My Top 5 Strategies for Selective Test Success.
Author: Nelson Luo (Founder & Principal)
- Ex-North Sydney Boys (Rank 1st NSW)
- 98.20 ATAR (Australia's Top 2% )
- 100% UNSW Co-Op Scholarship Recipient
- Student Mentor of 100+ students
Earlier this year as Selective Test results were released, I received an influx of messages that reminded me exactly why I set the NL English Academy mission and philosophy.
One of these many messages was from a parent whose daughter had been with us for almost 2 years. I’ll refer to her as M.W.
M.W wasn't just any student.
She was one of those kids who walked into our academy feeling completely overwhelmed by Selective English preparation.
When one of our English Specialists, Kritin, first assessed her, M.W had clear foundational knowledge gaps in reading comprehension and exam strategy, like most students who join us.
And that same girl just secured her place at one of NSW's most competitive Selective schools - Baulkham Hills High School.
As I reflected on M.W’s journey with us, it prompted me to consider the factors contributing to her success.
Was it her personal commitment to studies? Was it perfecting exam technique? What role did NL English Academy play in her journey?
After years of analysing student outcomes, we developed five core strategies that I deem to separate those who achieve Selective Test success from those who don't.
The last strategy is my recommendation to one of the most pivotal decisions any parent will have to make for their child.
1. Mastering Each Selective Test Section's Specific Criteria
The biggest mistake families make is treating the Selective Test like a general academic assessment.
But that’s the wrong way to look at it.
Each section has distinct evaluation criteria that demand targeted preparation. As NL English Academy specialises in reading and writing mastery, we will focus on these two exam sections in particular.
Here’s what we often tell our students: Reading and writing now make up 50% of your final Selective Test mark. 40 minutes for reading with 16 questions (2 have multiple parts, cloze passage/summary statements and choose-the-extract). 30 minutes for an unseen writing task.
Both worth 25% of your final mark.
We make sure they know this because this emphasises how much of their overall Selective preparation should be targeted towards reading and writing and what each section assesses.
Next, we will make sure they understand the exact question types they will encounter. We have structured exam technique strategies for each question type that we teach our students (see below for an example for short story MCQ in our term program courses).
For reading, there are 4 main question types:
- Short story MCQ/Dual short story MCQ - Students read one or two short narrative passages and answer multiple-choice questions about plot, character, theme, and literary techniques.
- Poem MCQ - Students analyse a poem for meaning, poetic devices, structure, and emotional impact through multiple-choice questions.
- Cloze passage/Summary statements - Students either fill in missing words in a passage using context clues, or identify which statements best summarise key information from a text.
- Choose the extract - Students must identify which extract from several options best matches specific criteria or demonstrates particular writing techniques or themes.
Once students can identify exactly what question type is testing, it becomes a lot easier to access that part of their brain to tackle the question more efficiently.
For writing, it’s a lot more complex because the criteria employs a sophisticated two-tier marking system, where each response receives evaluation from two independent trained examiners.
The marking criteria is divided into Set A and Set B criteria, with Set A carrying 15 marks and Set B carrying 10 marks, for a total of 25 marks per examiner. Since there are two independent examiners marking each response, the total possible score becomes 50 marks.
Set A Criteria (15 marks per examiner) focuses on content and structure:
- Quality and originality of ideas
- Suitability of the form/genre (e.g., a diary should feel personal; a newspaper article should be factual)
- Clear, logical flow of ideas using paragraphs and cohesive devices
- An effective beginning, well-developed middle, and a clear conclusion
Set B Criteria (10 marks per examiner) focuses on technical accuracy and language use:
- A deliberate style/voice and well-chosen range of vocabulary
- Appropriate formality (depending on audience)
- Accurate spelling and grammatically correct sentences with proper punctuation
- Use of figurative language (students should aim for 3-5 instances)
Importantly, if a student scores poorly in one area, this cannot be compensated for by scoring highly in another area. This means students must demonstrate competency across all marking criteria rather than relying on strength in just one area.
