Things Parents & Students need to know about the Gifted & Talented Secondary Selective Entrance Process

When proceeding with anything new, nothing beats being well informed. Thus, before anything else it’s important that the concerned parents and aspiring students know what the Gifted & Talented Secondary Selective Entrance actually is. So here’s a detailed breakdown of everything that students and parents need to know. Academic Selective Entrance Test.

Knowing the Gifted & Talented Secondary Selective Entrance (GATE) program?

The Gifted and Talented Secondary Selective Entrance program is an excellent initiative by the Education Department of WA (Western Australia). This program is designed to provide a specialised and enriched learning environment for high-performing students. It aims to challenge, inspire, and empower these students to excel in various fields.

Catering students with exceptionally high abilities in not only academics but arts and languages, this program aims to offer education beyond the standard curriculum. Thereby, allowing and nurturing students to thrive, learn and flourish to their utmost potential. 

Why should one choose the Gifted & Talented Secondary Selective Entrance (GATE) program?

The most important reasons to opt for the GATE program are:

• Enriched Learning: Students follow an extensive yet not-s0o-standard curriculum designed specifically for their needs, challenging and inspiring them to excel.
• Like-minded Peers: Learning alongside other gifted students fosters a stimulating and supportive learning environment.
• Access to Opportunities: Opens doors to exclusive chances and links with universities, industry bodies, mentoring programs, and participation in national and international competitions.
• Early Preparation: Enhanced preparation and always a step ahead for future career prospects and academic journey.

Understanding the Selection process of Gifted & Talented Secondary Selective Entrance (GATE) program

Gaining an entry to these programs means going through a neck-to-neck competition and following an elaborate selection process, involving appearing for the Academic Selective Entrance Test (ASET). 

This highly competitive entrance test is a key component for all programs, especially academic ones. The ASET assesses a student’s potential and several key skills, they are:

• Creative Thinking
• Critical Thinking
• Written Communication
• Comprehension & Interpretation
• Logical Reasoning
• Problem-Solving

Knowing the Academic Selective Entrance Test (ASET) 

• ASET applications start in the month October and end in early February of the next year. Limited vacancies might be available for entry into Years 9, 10, and 11 as well.
• Students of Year 6 are deemed eligible to write the ASET for a Year 7 entry to the GATE program.
• Online applications are submitted  through the WA Department of Education’s Gifted and Talented website, late applications are generally not accepted.
• The students succeeding the ASET become eligible for entering the Gifted & Talented Secondary Selective Entrance (GATE) program in any one of the 18 select Public Schools and 1 fully Selective School of Western Australia (WA).
• The ASET includes 4 tests: Reading Comprehension, Communicating Ideas in Writing, Quantitative Reasoning, & Abstract Reasoning.
• The ASET takes up around 2 hours and 10 minutes, including a short 10 minute break in between.

The latest and updated test format of the ASET is as follows:

*no penalties for wrong guesses

Preparation Tips to consider for Academic Selective Entrance Test

• The best way to prepare is by encouraging strong analytical reading, structured and creative writing, advanced problem-solving, and non-verbal reasoning skills among students.
• The WA Department of Education website has sample tests and practice questions that can help both parents and students understand the test format.
• Read widely – books, articles, anything that interests you.
• Practice various writing styles in different genres.
• Work on challenging math problems and logic puzzles.
• Regular practice with timed practice tests from reliable platforms like Selectivetrial  is highly recommended.

The gateway to the Gifted and Talented Secondary Selective Entrance (GATE) program is through the intensely aggressive Academic Selective Entrance Test (ASET). So up your child’s ASET preparation game with Selectivetrial. Visit our GATE/ASET- Academic Selective Entrance Practice Test- WA page for all up-to-date and detailed information.