Questions have been raised about the fairness of the test. A November 2005 New York Times article found that a students scoring in the 90th percentile on both sections would not gain admittance to their first choice schools; meanwhile those scoring in the 99th percentile on one section and the 50th percentile on the other, would. This happens because the final grade and percentile represents the total score and the curve within sections.
More questions have been raised about the admissions process to the specialized high schools. Admission is based solely on how the student does on the SHSAT. It is argued that other factors should be added in order to increase the fairness of the test due to a racial imbalance in the Specialized High Schools. Debate over the racial composition and a test as the sole factor for admission has continued in New York for decades.