Higher Ability Selection Test - Secondary (HAST)

Contact us

Australian Council for Educational Research

19 Prospect Hill Road

Camberwell, Victoria 3124

T:  + 61 3 9277 5625

F:  + 61 3 9277 5757

E:  hast@acer.edu.au

The multiple choice tests are machine scored. The written expression test is assessed by two independent markers with third discrepancy marking if there is a difference of more than two grades between the first two markers.

The school report lists students both alphabetically and in order of merit. Both lists provide raw scores, standardised scores, percentiles and stanines for each sub-test and overall.

The school report also contains summary statistics of the group's raw scores and a score frequency table that charts the performance of a particular candidate relative to the full cohort.

The individual report charts each student’s performance in terms of percentages of standardised scores. An individual’s score is compared to the scores of other students who sat the test and then ranked within different percentage levels of performance. The report does not give actual test scores or the rank order position of a particular candidate.

Results on the HAST are derived from a reference group of Australian students who have recently sat these tests as part of a selection process for a gifted and talented program. As such, scores from these tests may reflect a candidate population of above average ability rather than the ability of the general population.