ACER

Victoria

The Higher Ability Selection Test (HAST)
Australian Council of Educational Research (ACER) provides an option for schools to choose between 3 test and 4 test format.

3 test
Mathematical Reasoning, Reading Comprehension and one form of Written Expression

or

Mathematical Reasoning, Reading Comprehension and Abstract Reasoning

4 test
Mathematical Reasoning, Reading Comprehension, Abstract Reasoning and Written Expression

or

Mathematical Reasoning, Reading Comprehension and both forms of Written Expression

 

Humanities Comprehension: Multiple choice questions of reading comprehension and interpretation of poems, maps, charts, diagrams and illustrations. Duration is 45 minutes.

Mathematics: Multiple choice questions including problem solving with worded problems, including some questions involving reasoning. Duration is 40 minutes.

Abstract Reasoning: Mulitiple choice questions requiring identification a pattern shown in a sequence of diagrams. The diagrams comprising the pattern may have a number of elements including size, shape, shading or orientation. Duration is 30 minutes.

Writing: Creative and opinion writing. Duration of 25 minutes each.


New South Wales

The Selective High School Placement Test
Australian Council of Educational Research (ACER) authors this test and the format is as follows:

4 tests
Reading, Mathematics, General Ability and a writing task.

Reading: Multiple choice questions of reading comprehension and interpretation of poems, maps charts, diagrams and illustrations. Duration is 40 minutes.

Mathematics: Multiple choice questions including problem solving with worded problems, including some questions involving reasoning. Duration is 40 minutes.

General Ability: Mulitiple choice questions including areas of verbal, numerical and abstract reasoning. The questions may require identification of sequences and pattrens in numbering systems, or diagrams comprising that may have a number of elements including size, shape, shading or orientation, identification of words and relationships between words. Duration is 40 minutes.

Writing: One task judged on the quality of thinking, organisation of ideas and language quality. Duration of 20 minutes.