Quick answer. The New York State Regents are subject-based high-school exams students must pass to earn a Regents Diploma. The most commonly required are English Language Arts, Algebra I, Living Environment, Earth Science, Global History & Geography, and U.S. History & Government. Most students take their first Regents (Algebra I or Living Environment) in 9th grade and finish the core sequence by 11th. ConnectPrep tutors 1:1 for every Regents subject. Free consultation.
New York Regents Exams: What to Take, When, and Which Are Hardest
What Regents exams are required to graduate?
For a Regents Diploma, students must pass exams across five areas: one ELA exam, one Math (typically Algebra I), one Science (Living Environment or a physical science), one Social Studies (U.S. History & Government or Global History & Geography), plus a fifth assessment of the student's choice. An Advanced Regents Diploma requires additional Math and Science exams plus a world-language assessment.
What Regents are taken in 9th and 10th grade?
Most students sit their first Regents in 9th grade — usually Algebra I and/or Living Environment, depending on course placement. In 10th grade, students commonly take Geometry, Earth Science or Chemistry, and Global History & Geography II. The exact sequence depends on the student's math and science track.
Which Regents exam is the hardest?
Students most often rate Algebra II, Chemistry, and Physics as the hardest Regents because they combine dense content with multi-step problem solving. Global History & Geography II is the most reading- and writing-intensive. The "easiest" Regents for most students are Living Environment and U.S. History & Government, which reward consistent review of well-defined content.
When are Regents exams given, and when are results released?
Regents exams are administered three times a year: the main June window (mid-June), a smaller August window, and limited January administrations. Schools typically release scores within a few weeks of each window — June results are usually available to families by late June through early July via the school. See the full 2026 NYS testing schedule.
Regents Prep by Subject
ConnectPrep tutors 1:1 for every Regents exam, starting with an AI-driven diagnostic to pinpoint where a student loses the most points. The most-requested subjects:
| Subject area | Common Regents exam(s) | Typical grade |
|---|---|---|
| Mathematics | Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II | 9–11 |
| Science | Living Environment, Earth Science, Chemistry, Physics | 9–12 |
| English | ELA (Common Core) | 11 |
| Social Studies | Global History & Geography II, U.S. History & Government | 10–11 |
Preparing for a June or August Regents? Book a free consultation and we'll match your student with a tutor who knows the exam's format and scoring.
NY Regents PrepThat Actually Earns the Diploma.
The New York State Regents exams are the gateway to a high school diploma — and to advanced and honors designations that matter for college admissions. ConnectPrep tutors specialize in every Regents subject, with proven preparation strategies, official-format practice, and 1-on-1 coaching from experienced NY-state tutors.
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What Are the NY Regents Exams?
The New York State Regents Examinations are end-of-course standardized tests required for high school graduation in New York. Students typically take their first Regents exam in 8th or 9th grade (Algebra I) and continue through grade 12, with most students taking 5–9 Regents exams across their high school career.
Regents are administered three times per year — January, June, and August — and cover Math, Science, Social Studies, English Language Arts, and World Languages. Each exam is graded on a 0–100 scale with a passing score of 65, though competitive students aim for 85+ for honors recognition.
Beyond just passing, Regents scores affect diploma type — Regents Diploma, Regents with Advanced Designation, or Regents with Honors — and play a real role in college admissions for NY-state applicants. Strong Regents performance signals academic readiness; weak performance can limit options.
Standard Regents Diploma. Pass 5 required exams (Algebra I, ELA, Science, Social Studies, plus one more). Score of 65+ on each. The minimum graduation pathway.
Regents with Advanced Designation. Pass 9 exams including Algebra II, Geometry, two Sciences, and a World Language. The standard for college-track students.
Regents with Honors. Average 90+ across required exams. The mark of distinction that competitive colleges look for in NY applicants.
Regents Tutoring by Subject
We tutor every Regents exam currently administered. Each requires distinct content mastery and test-taking strategy. Our tutors specialize in the specific exams your student needs to pass — or excel at.
All Regents exams currently administered by the New York State Education Department. Test windows: January, June, and August.
Generic Tutoring Doesn't Move Regents Scores.
Each Regents exam has its own content map, scoring rubric, and test patterns. Tutors who don't know NY-state specifics waste your student's prep time.
| What We Evaluate | Generic Tutoring | ConnectPrep Regents |
|---|---|---|
| Subject-specific content map | Generic curriculum | NY Reg-aligned, exam-by-exam |
| Past-exam pattern analysis | Random practice | Years of past Regents reviewed |
| DBQ & essay rubric coaching | Skipped or vague | Direct rubric-based scoring |
| Reference table fluency | "Look it up later" | Drilled until automatic |
| Diploma-track strategy | "Just pass everything" | Honors / Advanced positioning |
| Lab requirement awareness | Often missed | Tracked and supported |
| Three-window timing strategy | No plan | January / June / August mapped |
How ConnectPrep Approaches Regents Prep
Diagnostic First
Before we build a Regents prep plan, we run a diagnostic on the specific exam your student is targeting. Generic study packets waste prep time. We want to see exactly which content domains and question types are causing point loss — then build the plan from there.
Past-Exam Strategy
The Regents repeat patterns. Question types, content emphasis, even specific problem structures recur across years. Our tutors have analyzed years of past exams to identify what's tested and how — so practice is targeted, not random.
Subject Mastery
Strong test-taking strategy can't compensate for shaky content knowledge. Our subject-specific tutors fill content gaps systematically — identifying which standards your student hasn't mastered and rebuilding the foundation.
Essay & DBQ Strategy
For ELA, Global History II, and US History exams, the writing tasks (essays, DBQs, enduring issues) are where the most points are won or lost. Our tutors coach directly to the NY scoring rubrics — the same ones graders use.
Test-Day Strategy
Strong content knowledge can collapse under test pressure. Our final week before each Regents focuses on test-day execution — pacing, anxiety management, and the small techniques that separate a 79 from an 85.
Regents Questions, Answered
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