HSPT vs TACHS: which test does my child take?
Your child takes the test the target high schools require: Catholic high schools in many dioceses use the HSPT (298 questions, five sections, no calculator), while the Archdiocese of New York and the Diocese of Brooklyn and Queens use the TACHS (in 2026 the Archdiocese's TACHS was online on Friday, November 6, for a $78 fee). You do not choose between them.
Updated October 24, 2026 · by AdmitTest
The short rule: take the test the school asks for. Each high school or diocese names its test, and the list of schools your child is applying to settles the question.
The two tests side by side
| HSPT | TACHS | |
|---|---|---|
| Where it is used | Catholic high schools in many dioceses (Chicago, Cincinnati, Washington DC, Detroit, the San Francisco Bay Area and others; see the dates guide) | Catholic high schools of the Archdiocese of New York; the Diocese of Brooklyn and Queens also uses it |
| Publisher | Scholastic Testing Service (STS) | Not stated in the sources we checked |
| Who sets the date | Each school or diocese (STS) | The Archdiocese: Friday, November 6, 2026, remote and online, $78 including scores to three high schools |
| Sections | Verbal Skills, Quantitative Skills, Reading, Mathematics, Language: 298 questions (STS manual) | Reading, mathematics and language, according to the Archdiocese; question counts not confirmed |
| Calculator | Not permitted on Mathematics (STS) | Not confirmed from an official source |
| Wrong answers | No penalty | Not confirmed from an official source |
Where the table says "not confirmed", we looked for a public source from the test's owner or the Archdiocese and did not find the fact. Guides from test-prep companies give different numbers for the TACHS, so we do not repeat them here. Check the TACHS registration materials of the Archdiocese of New York or your school.
Which one is yours?
- New York City Catholic high schools: almost always the TACHS. A few independent schools, for example Loyola School, use the HSPT.
- Other dioceses with a Catholic high school exam (see the dates guide for the ones we found) use the HSPT, but check: some schools use other tests or their own.
- Not sure? Ask the admissions office: "Which entrance test do you require for next fall, and on which dates?"
What to practice
If your school asks for the HSPT, the free practice test covers all five sections on their own clocks. If it asks for the TACHS, our practice does not fit yet: we are building HSPT practice first and the TACHS comes later (tell us you need it).
Free full-length HSPT practice test. 298 questions in five timed sections, no sign-up. Your child's score by section and by skill when it ends.
Start the free testCommon questions
What is the difference between the HSPT and the TACHS?
They are different tests used by different dioceses. The HSPT (Scholastic Testing Service) is the entrance exam of many Catholic high schools across the country, with five sections and 298 questions. The TACHS is used for New York City Catholic high schools. Which one your child takes depends on the school, not on preference.
Can I take the HSPT instead of the TACHS for New York Catholic schools?
Usually no: the Archdiocese of New York and the Diocese of Brooklyn and Queens use the TACHS. A few independent Catholic schools in New York City do use the HSPT, so check each school on your list.
Is a practice test for one good for the other?
They cover similar school skills (reading, language, math), so some practice carries over, but the sections and timing differ, so practice for the test you will actually take. Our practice is for the HSPT only; a TACHS practice test is on our list for later.
How many questions are on the TACHS?
We could not confirm it. The Archdiocese's own announcement says the TACHS measures school aptitude and scholastic achievement in reading, mathematics and language, and does not give a question count. Guides from test-prep companies give different numbers, so use the TACHS registration materials.