The Test for Admission into Catholic High Schools or TACHS is the admissions test for Catholic high schools

Catholic school

Catholic schools are maintained parochial schools or education ministries of the Catholic Church. the Church operates the world's largest non-governmental school system...

 in and around New York City

New York metropolitan area

The New York metropolitan area, also known as Greater New York, or the Tri-State area, is the region that composes of New York City and the surrounding region...

. First used in autumn 2004, the test allows schools to compare the academic abilities of students. including how a student performs under pressure. Some schools use it to help determine which students receive a scholarship.

Format

The exam tests many of the same academic skills as the COOP and HSPT exams. The test is also very similar to the TerraNova tests which are given every year to NY school students in early October. The major areas that are covered on the TACHS are reading, language, mathematics, and general reasoning ability skills.

Administration

Every year the TACHS test normally takes place in early November with the results coming back in January and February. The test is administered to grade 8 students for admission into the next year's freshman

Freshman

A freshman or fresher is a first-year student in secondary school, high school, or college. The term first year can also be used as a noun, to describe the students themselves A freshman (US) or fresher (UK, India) (or sometimes fish, freshie, fresher; slang plural frosh or freshmeat) is a...

class.

Application

Students are limited to applying to three high schools. Part of registration includes entering the TACHS school code for the schools the student wishes to send scores to. Scores can be forwarded to Archdiocese of New York (New York City & Westchester), Diocese of Brooklyn (Brooklyn & Queens), and Diocese of Rockville Centre (Long Island) high schools, as well as certain independent schools.

Mathematics

The mathematics section of the test focuses on several math categories.The math problems include: Integers, Fractions, Decimals, Percents, Algebra, Plane Geometry, Polygons, Circles, Measurements, Graphs and Tables, Word Problems, Sequences, and Analogies.

Verbal Skills

The verbal skills tested on in this test are not only feature in the TACHS, but also in other standardized tests such as the SAT, ACT, GRE, LMNOP, etc. The verbal skills section of the test includes: Word Roots, World Lists, Synonyms and Antonyms, Verbal Reasoning, and so forth.

Sources

• http://www.barronstestprep.com
• Barron's:How to Prepare for the COOP/HSPT/TACHS, Kathleen Elliott, M.A., Carmen Geraci, M.A., David Ebner, Ph.D.