High School
Admissions

Entrance Exam 2027

NOTE: The sample materials below reflect the style and level of questions that have appeared on previous entrance exams. Actual exam content will vary.

About the Exam

The HCHS Entrance Exam consists of two multiple-choice sections -- Reading Comprehension and Math -- and a writing assignment. Students have three hours to complete the Exam. 

There are no make-up dates for students who miss the exam.

**NOTE: HCHS does not publish any portion of the actual exam and does not endorse any test preparation service or agency.**
To the right are Exam Hints and Tips and two sample HCHS Entrance Exams. These are samples only and were not administered in any previous year. Sample exam #1 contains fewer Reading Comprehension questions than the actual exam.

The HCHS Entrance Exam has three sections:
* Reading Comprehension: 50 multiple-choice questions
* Writing Assignment
* Mathematics: 30 multiple-choice questions

Students have three hours to complete the exam and may complete the three sections in any order. Each multiple-choice question is followed by five possible answers: A, B, C, D, or E. Students should select the best answer for each question.

Reading Comprehension
The Reading Comprehension section assesses reading comprehension through passages of varying lengths and styles. Students read five or six passages and answer multiple-choice questions that assess their ability to understand, interpret, and analyze the text.

The passages represent a range of writing styles and time periods. The selections in the sample exams are older works that can be reproduced without special permission. Actual exams include more contemporary selections.

Writing Assignment
Students are asked to write either an essay or a creative piece of up to two pages. The assignment assesses originality, effectiveness, and use of detail. Space is provided in the test booklet to jot down ideas, create an outline, or draft a response before completing the final piece.

Some years, students are given a choice of topics; in other years, there is one topic.

Mathematics
The Mathematics section assesses students’ understanding of mathematical concepts and their ability to apply mathematical reasoning and problem-solving skills. Questions may require students to perform calculations, recognize patterns and relationships, interpret information, and solve problems in a variety of mathematical contexts. Calculators are not permitted.

About the Assessment
The HCHS Entrance Exam is designed to assess a student's reading comprehension, problem-solving, analytical, and writing abilities. We recognize that a single exam cannot provide a complete picture of a student's skills and knowledge.

We hope these sample exams help students become familiar with the format and types of questions they may encounter on test day. 

Good luck!

Entrance Exam Study Guides

The Test: Scoring and Student Selection

The multiple-choice sections are computer-scored and checked for accuracy. After scoring is complete, threshold scores are established to determine which students advance to the essay-reading round. These thresholds may vary from year to year.

Essays are evaluated by a panel of readers and are read “blind”; students are identified only by their HCHS Identification numbers. Readers do not know students’ identities at any point in the evaluation process. Following the essay review, students are selected for admission to HCHS.

HCHS also maintains a pool of waitlisted students. If an admitted student declines admission or withdraws, a student from the waitlist may be offered admission. The waitlist is not ranked. The waitlist letter provided when decisions are released indicates how long the waitlist will remain active.

HCHS does not rescore exams, reread essays, or reconsider admissions decisions.

Students and parents do not receive scores for any portion of the HCHS Entrance Exam and are not informed whether a student advanced to the essay-reading round.
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