HSPT
What You Need to Know
What
The HSPT (also known as the Scholastic Testing Service High School Placement Test) is an entrance exam administered to 8th grade students applying to specific Catholic and other parochial high schools. In addition to its use an an entrance exam, the HSPT also serves to place entering students and determine scholarship awards.
When
Students generally take the HSPT in the fall or early winter of their 8th grade year.
How
Typically, students will take the HSPT at the school to which they wish to apply. However, results from a HSPT test administered at one school can often be used to apply to other schools. It’s advisable to contact the schools you wish to apply to for more information about when they administer their HSPT or where they recommend students take it.
HSPT Test Format
The HSPT contains 298 multiple-choice questions. These questions are broken down into 5 sections, although the questions are numbered consecutively from 1–298:
- Verbal Skills (16 minutes, 60 questions)
- This section contains a variety of question types, mixed together:
- Analogies
- Synonyms
- Logic
- Verbal Classification
- Antonyms
- This section contains a variety of question types, mixed together:
- Quantitative Skills (30 minutes, 52 questions)
- This section contains a variety of questions, mixed together, testing several types of quantitative reasoning skills:
- Number series and patterns
- Geometric comparisons
- Non-geometric comparisons
- Number manipulations
- This section contains a variety of questions, mixed together, testing several types of quantitative reasoning skills:
- Reading (25 minutes, 62 questions)
- Reading comprehension (Questions #113–152)
- This section asks students a variety of questions based on short reading passages. These passages are drawn form a mix of topics, including history, literature, science, and humanities.
- Vocabulary (Questions #153–174)
- Students are asked to find the answer choice that is most similar in meaning to an underlined word.
- Reading comprehension (Questions #113–152)
- Mathematics (45 minutes, 64 questions)
- The Mathematics section tests students on variety of mathematical concepts. These questions require content knowledge as well as problem solving ability. Questions are mainly drawn from three areas:
- Arithmetic
- Elementary Algebra
- Basic Geometry
- The Mathematics section tests students on variety of mathematical concepts. These questions require content knowledge as well as problem solving ability. Questions are mainly drawn from three areas:
- Language Skills (25 minutes, 60 questions)
- Tests on a variety of English rules
- Usage
- Punctuation
- Capitalization
- Spelling
- Composition
- Tests on a variety of English rules
Scoring & Accommodations
Scoring
Each test question on the HSPT is equally weighted ,and there is no penalty for wrong answers, so students should always guess on questions when they are unsure of the answer or run out of time on a section. A student’s raw score (the number of questions answered correctly) is converted to a scaled score ranging from 200–800. This scaled score is accompanied by a percentile rank comparing where students stand in relation to other students taking the test.
Testing Accommodations
Testing accommodations may be available for students with learning differences. If you are seeking testing accommodations, it’s best to directly contact the school where you’ll be taking the test to inquire about the application process.
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