The HSPT, or the High School Placement Test, which is published by the Scholastic Testing Service, is a multiple choice test consisting of 298 questions divided into five sections. Each section is timed, and the total time allowed for all sections is about 2 hours and 30 minutes. The sections and the timing are divided as follows:
- Verbal Skills 60 questions – 16 minutes
- Quantitative Skills 52 questions – 30 minutes
- Reading 62 questions – 25 minutes
- Mathematics 64 questions – 45 minutes
- Language Skills 60 questions – 25 minutes
Verbal Skills
This section includes test questions about synonyms, antonyms, logic, analogies and verbal classifications. It is important that the tester recalls these concepts and understands how these questions are asked. For synonyms and antonyms, testers will be asked to provide “the best answer.” For logic questions, analogies and verbal classifications, testers must determine patterns and draw conclusions. Our course will review these concepts, the test format, common patterns that appear in these questions, and time management.
Quantitative Skills
This section includes test questions regarding number series, geometric comparisons, non-geometric comparisons, and number manipulation. The format of the questions in this section is different than questions students are accustomed to answering in math class. These questions also require the testers to recognize patterns and draw conclusions from these patterns. Our course will focus on strategy development and practice in these specific kinds of questions.
Reading
This section has two components. First, testers will be asked to read several passages and then answer several comprehension questions about the passage. The second component asks testers to correctly identify definitions for vocabulary words. Time management is critical to success in this section. Timed reading will be practiced over multiple sessions with each session focusing on a different skill such as main ideas, characterizations, and interpreting contextual clues.
Mathematics
This section tests basic math concepts including arithmetic, elementary algebra, and basic geometry. In some cases, students have not had practice in these basic mathematic concepts in some time, and our course will review concepts that students may have learned not only in 8th grade but also essential concepts from prior years. A second component to the math exam is word problem solving. Our course will provide practice word problems over several sessions and provide tips for approaching the solutions.
Language Skills
In this section, testers are asked to choose the answer that has an error in punctuation, capitalization, usage, spelling, and composition. Our course will review these basic language concepts and provide practice for all of these types of questions.