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NSW · Selective and scholarship exam preparation

EduTest Selective School & Scholarship Exam Preparation

EduTest preparation for NSW selective high schools and Queensland Academies. Coverage of all five sections — Verbal Reasoning, Numerical Reasoning, Reading Comprehension, Mathematics, Written Expression — with timed mock packs and teacher feedback.

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100+ schools use EduTest · 5 sections · 6–12 month prep runway

Mock test packs

EduTest practice packs — timed papers, marked on the LMS.

Featured: Super Pack · EduTest (Year 9-10 Entry) · from $299

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About the exam

The EduTest test, in plain language.

EduTest is the assessment of record for the five fully selective NSW high schools, the three Queensland Academies, and hundreds of independent scholarships. Students sit five sections in one sitting, totalling about 2.5 hours plus brief breaks.

The paper assesses both ability (verbal and numerical reasoning) and achievement (reading comprehension, mathematics and written expression). Schools weight the two categories differently. Calculators are prohibited in every section, so mental-math fluency and timing strategy carry as much weight as content knowledge.

Test dates

NSW coordinated EduTest sittings run across Terms 1–2, Term 3 and Term 4. Each school publishes its window separately; the earliest school in a cycle sets the sitting date for any student applying to multiple schools.

Scoring & cutoffs

EduTest reports percentile rankings against a national year cohort. Top NSW selective schools (James Ruse in particular) typically require scores in the 95th–99th percentile range. Results flow to schools only — parents see them only when a school chooses to issue a report.

  • Verbal Reasoning

    30 min60

    Synonyms, antonyms, analogies, classification, sentence completion and deduction. Vocabulary-heavy and inference-driven.

  • Numerical Reasoning

    30 min50

    Pattern recognition, number series, matrices and arithmetic reasoning without curriculum content. Calculator prohibited.

  • Reading Comprehension

    30 min50

    Fiction, non-fiction, poetry and informational passages. Inference, vocabulary in context and author's purpose under tight time pressure.

  • Mathematics

    30 min60

    Year-appropriate arithmetic, algebra, geometry, measurement and data. Throughput matters as much as accuracy.

  • Written Expression

    15 min1

    A single written response (creative, descriptive, narrative, persuasive, expository or informative) in fifteen minutes.

Mock test packs

EduTest mock packs, currently on sale.

Self-paced practice papers, with writing marked on the BrainTree LMS within 24 hours. Buy once, sit whenever — every pack ships with cohort percentiles and section-level feedback.

How we prepare children: high-expectation, low-burnout

Braintree Coaching Australia works to a high-expectation, low-burnout standard across every program: we cap weekly hours, protect sleep, and teach the thinking, not just drill the answers so a child understands why an answer is right rather than memorising past papers.

Read our high-expectation, low-burnout preparation philosophy for recommended weekly study caps by student profile, the 8–10 hour sleep guardrail, and three sample weekly schedules.

EduTest results and parent testimonial

Results, reported honestly.

We publish anonymised cohort ranges and the way we measure them, rather than a single placement total we cannot independently audit. See our results and outcomes for the cohort ranges, or read the measurement methodology.

“By the September sitting, EduTest felt routine — not stressful. The mock packs were the thing that changed our son's preparation.”

Wendy L.

Parent · Year 6, accepted to James Ruse

FAQ

EduTest, plainly answered.

Five questions our faculty fields most often about the EduTest exam.

Top NSW selective schools using EduTest include James Ruse Agricultural High School, Baulkham Hills High School, North Sydney Boys High School, North Sydney Girls High School, and Sydney Girls High School for Years 8–11 entry. The EduTest format is also used by Queensland Academies (QASMT, QACI, QAHS) and various scholarship programs across Australia.