The double-marking system ensures reliability and fairness through the computer-based platform, where student responses are anonymised during the assessment process to maintain objectivity.
One of the most common mistakes we see parents and students make is diving straight into practice questions without understanding what's actually being evaluated. I learned this lesson the hard way during my own preparation for assessments, spending weeks perfecting techniques for skills that weren't even heavily weighted in the assessment. Understanding the specific purpose and weightings of each exam component becomes the foundation for all effective preparation strategies.
2. Adapting to Selective Test Computer-Based Testing
From 2025, the Selective Test will be conducted through a computer-based format. I’ve compiled a comprehensive list of considerations for students getting used to this new format.
- Get used to touch typing.
Your child has likely been hand-writing their whole life, practising this skill over and over again. But they likely haven’t done the same with typing.
The bottleneck for most students will not be their ability to craft elegant pieces of writing, but rather how quickly students can type their thoughts into a computer.
My recommendation for all my students is to learn how to touch type, or type without looking too often at the keyboard.
Monkeytype is a good website for your child to start practising typing skills completely free of charge.
There are also many youtube videos out there explaining exercises which your child can practise regularly on a google doc to become proficient at touch typing.
2. The flagging feature.
One of the biggest advantages of the new computer-based format is the flagging feature.
This gives your child the opportunity to flag questions they are unsure of and access them quickly with a click.
The strategy I recommend to my students is to flag difficult questions immediately and move on. If your child is stuck on a question, they should estimate with their gut, flag and move on.
3. Simulate REAL test conditions.
There is no other way to get familiar with computer-based testing other than going through the iterations.
However, I believe many parents underestimate the amount of timed practice their child should do and fail to recreate the correct exam conditions for them.
What I recommend to my students is to sit at least 2 full practice tests before the actual examination date, with an emphasis on improving exam technique throughout the year by completing regular question sets.
These timed practice sessions must be intentional and should mimic real exam conditions.
Real exam conditions do not include a bedroom setting or having a phone set up in front of your child as a timer. It should be somewhere uncomfortable. Unfamiliar. Without any distractions.
I believe that repetition and application is the only way any child can reach the stage of ‘exam readiness’.
The hard part is going through the repetitions without feeling like you're improving. And that’s where many students struggle, and is ultimately what separates students within cohorts.
It’s like going for a run without knowing where the finish line is. It will feel extremely tough in the moment but those who reach the end are the ones that keep going and trust the process.
However, repetition alone isn't enough. It's about improving with each practice session. This is where a mistakes book becomes crucial. After every timed practice test or question set, students should review their errors, understand why they went wrong, and record the corrections in their mistakes book. This ensures that each repetition builds genuine improvement rather than just reinforcing bad habits. I go into depth about how to create your own ‘mistakes book’ here →
Encourage your child to do the repetitions. And trust that each timed practice test or question set is getting them closer to ‘exam readiness’.
3. Choosing Schools (Selective, Public, Private) Based on Genuine Fit, Not Just Rankings
At NL English Academy, we offer complementary weekly 1on1 mentorship sessions as part of our term program that any of our parents can book into. Over the years, I have spoken with countless families who ask me the same question: "How do we select the school? What school should we put first?"
And while I understand the desire to aim for the "best," I believe that the most important question is not which school ranks highest, but which environment will allow your child to flourish in the long run.
All Selective schools are top performing schools. Yes, some perform better than others, but for the most part, every Selective cohort will be academically competitive.
I remember a conversation with a mother during one of these sessions, whose daughter had just started at what many consider the top Selective school in NSW for many years, James Ruse.
Three months in, she had become anxious and withdrawn. She went from loving literature to dreading every English assessment. The competitive atmosphere, while motivating for some, was overwhelming for her because she produced her best work when she didn’t feel pressure to perform. So it is important to find the best fit for each individual child.
