TACHS Study Skills and Test Strategies 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: The TACHS exam is used primarily for:
- College admission in New York
- Admission to Catholic high schools in the Archdiocese of New York and Diocese of Brooklyn/Queens (Correct answer)
- State standardized testing in all grades
- Earning a high school diploma
Correct answer: Admission to Catholic high schools in the Archdiocese of New York and Diocese of Brooklyn/Queens
The TACHS is specifically designed for students applying to Catholic high schools in New York's Archdiocese and Diocese of Brooklyn/Queens.
Question 2: On the TACHS, if you are unsure of an answer, the best strategy is to:
- Leave the question blank
- Always choose 'C' as the default
- Eliminate clearly wrong answers and make your best guess (Correct answer)
- Skip all difficult questions and return only if time allows
Correct answer: Eliminate clearly wrong answers and make your best guess
Process of elimination narrows down choices, improving your odds — and since TACHS does not penalize wrong answers, guessing is always worth doing.
Question 3: How many main sections does the TACHS exam include?
- 2
- 3
- 4 (Correct answer)
- 5
Correct answer: 4
The TACHS consists of four sections: Reading, Language, Mathematics, and Abilities.
Question 4: When taking the TACHS, which time management strategy is most effective?
- Spend equal time on every question regardless of difficulty
- Skip all difficult questions and only answer easy ones
- Move steadily through questions and return to skipped ones if time remains (Correct answer)
- Answer questions in reverse order from last to first
Correct answer: Move steadily through questions and return to skipped ones if time remains
Moving steadily, marking skipped questions, and returning if time remains ensures maximum questions are answered without getting stuck.
Question 5: The TACHS Abilities section includes what type of reasoning questions?
- Essay writing prompts
- Scientific experiment analysis
- Figural and quantitative pattern recognition (Correct answer)
- Geography and map reading
Correct answer: Figural and quantitative pattern recognition
The Abilities section assesses figural reasoning (shape patterns) and quantitative reasoning (number patterns) to measure logical thinking skills.
Question 6: To prepare effectively for the TACHS, a student should:
- Study only mathematics since it is the hardest section
- Take full practice tests under timed conditions to build stamina and familiarity (Correct answer)
- Focus exclusively on memorizing vocabulary lists
- Study the night before the test only
Correct answer: Take full practice tests under timed conditions to build stamina and familiarity
Full timed practice tests simulate the real exam experience, build endurance, and identify weak areas in all sections.
TACHS Study Skills and Test Strategies 1
The TACHS exam is used primarily for: