At four-thirty in the morning, when I open the balcony door, the scent from a few late-blooming roses rises low in the chilly air. During this quiet time, I've been checking the calendar more often than the flowers lately.

As October approaches, the same question circulates among the neighborhood moms: Have you registered for the tech exam?

The "tech" here refers to Staten Island Technical High School, and the exam is the SHSAT. However, this year, the format of the exam itself has changed.

According to the official guidance from the NYC Department of Education, starting from the fall of 2026, the SHSAT will change to a computer adaptive test, or CAT. The difficulty of the next question will depend on how the previous question was answered.

Last fall's exam was the first to be administered on a computer instead of on paper, and this year takes it a step further. It's not just moved to a screen; the way questions are presented has changed as well.

The test consists of two sections: English Language Arts (ELA) and Math, with 50 questions in each section. The standard testing time is a total of 180 minutes.

Students can choose which section to start with. This means they also have control over time management, so it's worth practicing in advance.

What surprised me the most was that you must answer each question to move on to the next one, and once you skip a math or standalone ELA question, you cannot go back.

In our time, the strategy was to circle difficult questions and come back to them later. I thought that habit might actually hinder students in this new format.

The exam must be taken on computers provided by the Department of Education. Personal devices are not allowed, and paper exams are only permitted for a very small number of students specified in IEP or 504 plans.

All students can use features like zoom, highlighter, and note-taking. English Language Learners (ELL) and eligible former ELL students will receive double the standard time, 360 minutes, along with translated instructions and a bilingual glossary.

If you have recently immigrated, be sure to check this with your school counselor. It would be a shame to miss out on eligibility without knowing.

The most urgent matter is the date. Registration is done through MySchools, and the deadline is October 30.

The Department of Education's guidance does not mention late registration options. By the time this article is published, there will be just over ten days left until the deadline, so it's best not to delay.

When registering, you also indicate your preference order for the schools you are applying to. Schools not listed will not be considered at all, so if you want to attend tech, you must include it in your preferences.

Students with a 504 plan must submit their paperwork at least three weeks before the registration deadline. Since that time may have already passed, those affected should contact the school immediately.

The test date varies by school type. Eighth graders in public middle schools will take the exam on Wednesday, November 18, during class time at their school.

Students from 6-12 schools, charter schools, private schools, or homeschooled students will take the exam at designated locations on Saturday, November 14, or Sunday, November 15. Ninth graders will take it on Saturday, November 21.

The admission process is straightforward. Students are assigned seats based on their scores in descending order, matching them to their lower preference rankings until all spots are filled.

There are eight specialized high schools that administer the SHSAT, and these schools select students solely based on their exam scores. LaGuardia selects students separately through auditions and portfolios, so don't get confused.

Scores for each section are converted into scaled scores and then combined to determine rankings. Even with the adaptive format, this overall structure remains unchanged.

Preparation materials are surprisingly well-organized. The NYC SHSAT portal offers tutorial tools and four online practice tests that simulate the actual exam, requiring only a browser.

The Department of Education has also released a SHSAT guide for the 2027 admissions cycle in 12 languages. It would be helpful to check if there is a Korean version available for parents to read.

Be cautious when reviewing materials from tutoring centers. Some workbooks still circulate with different numbers of questions per section based on the old format, but the official guidance for this year is 50 questions.

Additionally, for students who score below the cutoff, there is a summer program opportunity called the Discovery program for low-income families or students from schools with high low-income populations. Eligible families will be contacted in the spring after taking the exam.

If I were you, I would take a practice test with my child this weekend under real-time conditions. Getting a feel for how many minutes to spend on questions you can't return to is more beneficial than going through ten workbooks.

Honestly, hearing that the exam format has changed made me a bit anxious. However, as I read through it carefully, I could clearly see the areas where preparation is possible.

Dates and details may change, so be sure to check the MySchools and Department of Education SHSAT pages once more before registering. The roses will bloom at their own pace tomorrow morning, just as children will navigate this fall at their own speed.