is comprised of three sections:
ELA (Approximately 50 multiple-choice questions): This section tests the student on their reading comprehension abilities across fiction, non-fiction, and poetry. Students should expect roughly six different passages in this section.
Math (Approximately 30 multiple-choice questions): The math section consists of a variety of word problems. Most questions fall within the category of 'quantitative reasoning'. In other words, students are not simply being tested on the underlying math skills but on their problem-solving abilities. Topics that appear on the math assessment include:
Arithmetic
Percentages, fractions, and decimals
Prime numbers
Geometry: area of shaded regions, perimeter, and three dimensional figures
Averages
Estimation
Ratios
Rates of change
Positive and negative numbers
Simple probability
One writing Assignment: Each student will be asked to write an essay or a creative piece (up to two pages) to demonstrate their writing abilities. Depending on the year, the student will either be presented with a list of topics to choose from or a single topic. Tip: Students should look at the topic(s) as soon as they begin the test so that they can casually think of ideas while working through the ELA and Math.
Students have three hours to complete the entire exam. The exam can be taken in any order, meaning a student can jump around between different sections of the test. There is no penalty for guessing, so it is in a student's best interest to fill in an answer for each question.
Are there any practice tests for the Hunter College High School entrance exam?
Yes! HCHS has made two practice tests available for aspiring applicants:
When is the Hunter College High School entrance exam administered?
In 2024, the HCHS entrance exam was administered on January 24th. We anticipate that the next entrance exam will be administered in January 2025 with enrollment for the exam for eligible students beginning in Fall 2024.
When will families be notified about admissions decisions for Hunter College High School?
According to the HCHS website, families will be notified about admissions decisions by the end of March 2024.
Is Hunter College High School better than Stuyvesant?
It is tricky to compare Hunter College High School with Stuyvesant High School since they are both unique programs that offer their own advantages and disadvantages. However, there are key distinctions between the two schools:
HCHS is the older institution, founded in 1869 versus Stuyvesant, which was founded in 1904.
Whereas Stuyvesant is a four-year high school, starting in 9th grade, HCHS begins in 7th grade and is comprised of students who attended Hunter College Elementary School and another cohort of students who begin in 7th grade. The size of the two schools also differs greatly: in 2022, HCHS enrolled approximately 600 students whereas Stuyvesant enrolled 3,319 students.
Both schools offer extremely rigorous curriculums, including a slate of Advanced Placement (AP) courses as well as extracurriculars. However, achievement on the SAT varies greatly between the two schools: in 2022, the average SAT score at HCHS was 1256 versus 1507 for Stuyvesant.
How much does it cost to go to Hunter College High School?
As a public school, Hunter College High School is completely free to attend.
Conclusion
For parents wishing to keep their students within the public school system or for any family within close proximity to its campus, Hunter College High School provides an incredible educational opportunity for grades seven through twelve. In light of this, admissions to the school are highly competitive and interested families should begin thinking about a game plan as early as 5th grade so as to ensure that their child is eligible for the test in 6th grade. Fortunately, Honors Prep and its team of qualified private tutors are here to help. Whether you're looking for help with the 5th grade New York State ELA and Math exams or the Hunter College High School entrance exam itself, contact us today to set up a free consultation.
