New York · Catholic High School Admissions

HSPT Prep in New York

In New York the HSPT is the test that decides scholarships at many of the most selective Catholic high schools. Regis, Xavier, Fordham Prep and Loyola School all host it, Rockland County schools use it through the New Jersey cooperative program, and Buffalo-area schools give it as their common entrance exam. Here are the 2026-27 dates, how the HSPT fits alongside the TACHS, and how ConnectPrep prepares students one on one, in NYC and Westchester homes and online statewide.

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Nov 14, 2026Regis HSPT scholarship exam

Nov 21, 2026HSPT at Xavier, Fordham Prep and Loyola School

298Questions across five sections

FreeFull-length HSPT practice test with a personal report

In short: Most Catholic high schools in New York City, Long Island and Westchester use the TACHS, not the HSPT. The HSPT is used by Regis (its scholarship exam, November 14, 2026), Xavier, Fordham Prep and Loyola School (each November 21, 2026), by Rockland County Catholic schools through the New Jersey COOP program (November 6, 2026), and by Buffalo-area Catholic high schools as their common entrance exam (November 21, 2026). Many NYC families take both tests: the TACHS for diocesan schools and the HSPT for Jesuit school scholarships.

Jeremy M. Fine, Founder, ConnectPrep
20+ years in test prep and admissions · Updated November 6, 2026

Which Schools Use It

New York Schools That Use the HSPT in 2026-27

Dates below come from each school’s own admissions pages. Several of these schools accept more than one test, so the HSPT column shows when and why to take it.

School	Area	Tests accepted	HSPT date and role
Regis High School	Manhattan	HSPT as its scholarship exam	Sat, Nov 14, 2026 at Regis. 8:30 a.m. for Bronx, Manhattan and Queens residents, 12:30 p.m. for other regions. Applying online registers the student automatically.
Xavier High School	Manhattan	TACHS, HSPT, SSAT or ISEE	Sat, Nov 21, 2026 at Xavier, 8:30 a.m., for merit scholarship and Ignatian Scholars consideration. Deadline to test at Xavier: Nov 9. Students now in a Catholic middle school must take the TACHS.
Fordham Preparatory School	Bronx	HSPT, TACHS, ISEE or SSAT	Sat, Nov 21, 2026 at Fordham Prep, 8:00 a.m. Only HSPT takers are considered for a merit scholarship.
Loyola School	Manhattan	ISEE, SSAT or HSPT, no preference	Sat, Nov 21 or Sat, Dec 12, 2026 at Loyola, open to Loyola applicants. Early Decision applicants test on Nov 21. Loyola is not a TACHS school.
Albertus Magnus High School and other Rockland County Catholic high schools	Rockland County	HSPT through the NJ Cooperative Admissions (COOP) program	Fri, Nov 6, 2026, makeup Sat, Nov 14 at select sites. Score reports emailed to parents Jan 11, 2027.
Buffalo Academy of the Sacred Heart	Buffalo area	HSPT (Catholic High School Entrance Exam)	Sat, Nov 21, 2026. Acceptance letters mailed Jan 21, 2027.
Canisius High School	Buffalo	Scholarship and Placement Exam	Sat, Nov 21, 2026, 8:30 a.m. to noon. Makeup Sat, Dec 5, 2026.
St. Joseph’s Collegiate Institute	Buffalo area	Entrance and Scholarship Exam	Sat, Nov 21, 2026, then monthly by appointment.
McQuaid Jesuit	Rochester	School entrance exam	Offered monthly from November through May. Academic scholarships require testing November through February.

Buffalo-area schools share one Western New York Catholic high school application, which registers each student to take the entrance exam at the first-choice school. Buffalo Academy of the Sacred Heart names the exam as the High School Placement Test; Canisius and St. Joseph’s Collegiate use their own names for the same November 21 sitting.

HSPT or TACHS

How the HSPT Fits Alongside the TACHS in New York

	TACHS	HSPT
Where it is used	Archdiocese of New York, Diocese of Brooklyn and Queens, Diocese of Rockville Centre	Regis, Xavier, Fordham Prep, Loyola School, Rockland County COOP schools, Buffalo-area schools
How it is given	Remote online test at home	In person, on campus or at a program test site
2026 dates	Nov 6 (Archdiocese of New York), Nov 7 (Brooklyn and Queens, Rockville Centre)	Nov 6 (Rockland COOP), Nov 14 (Regis), Nov 21 (Xavier, Fordham Prep, Loyola, Buffalo), Dec 12 (Loyola)
Registration	Closed Oct 28, 2026	Set by each school or program
Typical role	Admission to diocesan high schools	Admission, placement and merit scholarships

For a full side by side of format and scoring, see HSPT vs TACHS. Applying across the river too? Our HSPT guide for New Jersey covers the COOP schools in Bergen, Hudson, Essex, Union, Morris, Passaic and Sussex counties.

The Test

What the HSPT Covers

The HSPT, published by Scholastic Testing Service, is a five-part multiple choice test with 298 questions. Two sections measure reasoning ability and three measure achievement.

Section	Questions	Time	What it tests
Verbal Skills	60	16 to 18 min	Analogies, synonyms, antonyms, verbal logic and verbal classification
Quantitative Skills	52	30 min	Number series, geometric and non-geometric comparisons, number manipulation
Reading	62	25 min	Passage comprehension and vocabulary in context
Mathematics	64	45 min	Math concepts and problem solving through pre-algebra and early algebra and geometry
Language	60	25 min	Punctuation, capitalization, usage, spelling and composition

How HSPT scoring works

Each section receives a standard score from 200 to 800, with 500 as the average. Reports also show national and local percentiles and a Cognitive Skills Quotient built from the Verbal and Quantitative sections, where 100 is average. At Regis, Xavier and Fordham Prep, these numbers carry real weight in scholarship decisions, which is why the HSPT deserves its own preparation even for students who are already ready for the TACHS.

