NSW Selective High School Placement
Prepare for the NSW Selective High School Placement Test — 4,338 Year 7 places across NSW selective schools.
About the Exam
New South Wales has 17 fully selective and 27 partially selective high schools, plus 4 agricultural high schools and Aurora College. The Selective High School Placement Test is the gateway to schools like James Ruse, Sydney Girls, North Sydney Boys/Girls and Baulkham Hills, with 4,338 Year 7 places on offer. The test is computer-based and runs 155 minutes of testing across four equally weighted sections (about 3 hours 25 minutes on the day, including breaks): Reading, Mathematical Reasoning, Thinking Skills and Writing. It is authored by Cambridge University Press & Assessment and delivered on the Janison platform. Big Brain's reasoning, reading and writing practice builds the underlying skills this test assesses — and our Thinking Skills content, matched to the Cambridge format, is coming soon.
Exam Components
Schools
How to Prepare for NSW Selective
The test is computer-based, not paper. Practise on a screen — reading long passages and planning a writing task on a keyboard is a different skill.
Thinking Skills is the section most families have never seen before. It is critical reasoning and problem solving, not curriculum content, and it is worth a full 25%.
All four sections are weighted equally. Writing is 25% of your mark from a single 30-minute task — it is the most commonly under-practised section.
Sit the official free practice tests on the NSW Department of Education website. They are the closest thing to the real interface and they cost nothing.
List your school preferences strategically — James Ruse is the most competitive, but every selective school on your list is a real option.
Start the reasoning work early. Pattern recognition and critical reasoning improve with consistent practice over months, not with last-minute cramming.
Free official resources
Straight from the exam authority. Worth doing before you pay anyone — including us.
- Official NSW free practice tests
Free sample tests from the NSW Department of Education, in the Cambridge format used on the day.
- Placement test timeline and key dates
Application windows, test dates and outcome dates, published by the Department.
Why Prepare with Big Brain?
Unlimited Practice
Access 10,000+ questions and unlimited practice tests. No test pack limits.
Personalised Study Plan
Our AI creates a Duolingo-style learning pathway tailored to your diagnostic results.
Sub-Skill Analytics
See exactly which areas need work with detailed breakdowns, not just a total score.
AI Writing Feedback
Get instant, detailed feedback on your writing with suggestions to improve.
Exam-Matched Questions
Questions designed to match the Cambridge University Press & Assessment (delivered on Janison) exam format and difficulty.
Study Anytime
Desktop, tablet, and mobile. Practice at home, school, or on the go.
School Guides
Learn more about each school, entry requirements, and how to prepare.
James Ruse
Carlingford, NSW
Year 7, Year 8-11 Entry
Sydney Girls
Surry Hills, NSW
Year 7, Year 8-11 Entry
North Sydney Boys
Crows Nest, NSW
Year 7, Year 8-11 Entry
North Sydney Girls
Crows Nest, NSW
Year 7, Year 8-11 Entry
Baulkham Hills
Baulkham Hills, NSW
Year 7, Year 8-11 Entry
Chatswood
Chatswood, NSW
Year 7 (partially selective), Year 8-11 transfer Entry
Exam Guides
Free detailed breakdowns of what to expect on exam day
Related Opportunities
Explore other exam pathways that may suit your goals.
In person
Coming up in person
Sit a full-length exam under real conditions, or prepare for the interview round.
From our latest exam cohort
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“The discussion points were almost exactly the same as those on BigBrain.”
M.K. · Year 9 · 2026 · Edutest
“Exactly like BigBrain. The questions asked were the same.”
P.K. · Year 9 · 2026 · Edutest
“Exactly like Big Brain, the format and everything. I'm thankful I did Big Brain.”
B.C. · Year 9 · 2026 · Edutest
“BigBrain has been a big help!!”
R.K. · Year 9 · 2026 · ACER
“They were really similar to the BigBrain questions and the Edutest practice tests.”
S.A. · Year 9 · 2026 · Edutest
“My child enjoyed the sessions, and parts of the program aligned really well with the exam content.”
P.L. · Year 9 · 2026 · Edutest