Meet Our Director
).png)
Educator, Writer, Author
David Park
NYCG PREP Director
David Yongsoo Park is the Program Director of the High School and Middle School Division at NYC Global Center Prep. An experienced educator and writer, David earned a B.A. in English Literature from Swarthmore College and an M.F.A. in Dramatic Writing from NYU. He is the author of the novels BOY GENIUS and LAS CUCARACHAS , published by Akashic Books, as well as the essay collection THE ART OF EATING BITTER, which reflects on the joys and challenges of raising two children in New York City.
David's Blog
Noteworthy Notes
WHY NYC G PREP?
Built for Ambitious Students.
SAT & SHSAT Success
Personalized support and proven strategies to help students excel on high-stakes admissions tests.
Dedicated Academic Mentors
A passionate leadership team focused on guiding students through rigorous coursework and high-stakes exams with confidence.
NYC Global Center Affiliate
Proudly partnered with the NYC Global Center to provide students with expanded educational resources and a world-class curriculum.
SHSAT - Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
The short answer is: the earlier, the better.
We recommend students begin SHSAT preparation once they are comfortable with algebra, ideally at the end of 6th grade or at some time during 7th grade. Starting early gives students plenty of time to strengthen their skills, build confidence, and become comfortable with the format of the exam.
If your child is already in 8th grade and hasn't started yet, don't worry—there's still time. But please do not delay any further. Because the SHSAT is given in the fall of 8th grade, we encourage students to begin preparing as soon as possible.
At NYCGPrep, SHSAT preparation is about much more than simply learning the material on the test. We help students build the confidence, problem-solving skills, time-management strategies, and test-taking stamina that come from consistent practice and expert guidance. Whether you're looking for a year-long program or an intensive three-week boot camp, we have programs to fit your family's schedule and your child's needs.
The SHSAT is a three-hour exam given each fall to primarily 8th grade students (and a small number of 9th grade students) applying to New York City's specialized high schools.
The test has two sections:
-
English Language Arts (ELA)
-
Mathematics
Beginning in Fall 2026, the SHSAT will be administered entirely in a digital format using devices (most likely Chromebooks) provided by the New York City Department of Education. Students can still ask for and receive scratch paper for calculations and notes if they'd like to use it at the designated Department of Education test site.
Most questions on both sections of the SHSAT are multiple-choice, with four answer choices for each question.
-
English Language Arts (ELA)
The ELA section focuses primarily on reading comprehension, so strong reading skills can make a big difference.
Students are also tested on:-
Grammar
-
Editing and revising
-
Organization of written passages
There are no essays on the SHSAT.
Mathematics
The math section covers a wide range of topics, including:
-
Arithmetic – fractions, decimals, percents, ratios, number lines, units of measure
-
Word Problems – single step and multi-step
-
Tables, Charts, and Graphs
-
Algebra
-
Geometry
-
Basic coordinate geometry
The SHSAT places a strong emphasis on multi-step word problems, algebra, and problem solving. While some students may learn much of this material in advanced middle school math classes, many will encounter topics that are new or require additional practice. Our goal at NYCG Prep is to make sure every student understands these concepts and feels confident applying them on test day.
-
We offer several SHSAT preparation programs to meet students wherever they are in their preparation.
Our programs include:
-
Ongoing year-round weekly SHSAT classes
-
Three-month intensive SHSAT courses
-
Three-week SHSAT Boot Camps
All of our classes are taught in person in small groups, giving students plenty of opportunities to ask questions and receive individual attention.
Students learn every topic tested on the SHSAT while practicing challenging exam-style questions, learning proven test-taking strategies, and fine-tuning their time management skills. The shift to the digital CAT SHSAT makes these skills more important than ever.
If you're not sure which program is the best fit for you, we're happy to help you choose. Just reach out—we'd love to speak with you.
-
The change in the test isn’t merely a shift in how the test is administered. The main impact is that students will no longer have the freedom to roam back and forth from different parts of the test or to leave off answering difficult questions until all easier questions have been answered as they could on the paper test.
On the paper test, students could navigate their way through questions to their favor. Students could manage their time to focus on easy questions and then come back to difficult questions. Students could also always go back to a question and change their answer if they suddenly realized they had made a careless error or had misread a question.
This is no longer true on the digital CAT format. Students will have much less freedom or control in navigating the questions. They are no longer allowed to go back to previous questions on the digital CAT format. Once an answer is submitted, that answer is locked in and cannot be changed.
Added up, these changes favor students who have the mastery to avoid careless errors and can answer questions correctly the first time around. It also favors students who are not flustered by difficult questions and who have the discipline to not spend excessive time stuck on a single challenging question. This makes preparation that much more important.
Our main SHSAT classes are held at our Midtown Manhattan location:
252 West 29th Street, Suite 700
Between 7th and 8th AvenuesWe're also excited to be expanding our SHSAT programs to our Forest Hills and Flushing locations in Queens, making it even easier for families across New York City to access our classes.
In addition to our on-going SHSAT program, we offer classes to help students ace the SAT, ACT, the Hunter Test, various subject tests, as well as college admissions guidance and essay coaching. Please contact us to inquire about your own specific needs.
For students who prefer personalized instruction or need extra support in specific areas, we offer one-on-one tutoring with customized lesson plans based on each student's individual goals and learning style.
Please contact us for availability, scheduling, and pricing. We'd be happy to discuss the best option for your child.
All NYCGPrep SHSAT classes are taught by our staff of vetted, experienced teachers, including our Director David Park, an experienced educator who has helped hundreds of students earn admission to New York City's specialized high schools.
David himself is also a graduate of Stuyvesant High School, so he understands firsthand both the challenges of the SHSAT and the opportunities that attending a specialized high school can provide.
Parents appreciate David's patient teaching style, clear explanations, and genuine commitment to every student's success. His goal is not only to help students earn high scores on the SHSAT, but also to help them become more confident, independent learners who are ready to succeed in high school and beyond.
We're proud of the supportive learning environment we've created at NYCGPrep, and we'd love the opportunity to help your child reach his or her goals. Please contact us today to find out more about how we can help your child excel.
Let's Get Started
Visit Us
Consultations are available:
Monday- Friday 9AM - 6PM
Saturday 10AM- 2PM
Main Location
Contact
NYCG PREP Locations
Manhattan
252w 29th street 7th floor ny ny 10001
Fort Lee, NJ
1642 Schlosser Street, Suite 3
Fort Lee, NJ 07024
Flushing, Queens
150-24 Northern Blvd, Flushing, NY 11354
Forest Hills, Queens
10810 72ND AVE, 2FL, FOREST HILLS, NY 11375
