Everything You Need To Know About HAST Test And How To Crack It
By Post Author | 8th Jun, 2022
Are you looking to transfer into a Selective High School in NSW for years 8-11? If so, you need to complete the HAST entry test successfully. You need to prepare yourself for this test as this exam is quite tricky and the level of competition is very high. You need to have a strong knowledge of fundamentals to do well in this exam and get your transfer to the best ranked Selective High Schools in the area.
Let’s not waste any time and understand various things about the HAST Test and how you can perform well in the same.
What is HAST Test?
Higher Ability Selection Test or HAST is accessed and created by ACER. The exam is divided into four sections: mathematical reasoning, abstract reasoning, writing tasks, and reading comprehension. The schools use this test to assess the academic performance of the students. To get into a high-ranking Selective High School, you have to complete this test successfully.
Getting into a good Selective School will also help you to get good ATAR in your year 12 examinations. This will also increase your chances of getting the preferred course at the university level. This is the reason that performing well in the HAST test can be a motivation for students.
Notably, the HAST test is surely not the most difficult, but it is immensely competitive. This is because there are limited seats available in high-ranked schools, and the increase in vacancy depends on any individual’s departure from the school. Hence, you can imagine the competition you need to overcome in the HAST test.
Understanding the Process of Getting Into a Selective High School
High-ranked Selective High Schools require you to complete the HAST test. You can automatically transfer to selective high schools. If you are enrolled in one selective high school, and you want to get a transfer to another school, then you need to fill out an application form in your preferred school. Now, the school will consider your HAST score, supporting documentation, two-year reports, external academic achievements, and extra-curricular activity participation. The schools will also assess the proof of residency during the transfer process. There is a fee for filing the application form in any Selective High School, which is not refundable.
Difficulty Level of HAST Test
The HAST test is specifically designed to assess the ability of the students rather than assessing their achievements. In this test, you will not get to see a score. Instead, a ranking process takes place where you can understand how you stack up with other students completing the same exam for a particular year. To be more specific, the individual report that you get after completing the exam will showcase your result in terms of percentages of standardised scores.
Your score will be compared to the score of other students who appeared for the test, and then it is accordingly ranked with different levels of percentage, demarcating different levels of performance. The report does not show the actual scores or raw marks, but the schools will have access to the test scores. However, they are not shared with the student or parent.
You already know that HAST Test is for students in years 8-11. Now, in the early years 7 and 8, you may have the least possibility to complete the examination successfully. It is advised that you use these early yearly exams as a mock run so you can be aware of what to expect in the future. Your performance on the exam day is critical in getting a high score, and then also it depends on different factors like the vacancy available in that year, the relative performance of other students, and much more.
Essential Tips for Successfully Completing HAST Test
Preparing efficient strategies will help you perform well in the HAST test to take the next big step in your academic career pathway. Here are a few strategies that will help you to face the test with supreme confidence:
- Forming Clear Idea About Topics Included: When you start to prepare for the HAST test, you need to have a clear understanding of the topics included in the test. This will prevent you from haphazard preparation, and you will be able to prepare all the topics with equal importance. The four key topics included in the HAST test are mathematical reasoning, abstract reasoning, writing task, and reading comprehension.
- Developing Time Management: Time management is a pivotal part of exams like the HAST test. It is not practical to think that students can attempt the test in its entirety. In that case, if you do not have proper time management skills and techniques, the chances of excelling in the test deteriorate significantly. So, you need to practice and develop time management.
- The D-Day Strategy: You will need to keep a calm mind during your exam day as your performance on this particular day will be of utmost importance. You should be well aware of the procedures by which you can quickly solve any question without wasting precious seconds. On the D-Day, you would be required to solve questions correctly as well as quickly; in this scenario, sound strategies will be immensely helpful.
- Focussing on Practice: Practicing exam-like questions is very important to ace your test. No matter if you have the best time management skills or effective strategies, you cannot perform well without proper practice. Preparation and practice are prerequisites for achieving the best results.
So, you can understand that the HAST test can be challenging, but after you know the overall process and how to face it, it will become much more manageable. Do you have any questions regarding the HAST test or how to prepare for the test? If so, you can contact Selectivetrial for expert guidance.
