Only 14% of 1548 applicants to the Academic Selective Entrance Test are granted admission to Perth Modern School, the only selective school in Western Australia. However, students can take the same test to be admitted to the GATE (Gifted & Talented Secondary Selective Entry Program) at 18 public schools in Western Australia.

For GATE tutoring in Perth, the test becomes more complex and more competitive each year. The combined cut-off point for selection has become more challenging (increased by 10.33 points in 2019). The West Australian reports that the ‘Education Department statistics show that the total number of gifted students applying for places has soared 30% in just four years, going from 3631 to 4756’.

What is the GATE exam – The ASET (test format, number of questions, and time limit)?

GATE, also known as the Academic Selection Entrance Test, has four parts. First, multiple-choice questions focus on critical thinking, problem-solving, and mathematical application. Therefore, rote learning, such as memorizing multiplication tables and formulas, won’t give your child the edge that they need.

They need strategies to quickly and accurately solve problems when confronted with exam questions.

The application period for the test is open from October to February each year. However, students usually take the test in March, the month after applications close.

How Difficult Is It To Get Into Perth Modern School?

It is a difficult test. You only have 51 seconds to complete a multiple-choice question. For abstract reasoning, the time limit is 34 seconds. It is challenging to stay within the time limit.

The questions are often not straightforward, making them more challenging. In addition, these questions require problem-solving, which is not something schools are taught.

How Can You Prepare Your Child For School?

First, practice a sample question. Although the Department of Education does not release past papers for the NSW selective school exam (also Grade 7), many ACER-prepared exams can be downloaded for free. 

Exam Success has a teaching bank that allows your child to practice questions and learn how to answer them. They will quickly learn how to answer questions within the time limit.

The private tuition process for GATE tutoring in Perth is only 5 steps.

Reading, abstract reasoning, and quantitative reasoning are all possible.

  1. Practice the test without limiting your time. Focus on answering the question correctly, and you will find your final score.
  2. If you don’t know the answer to a question, find out the correct answer and check it with your answer keys.
  3. You can develop strategies for similar questions so that you can answer the following question. Over time, you can improve your strategy to reduce the steps required to find the answer.
  4. Continue repeating steps 1 – 3 until your score is between 95-100%. If you do it correctly, your child should see a higher score on their practice test each time.
  5. Next, practice the tests within the given time limit. You’ll notice that it is much easier to work within a time limit once you know how to answer various questions correctly.