Tests / TACHS
The TACHS: what it is and how it works
The TACHS (Test for Admission into Catholic High Schools) is the entrance test for Catholic high schools in the Archdiocese of New York, the Diocese of Brooklyn and Queens, and the Diocese of Rockville Centre on Long Island. Riverside Insights publishes it. Students take it online, at home, in early November of 8th grade.
Facts checked October 11, 2026 against the official pages listed at the bottom. Dates and rules change every year. Prepwick is not affiliated with the test's publisher.
TACHS at a glance
| Published by | Riverside Insights |
|---|---|
| Who takes it | 8th graders applying to Catholic high schools in the three dioceses |
| Where | Online at home. There are no in-person test sites |
| Monitoring | Proctorio, an AI system that monitors and records the session |
| Device | A laptop, desktop or Chromebook with a webcam and microphone. iPads are not supported |
| Length | Six timed parts in about 2 hours 10 minutes |
| Fee | $78 in 2026 |
| Attempts | One. A make-up is only for illness or technical trouble |
| Wrong answers | No penalty. Credit is given only for correct answers |
| High school choices | Three, entered on the TACHS site by test weekend |
TACHS scores. What the Home Report shows, who gets the scores and when, and why there is no published cutoff.
What is on the TACHS?
The TACHS measures achievement in reading, written expression and mathematics, plus general reasoning ability. TACHS does not publish how many questions each part has or how long each part lasts.
Reading
Questions: Not publishedTime: Not published
Informational and literary passages, with questions on main ideas, the author's purpose, word meaning in context and other kinds of comprehension.
Written Expression
Questions: Not publishedTime: Not published
Writing in standard English: organization, sentence structure, clarity and choosing the best way to say something. Some questions ask which line of text has an error.
Mathematics
Questions: Not publishedTime: Not published
Number sense and operations, algebraic patterns and connections, data analysis, probability and statistics, geometry, and measurement.
Ability
Questions: Not publishedTime: Not published
Reasoning with unfamiliar questions that use spatial and figural content.
How does test day work?
- Students are assigned at random to a session at 8:30 AM or 10:00 AM on the test date for their diocese. TACHS takes no time requests.
- A session code arrives by email a few days before the test. In 2026 it was sent on Nov 4 after 1:00 PM. Without the code a student cannot start.
- The handbook says to install and set up Proctorio at least one day before the test, and to begin logging in at least 30 minutes before the session time.
- Inside a part, a student can go back to questions they skipped. After a part is submitted, there is no going back to it.
When is the TACHS?
These are the fall 2026 dates. Dates for fall 2027 are not published yet. Last year the test fell on Nov 7 and 8, 2025, so the first Friday and Saturday of November is the pattern.
| Registration opens | Aug 24, 2026, 9:00 AM |
|---|---|
| Registration closes | Oct 28, 2026, 11:00 PM |
| Test, Archdiocese of New York | Friday, Nov 6, 2026 |
| Test, Brooklyn and Queens and Rockville Centre | Saturday, Nov 7, 2026 |
| High school choices due | Nov 7, 2026, 11:59 PM, per the Student Handbook |
| Admission notices | From Jan 13, 2027 (Brooklyn and Queens, Rockville Centre) and Jan 20, 2027 (Archdiocese of New York) |
| Score report for families | Jan 22, 2027, after 3:00 PM |
What the publisher says about test prep
Riverside Insights and the three dioceses say they do not encourage or endorse programs that coach or tutor students for the TACHS. The handbook also says that doing well on a tutoring practice test does not mean a student will do as well on the real one. Prepwick is a prep company, so weigh that for yourself.
TACHS questions parents ask
Is the TACHS taken at home?
Yes. The 2026 TACHS is given online at home. The Student Handbook says there are online test sessions and no in-person test sites this year.
Is someone watching during the TACHS?
The session is monitored and recorded by Proctorio, which the handbook describes as an AI system. Parents must consent to its use.
Can my child take the TACHS on an iPad?
No. The test needs a laptop, desktop or Chromebook with the Chrome browser, a webcam and a microphone. iPads and other iOS devices are not supported.
How long is the TACHS?
About 2 hours 10 minutes, in six timed parts.
How many questions are on the TACHS?
TACHS does not publish the number of questions or the time for each part. Any exact count you see elsewhere did not come from TACHS.
Can you take the TACHS twice?
No. Each student gets one attempt. A make-up session exists only for students who miss the test through illness or approved technical trouble.
How much does the TACHS cost?
The fee was $78 in 2026 and is not refundable.
Is there a penalty for guessing on the TACHS?
No. The handbook says students are not penalized for wrong answers and get credit only for correct ones.
Is there an official TACHS practice test?
The Student Handbook has sample questions with an answer key. There is no online practice test.
When do TACHS results come out?
For the fall 2026 test, families can open the score report, called the Home Report, after 3:00 PM on Jan 22, 2027. High schools send admission notices from Jan 13 or Jan 20, 2027, depending on the diocese.
Is the TACHS the same as the HSPT?
No. The TACHS is published by Riverside Insights for three New York dioceses. The HSPT is published by Scholastic Testing Service and used by schools around the country. Some schools take either. Fordham Prep and Xavier both say students at Catholic middle schools take the TACHS regardless.
Sources
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