All You Need To Know About NSW Selective High School Minimum Entry Scores 2024 & 2025

ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE MINIMUM ENTRY SCORE LIST

Making sure your child gets into a good selective school is important and determines the trajectory of their next 6-7 years. In this article we explore what the minimum entry score list is, its importance, its variables and what it’s based on. 

What is the minimum entry score list?

The minimum entry score list is a list which determines the lowest cut-off rate to get admission in a particular selective school. The student with the lowest evaluation to get admitted determines the minimum entry score. 

The minimum entry score for the NSW selective Test is based largely on these following factors:

• The number of students
• The test performance of the students 
• The numbers of spots available in each school
• The number of students who end up declining their offers

In 2021, the system saw a shift from the total placement score being 300 to 120 . The breakdown of 120 as the total placement score is given in the table below.

 

SUBJECT	SCORE
Reading	25
Mathematical Reasoning	25
Writing	15
Thinking Skills	35
Moderated School Assessment Score*	20
TOTAL PLACEMENT SCORE	120

* Certain independent schools may not provide this score.

What exactly do minimum entry scores help achieve?

To begin with, they help assess the academic strength of the students taking the test and also help identify the top-performing students who would benefit from the academically challenging environment of selective schools. The test is designed to gauge critical thinking, problem-solving, and reasoning abilities. It aims to move away from the rote learning system and encourage students to go beyond merely curriculum knowledge. 

However, it’s important to note that the test, by no means, measures a student’s overall potential or growth. They simply indicate the student’s eligibility for selective school placement.

Does the minimum entry score vary each year?

Yes, the minimum entry score changes each year. This is important to know so you don’t base your expectation on the previous year’s list. There are multiple factors that influence the score like:

• Number of Applicants

The number of students that apply to selective schools each year varies. The more the number of students, the more intense the competition. When the number of students increases, the score is likely to be pushed higher and vice versa. 

• Performance of Students

The scores depend largely on the performance of students. If the overall performance in a given year is exceptionally good, the minimum entry score will rise. Whereas, if the performance is low, the score may drop as well. 

• Number of Seats Available 

The number of seats available in selective schools is lesser than the number of students applying. With more students accepting the offer, the number of positions available decreases. This results in higher cutoffs. On the other hand, when students decline offers, the reserve list can move slightly lower than the required scores. 

• School Preferences

Schools are usually placed in order of preference by parents. Some schools are highly sought after and have top rankings each year amongst selective schools. These schools will probably have high entry scores whereas less sought after schools will have lower cutoffs. 

Why is it important to know about minimum entry scores?

Minimum entry scores give an indication of the level of competition present in the academic environment. They also help understand the academic prowess required at selective schools. If a student scores high in selective scores it means they will likely benefit from an environment where they would be pushed academically. 

However, do take note that schools are starting to focus less on merely test scores and more on a well-roundedness. 

Conclusion

Minimum entry scores help parents gauge where their child is academically placed and set realistic expectations. It also helps parents know how to guide their children better for their test prep. Scores no longer being public domain has left the parents blind-sided and they have to focus on a holistic preparation of the test rather than focus on a cut-off score.