Who can take the Hunter exam
The exam is open to New York City residents in 6th grade who meet Hunter's qualifying criteria, which are based on 5th grade standardized test results. Only students who qualify are invited to sit the entrance exam in January, so families should confirm eligibility rules for the current admissions cycle on Hunter's official admissions page before planning a prep schedule.
Format: multiple choice plus a writing task
The exam combines English language arts and mathematics multiple-choice sections with a timed writing assignment. The essay is what most distinguishes Hunter from the SHSAT: it is read by faculty and can carry real weight in the admissions decision.
- ELA: reading comprehension across literary and informational passages, plus grammar and usage.
- Math: multi-step arithmetic, fractions and ratios, pre-algebra, geometry and logical reasoning problems.
- Writing: a prompt requiring a structured, argued response in a limited time window.
How Hunter prep differs from SHSAT prep
Hunter questions tend to reward reasoning and reading depth more than mechanical speed, and the math reaches into problem types a year ahead of many 6th grade classrooms. The essay has no SHSAT equivalent at all.
Practically: a student preparing for Hunter needs regular timed writing practice with feedback, on top of the multiple-choice drilling that SHSAT prep is built around.
A 6th grade study plan
- Fall, weeks 1–4: diagnostic, then close the biggest math gaps — fractions, ratios, percents and multi-step word problems.
- Weeks 5–10: daily mixed practice plus one timed essay a week, each one reviewed for structure and evidence rather than grammar alone.
- Weeks 11 to test day: full-length timed mocks, essay practice under exact time limits, and targeted review of repeating mistake types.
How SHSATprep.AI supports Hunter prep
The free AI diagnostic sets a baseline and produces a study plan. Hunter practice is organized by question type and difficulty, so a student can drill exactly the reasoning formats the exam favors, and the subject AI tutor explains any question in plain language. Questions are original items written in the official style and refreshed automatically as admissions policies change.
Prep timeline: what to do when
Spring of 5th grade
Eligibility and baseline
Confirm eligibility (qualifying 5th-grade standardized scores in NYC) and take a baseline diagnostic. Begin daily reading of full-length non-fiction and literary passages.
Summer before 6th grade
Skill building
Build fraction, ratio, percent and pre-algebra fluency, and start weekly timed writing on an opinion or narrative prompt. Hunter's writing task rewards structure and specific detail, not length.
September–October
Mixed timed practice
About 50 mixed questions a day plus one written response a week, reviewed line by line. Add a full mock every two weeks under exam conditions.
November–December (final weeks)
Mocks, essay polish, taper
Weekly full mocks, targeted review of repeating mistake types, and two or three practice essays with the AI tutor's feedback. Taper volume in the last week.
A sample study week
| Day | Session |
|---|---|
| Monday | 25 math questions on the current weak topic, untimed then reviewed |
| Tuesday | 2 reading passages + vocabulary in context |
| Wednesday | One timed writing prompt (30 minutes) + outline review |
| Thursday | 30 mixed math, timed |
| Friday | 50-question mixed English and math set |
| Saturday | Full mock (alternating weeks) or a single timed section |
| Sunday | Mistake log and tutor conversation — no new questions |
Hunter is a single-shot exam for 7th-grade entry, so the writing task deserves its own weekly slot from the start rather than a rush in the final month.
Worked examples: how the questions are solved
Math · percent change
A book's price is raised from $24 to $30, then later reduced by 20%. What is the final price?
- A. $24
- B. $25
- C. $26
- D. $28.80
Answer: A. $24
After the increase the price is $30. A 20% reduction removes 0.20 × 30 = $6, leaving $24 — back to the original price.
Common trap: A 25% increase followed by a 20% decrease returns to the start; students often assume the two percentages cancel only when the numbers match. Always apply each percentage to the price at that moment.
Math · logic and counting
In a class of 30 students, 18 play an instrument, 14 play a sport, and 6 do both. How many students do neither?
Answer: 4
Students doing at least one activity = 18 + 14 − 6 = 26. So 30 − 26 = 4 do neither.
Common trap: Adding 18 + 14 without subtracting the overlap gives 32, which is impossible in a class of 30 — a quick sanity check that catches the error.
English · main idea
A passage traces how a city library changed its opening hours after surveying working parents. The question asks for the passage's main idea.
- A. Libraries are underfunded.
- B. Surveys are difficult to design.
- C. The library adapted its schedule to the community it serves.
- D. Working parents rarely read.
Answer: C
The main idea must cover the whole passage, not one detail. Only C describes both the survey and the resulting change.
Common trap: Answer A may be true in the world but is not what this passage argues. Main-idea questions are about the passage, not about general knowledge.
Writing task · structure
Prompt: “Describe a time you changed your mind about something. What caused the change?”
Answer: A three-part structure with one concrete scene
Strong responses open with the belief held before, spend most of the space on one specific moment with sensory or factual detail, and close with what the change means now.
Graders reward clarity and specificity: one vivid example outperforms three vague ones, and a clean four-paragraph piece outperforms a long unstructured one.
Common trap: Listing several experiences without developing any of them. Choose one and go deep.
These are original items written in the official style, not reproductions of copyrighted released exams.
Frequently asked questions
- Is the Hunter exam the same as the SHSAT?
- No. Hunter administers its own exam for 7th grade entry, taken in 6th grade, and it includes a written essay. The SHSAT is a separate test for the specialized high schools.
- How important is the Hunter essay?
- It is a distinct scored component read by faculty, so a strong multiple-choice performance with a weak essay is a real risk. Weekly timed writing practice is worth the time.
- When should Hunter prep start?
- Most families begin in the summer before 6th grade or early that fall, since the exam is held in January.
- Where can I confirm current Hunter admissions rules?
- Always check Hunter's official admissions page for the current cycle. Our policy updates page also summarizes changes we detect each week.