If you need help studying for the Test for Admission into Catholic High Schools (TACHS) or just want some more information about what the test is like, you’ve come to the right place.
Click below to take a free TACHS practice test!
Exam Eligibility
To be eligible for the TACHS, you must be an 8th-grade student seeking admission to a Catholic high school for the next school year.
This exam applies only to Catholic high schools within the following:
- Archdiocese of New York
- Diocese of Brooklyn/Queens
- Diocese of Rockville Centre (Long Island)
What’s on the Exam?
There are 200 multiple-choice questions on the exam, and the time limit is 2.5 hours. There aren’t any scheduled breaks, but you’re free to take a restroom break as needed.
Let’s take a closer look at the different sections of the exam.
1. Reading
~60 questions
- Factual comprehension
- Interpretative comprehension
- Evaluative comprehension
- Main ideas
- Author’s purpose
- Determining the meaning of words in context
- Identifying supporting details
- Understanding text structure
- Making inferences
- Comparing and contrasting ideas
- Recognizing themes or central messages
- Analyzing tone or mood
2. Written Expression
~50 questions
- Writing in standard English
- Identifying the most appropriate way to express ideas
- Organization of ideas
- Sentence structure
- Clarity of expression
- Effectiveness of expression
- Appropriateness of expression
- Identifying lines of text with errors
- Correcting grammatical errors
- Improving word choice
- Identifying redundancy or unnecessary information
- Recognizing logical flow and transitions
3. Mathematics
~50 questions
- Number sense and operations
- Algebraic patterns and connections
- Data analysis
- Probability
- Statistics
- Geometry
- Measurement
4. Ability
~40 questions
- Learned reasoning abilities
- Reasoning with spatial content
- Reasoning with figural content
- Solving novel problems
- Applying reasoning skills to untaught problems
- Problem-solving grounded in biological processes
- Using experiences from both in-school and out-of-school learning
How to Register
To get started, you’ll need to visit the TACHS website and fill out the registration form. When you submit the form, you’ll also need to submit the $71 registration fee.
You should receive a confirmation email once your registration form and payment have been approved.
TACHS Study Guide
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Exam Scores
The test is scored using a scaled scoring method. Here’s how it works:
The reason your raw score is converted to a scaled score is because everyone who takes the test is given a slightly different set of questions. Since everyone has a different arrangement of questions, and because some questions are harder than others, converting your raw score to a scaled score ensures a more even playing field.
Retaking the Exam
Unfortunately, if you didn’t get a passing score on your first try, you will not be able to take it again.
FAQs
How many questions are on the TACHS exam?
The exam contains 200 questions.
What is the time limit for the TACHS exam?
The exam is timed at 2.5 hours.
What is the passing score for the TACHS exam?
Each school has its own passing score requirements, so there isn’t a universal passing score.
How much does the TACHS exam cost?
The registration fee is $71 per student.