However, on the other hand, I've also seen one of our student scholars who made it into NSB, absolutely thrive in the competitive culture because that was simply how he performed better. He was passionate about chess and mathematics from a young age, and at NSB, he found his perfect environment, where he was in an accelerated "Falcon Maths" class and a competitive chess team that fuelled his competitive spirit.
It's all about what your child prefers and the culture they perform best in.
Additionally, I've listed a few points below on what I think most parents overlook:
Single-sex vs co-educational matters hugely.
In my opinion as an ex-NSB, single-sex schools create focused environments without social pressure. Contrarily, I believe that co-ed schools like Baulkham Hills expose children to diverse perspectives that better prepare them for university.
Travel time can make or break your child's experience.
I've seen brilliant students burn out from three-hour daily commutes, not academic pressure. When your child has drama until 7 PM, that extra travel becomes exhausting. I remember a friend of mine who lived in the Central Coast. He had to travel 2 hours one way just to get to school (North Sydney Boys in Crows Nest), and by year 12, most of his study had to be completed on the train. As a result, he hardly had time for deep focus study which likely held him back from performing at his best.
Don't overlook specialist opportunities.
Conservatorium High for musical talent, agricultural schools for hands-on learning, private schools for their strength in extracurricular opportunities - these provide unique experiences you won't find elsewhere. Private schools particularly excel in extracurricular opportunities. They usually offer extensive sporting programs, leadership programs and overseas opportunities.
If you plan on your child taking the International Baccalaureate route instead of the NSW HSC to attend overseas universities/colleges, a private school would be the best option. While private schools come with significant financial investment, the breadth of experiences and access to specialist programs are great for well-rounded development. But these are only worthwhile if your child can take full advantage of these opportunities.
Critical application detail for the Selective Test: Note that you can only accept your highest offer. If you receive offers from both second and third choice schools, you cannot decline the second to take the third.
4. Building Sustainable OC, Selective & High School Study Systems with Balance
It may sound ridiculously obvious. But research shows the importance of revising concepts regularly in order to learn effectively.
Studies have shown that without regular review, learners forget approximately 50% of newly learned material within an hour, 70% within 24 hours, and 90% within a week (Ebbinghaus, 1885).
But most of you already understand this. So how can you help your child drill theory and techniques into their minds so it becomes second nature when they sit their Selective Test?
I’ve always believed study systems are the only gateway to achieving this outcome.
A study system is a structured arrangement of study sessions each week, designed specifically to the current phase of preparation your child is in (e.g learning theory, applying content, sharpening exam technique).
For Selective Test reading & writing preparation, I recommend that students should be revising content at least twice a week upon first exposure, in a 30-60 minute session on top of their schoolwork and extra-curriculars.
This could simply involve reading over lesson notes for the past week and applying new literary techniques through a short piece of writing. Once it is easier to remember information, revision for specific topics can be spaced out further to once a week, then once a fortnight and so on. In this way, students will find that they are better able to retain information in the long run.
I mentioned that your child’s study system should have phases. Let me explain those phases further with how I created my study systems.
Phase 1: Master Through Active Recall
I always liked to start my study period with a consolidation of techniques, theory and knowledge. I made sure I knew the fundamentals by using techniques like active recall to remember and apply concepts. These first few weeks I would dedicate X amount of study sessions a week, and all of them would be focused on learning concepts and applying them. If you are looking for an effective active recall revision strategy, I explain how to use the tool “spaced repetition” in my blog here.
Phase 2: Build Application Through Practice Sets
Once I had the theory down, I'd shift my focus to pure application of concepts. At NL English Academy, our students consistently apply theory through time-pressured reading and writing activities every single week during class. All our students will also sit mock examinations in week 10 of each term. This is how much practice is expected to build a solid foundation of theory and exam technique.
