Is The New ACER Style Victorian Selective Test Hard?
By Post Author | 27th Apr, 2024
Any competitive exam ought to make one anxious. But you needn’t worry about that, cause you are not alone in this. Thousands of aspiring candidates taking the ACER Style the Victorian Selective Test dream to get past this cut throat test. With the only dream of getting entry to one of the four prestigious Selective High Schools in Victoria.
Is the ACER Victorian Selective Test really more difficult?
Until 2022, this test was conducted by Edutest, but 2023 onwards it is developed and conducted by ACER (Australian Council for Educational Research).
This huge takeover did bring a couple of changes in the exam. Out of those the most important one is the change in names of the papers. The other one as stated in the website is that applying candidate’s knowledge tested should not exceed Year 8 curriculum. Thereby, inadvertently implying an in-depth existing knowledge foundation. Which means the ability to do problem solving through detailed critical analysis and deep understanding.
Whether the test is hard or not there is no straight Yes/No to that, as the difficulty levels of the test vary from year to year. But previous year students have reported the ACER Mathematics paper to be of raised difficulty levels with more of a problem solving approach along with mathematical reasoning.
To do away with this confusion the Department Of Education,Victoria publishes a set of sample tests each year to help students understand the test format and gain familiarity with the type of questions to be asked.
Understanding the ACER Style Victorian Selective Test
The new ACER Style Victorian Selective Test is essentially the SEHS entrance test for a Year 9 entry to one of the four prestigious Victorian government schools also known as the Selective Entry High Schools.
These 4 schools are among the most sought after schools in the country, offering nearly 1000 places each year. The Selective Entry High Schools are:
➤The Mac.Robertson Girls’ High School (Girls only)
➤Melbourne High School (Boys only)
➤Nossal High School
➤Suzzane Cory High School
The selected students placed in one of these four schools undergo a mindfully designed highly stimulating 4-year education program (Year 9 to Year 12). This caters to demanding learning needs of the promising students with higher academic potentials.
ACER Victorian Selective Test 2024 Format & Structure
The ACER Victorian Selective Test 2024 for Year 9 2025 entry will be held on Saturday, June 15th, 2024.
This is a written competitive exam with five parts and with a time duration of 3 hours with 2 short breaks of roughly 20 mins & 5 mins each.
The test is developed and prepared by ACER, and test includes:
| Test Type | Section | Minutes | No. of Questions
(approx) |
Type |
| Reasoning | Reading | 35 | 50 | Multiple Choice |
| Reasoning | Mathematics | 30 | 35 | Multiple Choice |
| General Ability | Verbal | 30 | 60 | Multiple Choice |
| General Ability | Quantitative | 30 | 50 | Multiple Choice |
| General Ability | Writing | 40 | 2 | Open response |
Preparation tips to do better in the ACER Victorian Selective Test 2024
Experts often say that doing well in exams is not solely on the student’s abilities but also on how smartly and effectively he/she has prepared.
Here are some preparation tips for the ACER Style Victorian Selective Test help you do even better:
- Early preparation is the key to success
With each passing year, competition gets tougher. So, the earlier you start preparing, the better. Ideally recommended to do a head start at least 6 to 8 months ahead. This will give the candidate enough time to build up his/her speed and self-confidence.
- Gain familiarity with the test format & question patterns
It is advised that the students, as well as the parents, understand the exam structure and format inside out. This will keep one updated about the recent changes and be comfortable while preparing for each test.
- Get into the habit of voracious reading & taking down notes
Developing a reading habit is possibly the best kind of addiction one can have. As an ACER Style Victorian Selective Test aspirant, I have almost an unsaid mandate to be well-informed, well-read, and updated about current affairs. Moreover, reading also improves writing, grammar and comprehension skills as well. ACER Style.
- Make use of various resources during your preparation journey
As they say, the more exposure, the better you learn and prepare. While on your preparation journey it is advised not to rely on one or two resources. Take information and clarify your concepts from all readily available sources around. ACER Style.
- Take multiple timed practice tests
The more practice tests a candidate takes, the more he/she brushes and sharpens his/her problem-solving and reasoning skills. With timed practice tests, students also master the art of time management.
- Get expert help to improve your weaknesses
All aspiring students have some areas of concern that require more time and effort. Thus, investing in an expert to guide and prepare those concerned areas with one-on-one sessions and targeted practice tests is the best way to turn one’s weaknesses into strengths before the real test.
Achieve your ACER Victorian Selective Test goals with flying colours with Selectivetrial.
