High School Placement Test (HSPT®) Overview

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How Is the HSPT Administered?

The HSPT is traditionally administered in person using paper and pencil, although some schools now offer digital testing options. The exam is typically taken during the fall of eighth grade, and students generally test only once during the admissions season.

Testing dates, registration procedures, fees, and score reporting vary by school. Families should check directly with each high school to learn about its specific testing requirements and deadlines.

What Does the HSPT Measure?

The HSPT is designed to assess the academic skills students have developed throughout elementary and middle school. The exam consists primarily of multiple-choice questions and includes five required sections:

• Verbal Skills – Vocabulary, analogies, verbal reasoning, and language relationships.
• Quantitative Skills – Number concepts, logic, number series, and mathematical reasoning.
• Reading – Reading comprehension, identifying main ideas, drawing conclusions, and interpreting written passages.
• Mathematics – Arithmetic, algebra, geometry, measurement, fractions, decimals, percentages, and problem solving.
• Language Skills – Grammar, punctuation, capitalization, spelling, sentence structure, and language usage.

Some schools may also administer optional sections, such as Science, Mechanical Aptitude, or Catholic Religion, depending on their admissions process.

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How TestingMom Can Help

Preparing for the HSPT helps students become familiar with the test format, improve their reasoning skills, and build confidence before test day.

TestingMom offers comprehensive HSPT preparation, including:

• Practice questions modeled after the HSPT
• Step-by-step answer explanations
• Verbal and quantitative reasoning activities
• Reading comprehension practice
• Mathematics review
• Language and grammar exercises
• One-on-one tutoring
• Personalized study plans

Whether your child is applying to a competitive Catholic high school or another private school that requires the HSPT, TestingMom provides engaging resources designed to strengthen the skills measured on the exam.

Free HSPT Practice Test Verbal Skills Questions

The first two words in the sentence below go together in a certain way. Choose the answer that goes with the third word in the sentence the same way that the first and second words go together.

Cardiology is to heart as theology is to          .

A. mathematics
B. sun
C. engineering
D. religion

Free HSPT Practice Test Quantitative Skills Questions

Look at the numbers in each row below. There is a rule that governs the order in which the numbers occur in the series. Figure out the rule and then choose the number that comes next from the answer choices below.

121     100     81     64     49       

A. 25
B. 36
C. 41
D. 44

Free HSPT Practice Test Reading Questions

A FRENCH LESSON
From A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett

When Sara entered the schoolroom the next morning everybody looked at her with wide, interested eyes. By that time every pupil – from Lavina Herbert, who was nearly thirteen and felt quite grown up, to Lottie Leigh, who was only just found and the baby of the school – had heard a great deal about her. They knew very certainly that she was Miss Minchin’s show pupil and was considered a credit to the establishment. One or two of them had even caught a glimpse of her French main, Mariette, who had arrived the evening before. Lavinia had managed to pass Sara’s room when the door was open and had seen Mariette opening a box that had arrived late from some shop.

“It was full of petticoats with lace frills on them – frills and frills,” she whispered to her friend Jessie as she bent over her geography. “I saw her shaking them out. I heard Miss Minchin say to Miss Amelia that her clothes were so grand that they were ridiculous for a child. My mamma says that children should be dressed simply. She has got one of those petticoats on now. I saw it when she sat down.”

“She has silk stockings on!” whispered Jessie, bending over her geography also. “And what little feet! I never saw such little feet!”

“Oh,” sniffed Lavinia, spitefully, “that is the way her slippers are made. My mamma says that even big feet can be made to look small if you have a clever shoemaker. I don’t think she is pretty at all. Her eyes are such an unusual color.”

“She isn’t pretty as other pretty people are,” said Jessie, stealing a glance across the room; “but she makes you want to look at her again. She has tremendously long eyelashes, but her eyes are almost green.”

Sara was sitting quietly in her seat, waiting to be told what to do. She had been placed near Miss Minchin’s desk. She was not abashed at all by the many pairs of eyes watching her. She was interested and looked back quietly at the children who looked at her. She wondered what they were thinking of, and if they liked Miss Minchin, and if they care for their lessons, and if any of them had a papa at all like her own. She had had a long talk with Emily about her papa that morning.

“He is on the sea now, Emily,” she had said. “We must be very great friends to each other and tell each other things. Emily, look at me. You have the nicest eyes I ever saw-but I wish you could speak.”

She was a child full of imaginings and whimsical thoughts, and one of her fancies was that there would be a great deal of comfort in even pretending that Emily was alive and really heard and understood.

After Sara had sat in her seat in the schoolroom for a few minutes, being looked at by the pupils, Miss Minchin rapped in a dignified manner upon her desk.

“Young ladies,” she said, “I wish to introduce you to your new companion.” All the little girls rose in their places, and Sara rose also. “I shall expect you all to be very agreeable to Miss Crewe; she has just come to us from a great distance – in fact, from India. As soon as lessons are over you must make each other’s acquaintance.”

The pupils bowed ceremoniously, and Sara made a little curtsy, and then they sat down and looked at each other again.

“Sara,” said Miss Minchin in her schoolroom manner, “come here to me.”

She had taken a book from the desk and was turning over its leaves. Sara went to her politely.

“As your papa has engaged a French maid for you,” she began, “I conclude that he wishes you to make a special study of the French language.”

How does Sara’s character development contribute to the plot?

A. Her Indian culture makes Sara’s everyday speech and actions seem rude to those in her new home.
B. Her high social status leads other classmates and her teacher to treat her with favoritism.
C. Her wealthy, worldly upbringing creates conflict with other children and leads to a misunderstanding with her teacher.
D. Her inability to understand French causes Sara’s teacher to hold a grudge against her and other students to whisper rudely about her.

Free HSPT Practice Test Mathematics Questions

Jamal is creating a scale drawing of his home. The first floor has an area of 1,200 square feet. He plans to scale down the length of the sides from 10 ft. to 1 in. What is the area of the scale drawing?

A. 120 square feet
B. 12 square feet
C. 120 square inches
D. 12 square inches

Free HSPT Practice Test Language Skills Questions

Choose the sentence that contains an error in punctuation, capitalization, or usage. If there is no error, select choice D.

A. I remember that our old house the one
B. in Jacksonville, had green shutters and
C. a red door. I miss that place.
D. No errors

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