EduTest consists of five sections totaling approximately 2.5 hours: (1) Verbal Reasoning (30 minutes, 60 questions) testing synonyms, antonyms, analogies, classification, sentence completion, and deduction; (2) Numerical Reasoning (30 minutes, 50 questions) assessing pattern recognition, series analysis, matrices, and arithmetical reasoning without curriculum knowledge; (3) Reading Comprehension (30 minutes, 50 questions) evaluating understanding across fiction, non-fiction, poetry, and informational passages with emphasis on inference; (4) Mathematics (30 minutes, 60 questions) testing year-appropriate curriculum knowledge across arithmetic, algebra, geometry, measurement, and data interpretation; and (5) Written Expression (15 minutes, 1 written response) requiring students to produce creative, descriptive, narrative, persuasive, expository, or informative writing.

EduTest divides its assessment into two categories. Ability Tests (Verbal Reasoning and Numerical Reasoning) measure thinking capacity and potential to learn without relying on curriculum knowledge — these sections predict how quickly students can learn and what complexity levels they can handle. Achievement Tests (Reading Comprehension, Mathematics, and Written Expression) demonstrate what students have already learned and how effectively they execute acquired skills at year-appropriate curriculum levels. This dual-category system allows selective schools to distinguish between students who have memorised content and those with genuine capacity for accelerated, rigorous academic programs.

The coordinated testing system allows students to apply to multiple NSW selective schools while sitting ONE examination on the same date, eliminating the need for multiple test sittings. The coordinated system requires separate registration and payment for each school ($160 per school), but test results are automatically shared with all schools the student applies to. Students must sit at the location with the earliest testing date when applying to multiple schools. Results transfer forward to all applicable schools with later dates within each testing cycle (Terms 1–2, Term 3, or Term 4), but results cannot transfer backward to earlier dates or across calendar years.

No — the test is intentionally designed so most students complete only about half the questions. This is a deliberate element allowing schools to identify exceptional performers. There are no penalties for incorrect or unanswered questions, so strategic guessing and attempting every accessible question proves beneficial rather than leaving answers blank. Students should focus on accuracy first, developing speed only after achieving 95–100% accuracy on practice tests.

For optimal results, begin 6–12 months before the test date. Begin reading and writing improvement 12 months ahead since these skills develop gradually rather than through intensive cramming. Start intensive mathematical and reasoning sections practice 6 months before testing, following a five-step preparation cycle: complete practice tests without time limits focusing on accuracy, review every incorrect answer, develop specific strategies, refine approaches, and repeat until achieving 95–100% accuracy before introducing time constraints. The final month should include 2–3 full practice tests weekly under timed conditions.

Based on 2,500+ students, Verbal Reasoning is consistently the most challenging section, requiring advanced vocabulary, complex analogies, and abstract pattern recognition under time pressure. Written Expression ranks second due to the need to combine creative thinking, structured writing, and grammar mastery in 15 minutes. Numerical Reasoning also challenges students with logic-based problems beyond standard curriculum mathematics.

EduTest uses percentile rankings comparing performance to other students at the same year level nationally. Top selective schools like James Ruse typically require scores in the 95th–99th percentile range. Scores are reported separately for each of the 5 sections, and schools may weight certain sections differently. EduTest never provides results directly to parents — all outcomes flow exclusively to schools, which conduct selection processes independently and decide whether to issue parent reports.

Prohibited items include calculators (strictly prohibited across all sections), rulers, dictionaries, scratch paper, mobile phones, smart watches, and fitness trackers. Required materials include photo ID (school photo, library card, passport, or birth certificate with photo), two lead pencils, erasers, sharpeners, and black or blue pens for Written Expression. Simple time-telling watches, reading glasses, hearing aids, water bottles, and snacks for breaks are permitted. This calculator prohibition makes mental math practice essential for both Mathematics and Numerical Reasoning sections.

Each NSW selective school requires separate registration and payment of $160 per school, even though test results transfer between schools in the coordinated program — applying to all five NSW schools costs $800 total ($160 × 5). Queensland Academies charge $250 non-refundable application fees per academy. Official EduTest practice tests from EduTest cost $30–65 and provide 90 days of access. Remote testing requires additional $160 fees paid at least five days before testing.

Start EduTest preparation this week.

Grab a EduTest mock pack and start practising tonight. Or sit a free timed mock test first — no account, no card.

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