TACHS PREP

The Test for Admission into Catholic High School (TACHS), created by Riverside Insights, is used in and around New York City by Catholic high schools to assess prospective students’ written expression, reading, math, and spatial reasoning skills. The test is administered to 8th graders on the first weekend in November.

For many students, this is their first time navigating the competitive standardized test landscape. Few are prepared for the rigor, self-discipline, and endurance it takes to achieve an ideal score.

We are here to demystify this process and help your child take charge of their learning!

The TACHS' Format

*please note the lack of questions and allotted time per section. Riverside Insights does not provide this information, nor do they provide a practice test.

Reading Comprehension

The Reading comprehension section is standard for a standardized test, including short literary, historical, social science, and science passages. Questions test a student’s ability to notice main ideas, specific details, vocabulary in context, and inferences.

Written Expression

The Written comprehension used to test spelling, but this has been eliminated in recent years. It now focuses on grammar rules, including punctuation, capitalization, and subject-verb agreement.

Mathematics

The math section isn’t too advanced for 8th graders and focuses primarily on the foundations: fractions, decimals, percents, operations, ratios/proportions, sequences, basic graphs and tables, and word problems.

Ability

The Ability section is the hardest and most unique section of the test. Students are required to find and replicate patterns that are not always obvious. Luckily, it’s incredibly teachable!

Our individualized approach and experienced tutors can help your child achieve dramatic score increases in a short amount of time (provided your child completes the homework we assign!).

Even if your child already gets in-class instruction on the TACHS as part of their admissions process at their k-8 Catholic school, one-one-one tutoring can give them a competitive edge and address their specific needs in order to get them into the 90th+ percentile range.

By working with us and studying for this test, your child will see improvement in their school grades, study habits, and confidence.

DIAGNOSTIC TEST

This test is unusual because Riverside Assessments has never released a practice test. We use the best diagnostic test on the market, which shows us where a student's strengths and areas of improvement are. We will start with the areas of improvement and methodically cover all of the material that will be on the test.

TEACH CONTENT & STRATEGY

For this test, it’s not enough to know tips and tricks (though we have quite a few, and we're happy to share them!). Especially for the Written Expression and Math sections, students need to know the concepts and rules that are being tested. We expertly weave teaching content and executing strategy into our sessions.

RETEST

A regular practice test schedule helps a student practice pacing, overcome test anxiety, and test their retention. It’s also a great way to measure a student’s progress (which isn’t always linear, please keep in mind). We will ensure that your child has a practice test schedule they can follow to achieve maximum efficiency.

Here's how we do it:

Carolina K, former student

"THANK YOU SO MUCH REMY!!! I TRULY COULDN’T HAVE DONE IT WITHOUT YOU!! THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU’VE DONE FOR ME. SEE YOU FOR THE SAT!!!"

FAQs

When should my child start studying for the TACHS?

For the best outcome with the least amount of stress, we recommend starting in March or April of the year your child is taking the test. This will give us 7-8 months to prepare for the test.

What scores does my child need in order to be competitive for their first-choice high school?

This depends on the schools that the child is interested in. Please reach out via our Contact form and Remy will set up a free phone consultation.

When will my child take the TACHS?

A student can only take the TACHS once, so it's important that they do well on their first try.

Where will my child take the TACHS?

Your child will take the TACHS online at home on their laptop, which is great because this is where they'll have been studying! Research shows that students perform better when they study in the same way that they test.

Which materials do you recommend using?

Please visit our Books and Tools page to see which materials we use to prepare our students for the TACHS.

What about the HSPT?

The High School Placement Test (HSPT) is also used in Catholic High School admissions and tests similar topics to the TACHS. However, the amount of time per question -- 24-42 seconds, depending on the section -- is shorter than that of the TACHS. The HSPT is used as a merit scholarship exam by many Catholic schools.

Please visit our HSPT page to learn more about whether or not the HSPT might be a better fit or an additional appropriate test for your child.

Can you help my child prepare for the Marymount Butler Test?

Yes, we can! We have helped many girls prepare for the Butler Scholarship Exam. It's very similar in format and scope to the TACHS and HSPT, so by preparing for these exams, your daughter will be prepared for Marymount's test.

Ready to prepare your child for the TACHS?

BOOK A FREE 30 MINUTE DISCOVERY CALL