When Is The Tachs Exam 2023

The TACHS exam is administered twice a year by the Archdiocese of New York. For the 2022-2023 application cycle, the two test dates were April 29, 2023 and September 16, 2023. The spring sitting is the primary one, since that's when most admission decisions are made. If you miss it, you have to wait until September, which puts you behind on the timeline most families are working with. I've helped families through this process for years and the thing nobody tells you is that registration closes weeks before the test date. You can't just show up. You register through the Archdiocese's website, and each school you apply to requires a separate exam score report. That means paying per school if they want you to send your results directly. It adds up fast.

When Is The Tachs Exam 2023 Key Dates and Registration

Here's what actually happened with the 2023 administration. The April 29 test required registration by mid-March. The September 16 test had a registration deadline around late August. These dates shift slightly year to year, but the pattern is consistent—spring exam in late April or early May, fall exam in mid-September. Schools typically make offers within a few weeks after each sitting, but spots fill quickly after the April test because that's when most families are applying. The exam itself covers English, Mathematics, and Reading comprehension. You get about 120 minutes total across all sections. The scoring is scaled, not raw, so a wrong answer doesn't just cost you one point—it shifts the entire curve for your section. This is why practice matters more than people realize. I had a student once who scored in the 85th percentile on practice tests but bombed the actual exam because she panicked on the math section and started guessing. She ended up with a scaled score in the 62nd percentile. One bad section tanked her overall ranking enough to lose several school offers. There's also a practical issue with registration that trips people up. If you're applying to multiple schools, each one needs its own fee and its own registration form. Some parents try to save money by skipping a school they aren't sure about, then realize too late that they need their scores sent there. The workaround I use is to register for three schools regardless—pick your realistic option, your reach, and your safety. The extra registration fee is cheaper than missing an application window.

One more thing that isn't obvious from the official materials. The TACHS includes an essay section, and it's worth more than you'd think. The essay is graded holistically by actual teachers, not software. I've seen students with strong math and English scores get rejected from schools they preferred simply because their essay was underdeveloped. A one-page prompt asking about a personal experience or opinion—most students write two solid paragraphs and call it done. But the graders are looking for structure, specific details, and a clear voice. Spend at least twenty minutes planning before you write. It takes five minutes longer to produce a strong essay than a mediocre one, and the difference in score can be significant. If you're preparing for the exam, the official Archdiocese website posts practice materials and a test format guide. Those are the only reliable sources. Third-party prep books sometimes have outdated question styles or incorrect timing advice. I recommend doing timed practice tests using the official format, reviewing every missed question, and building a routine where you simulate the actual testing conditions—no phone, no breaks, one sitting per subject. The real test is as much about stamina as it is about knowledge.