How We Prepare Students

ConnectPrep HSPT Prep for New York Families

ConnectPrep teaches students to simplify and deconstruct the test. Every HSPT question type follows a pattern, and once a student can see the pattern, speed and accuracy follow.

Free Full-Length Diagnostic

All five sections and all 298 questions, taken online. Jeremy Fine personally reviews the results and sends a customized report with section targets and a plan.

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One Plan for TACHS and HSPT

Students applying to diocesan schools and Jesuit schools prepare for both tests in one plan, sequenced around the TACHS date and the November HSPT sittings.

Compare HSPT and TACHS →

Timed Practice That Builds Pace

Timed section drills and full-length practice under real conditions, so 60 verbal questions in about 16 minutes feels routine by test day.

Explore free assessments →

Admissions Beyond the Test

School lists, applications, essays, interviews and scholarship strategy for New York Catholic and independent schools.

Private and prep school exams →

Sessions are one on one, in the home for many New York City and Westchester families and online anywhere in New York. Learn more about ConnectPrep in New York City, Westchester and across New York State, or see private school timelines in our New York and New Jersey private school admissions guide.

Planning Ahead

HSPT Timeline for Current 7th Graders

Spring of 7th grade: take a full-length HSPT diagnostic and decide whether your list also needs the TACHS.
Summer before 8th grade: start steady prep, two or three focused sessions a week.
September and October of 8th grade: register for the TACHS and for each school’s HSPT sitting, and watch early deadlines such as Xavier’s.
Early November: TACHS week, followed by the Regis HSPT in mid November.
Late November into December: HSPT at Xavier, Fordham Prep, Loyola and Buffalo-area schools.

FAQ

HSPT in New York: Frequently Asked Questions

Do New York Catholic high schools use the HSPT or the TACHS?

Most use the TACHS. Catholic high schools in the Archdiocese of New York, the Diocese of Brooklyn and Queens, and the Diocese of Rockville Centre on Long Island admit students through the TACHS. The HSPT appears at several Jesuit and independent Catholic schools in New York City, at Rockland County schools in the New Jersey cooperative program, and in Western New York.

Which New York City schools use the HSPT?

Regis High School uses the HSPT as its scholarship exam and gives it on campus on Saturday, November 14, 2026. Xavier High School, Fordham Prep and Loyola School each host the HSPT on Saturday, November 21, 2026, and Loyola adds Saturday, December 12. Xavier and Fordham Prep also accept the TACHS, ISEE or SSAT, and Loyola accepts the ISEE or SSAT.

Should my child take both the TACHS and the HSPT?

Often, yes. A student applying to diocesan schools and to Regis, Xavier or Fordham Prep usually needs the TACHS for the diocesan schools and the HSPT for scholarship consideration. Fordham Prep states that only students who sit for the HSPT are considered for a merit scholarship, and Xavier considers merit scholarships for students who take the HSPT at Xavier, Regis, Fordham Prep, Loyola School or through the Archdiocese of Newark.

When is the TACHS in 2026?

The TACHS is a remote online test taken at home. The Archdiocese of New York tested on Friday, November 6, 2026, and the Diocese of Brooklyn and Queens and the Diocese of Rockville Centre test on Saturday, November 7, 2026. Registration closed on October 28, 2026.

How many questions are on the HSPT and how long is it?

The HSPT has 298 multiple choice questions in five sections: Verbal Skills (60), Quantitative Skills (52), Reading (62), Mathematics (64) and Language (60). Testing time is about two and a half hours, and the full session runs close to three hours with breaks and instructions.

How is the HSPT scored?

Each section receives a standard score from 200 to 800, with 500 as the average. Reports also show national and local percentiles and a Cognitive Skills Quotient, where 100 is average. Schools use the results for admission, placement and, at many New York schools, merit scholarships.

Do Rockland County Catholic high schools use the HSPT?

Yes. Catholic high schools in Rockland County, including Albertus Magnus High School, participate in the Cooperative Admissions HSPT program run with the Archdiocese of Newark and the Diocese of Paterson. The 2026 test was Friday, November 6, with a makeup on Saturday, November 14 at select sites.

What entrance exam do Buffalo Catholic high schools use?

Buffalo-area Catholic high schools give a common entrance exam on Saturday, November 21, 2026, and the Western New York Catholic high school application automatically registers students to test at their first-choice school. Buffalo Academy of the Sacred Heart identifies the exam as the High School Placement Test. Canisius calls it the Scholarship and Placement Exam, with a makeup on December 5, and St. Joseph’s Collegiate Institute offers it monthly by appointment after November.

Is the HSPT used for scholarships in New York?

Yes, at many schools. Regis uses the HSPT as its scholarship exam, Fordham Prep considers only HSPT takers for merit scholarships, and Buffalo schools such as Canisius and St. Joseph’s Collegiate use their entrance exam for scholarships. McQuaid Jesuit in Rochester awards academic scholarships based on entrance exam scores taken between November and February.

How early should my child start HSPT prep?

For most students, two to four months of steady prep is the right range, starting in the spring or summer after 7th grade. Students aiming for Regis, Xavier, Fordham Prep or merit scholarships benefit from an early full-length diagnostic, so the plan targets the sections with the most room to grow.

Find Out Where Your Child Stands on the HSPT.

Request ConnectPrep’s free full-length HSPT practice test, or book a free consultation with founder Jeremy Fine to map out a TACHS and HSPT plan for your schools.

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info@connectprep.com · Serving New York families in person and online

Sources

This is a ConnectPrep page. Test dates and school policies were checked against each school or program’s official site on November 6, 2026. Policies change, so confirm with each school before registering.

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