Phase 3: Simulate Real Pressure with Timed Papers
As I approached my exam date, I'd start doing full past papers and sample tests under strict exam conditions. I would set a timer, remove all distractions, and treat it like the real thing. This step is like sharpening the tools in your shed. Making them useful to perform come exam day.
Tip: Track every single mistake.
This was my secret weapon. I kept a notebook specifically for mistakes. Every wrong answer went in with 2 things: the question and past paper/question set it was from, and a blank column next to it. As I mentioned previously, this mistakes book is the comprehensive database for all your gaps. Review the mistakes from the last week to redo each question and ensure you plug your gaps.
The system worked because on days when I felt lazy or unmotivated, I didn't have to think, I just followed my study system to know exactly what I needed to be doing. I created a comprehensive youtube video covering 6 of my recommended study strategies to become a top 1% student.
5. Choosing if You Need a Selective Test Tutor (or Not)
Before diving into which tutoring company to choose, it's worth considering whether your child needs tutoring at all.
Some students genuinely don't require any formal preparation. I have a younger cousin in Year 4 who is unbelievably gifted and naturally excels in IQ tests, enjoys puzzles, and consistently performs in the top band of her school assessments.
These students often don’t need formal tutoring and only need to learn exam technique to ace assessments like the Selective Test.
However, these genius students are extremely rare to come by, and tend to be the ones that make it into Selective schools without any additional tutoring support.
Most students who make it into Selective from NL English Academy have taken the time to master exam technique on top of building strong foundations in theory to perform best on test day.
That’s why our team of English Specialists focuses so heavily on exam technique after getting our students up to speed on core theory.
Yet when I looked at what was available in the tutoring landscape, I saw a concerning pattern.
I founded NL English Academy because I was tired of seeing generalised tuition centres stunting the growth of young learners.
Big classes where students are easily distracted and forgotten, outdated material resulting in learning gaps, where uninspired tutors are the norm.
This is the false promise of the tutoring industry.
Especially with Selective English preparation, I was displeased with the amount of tuition companies that claim to care about students individually but proceed to have classes of 15+ students jammed into a small classroom.
I wanted to create an academy that was led by successful ex-Selective school students who had walked the path and excelled in the same system your child is in.
Mentors who inspire, challenge, and build the confidence of our students through powerful discussion and close attention in a small-class environment.
I read a study by the Grattan Institute that suggested group tutoring of above 6-7 students per class is immediately less personalised, leading to lower performance and improvement in students (Sonnemann, Hunter & Stobart, 2023). That’s why our classes are strictly capped at 6 students.
A good rule of thumb is to never settle with a tutoring company unless your child sees clear cut results and improvements.
For Selective Test preparation, there are excellent tutoring companies out there specialising in specific exam sections, like Cortex Academy (founded by Mr. Alvin) and Precision Mathematics Academy (founded by Ms. Rachel), who prioritise the small-class teaching philosophy. I would personally recommend these tuition centres for Thinking Skills and Mathematics preparation, with many NL English Academy students also attending them and sharing positive feedback.
Ultimately, my recommendation is to prioritise tutoring companies that demonstrate genuine commitment to small-class teaching and specialised expertise in your child's specific needs.
If your child is not improving, it’s time to reconsider your tuition options.
My Final Thoughts
After mentoring hundreds of students through the Selective pathway, these are the five strategies I believe separate those who achieve Selective Test success from those who don’t.
If you've read this far, I'm genuinely grateful for your time and commitment to your child's journey. I hope these insights prove valuable as you navigate this challenging but rewarding path together with your child.
I know it may feel overwhelming to adjust your approach, especially when you've already invested so much time and energy. But remember that meaningful change happens gradually, one small improvement at a time. Each conversation with your child, each strategic decision, each moment of balance you create builds toward something greater.
Stay committed to the process, trust in your child's capabilities, and remember that every bit of preparation is walking your child one step closer to your dream outcome.
Thank you,
Nelson Luo
Founder & Principal, NL English Academy
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