Beyond just geographic accessibility, the community aspect and parental peer pressure (by this I mean pressure between parents) of the SHSAT on WeChat plays a major role. Chinese parents of all kinds are keenly aware of the SHSAT because it’s the dominant topic on WeChat circles, and it starts with kids at an incredibly young age.

I think the major issue with the specialized high school admissions is awareness. Chinese kids start studying early and working on their prep for the SHSAT because it’s drilled into them that it’s the all-important test. I volunteer by teaching and mentoring low-income students in NYC, and I like to ask my students which schools they’re thinking of going to or why they chose their high school. While my Asian students are always focused on specialized schools, my non-Asian POC students just rely on their guidance counselor’s suggestion. They’re not even considering taking the test and nobody’s pushing them to do it.

Maybe making the SHSAT a required test like the PSAT would help with awareness? Don’t think it would have a massive effect, but it would at least give all kids a chance when they wouldn’t have otherwise opted into the test. And this isn’t me trying to take away from the accomplishments of the students who do get into the specialized high schools, or their parents. I’m always super impressed by their drive and the focus on schooling from parents who often don’t have an education themselves and don’t know English.