The 4 Sections of the Test

1. Reading Comprehension - 35 minutes, 35 multiple-choice questions. Students read from a passage or image and answer questions relating to what they have read, all the information needed is on the page.

2. Communicating Ideas in Writing - 25 minutes, one written response. They're shown a prompt (an image, a phrase, or both) and write something original in response. Any style, any genre.

3. Quantitative Reasoning - 35 minutes, 35 multiple-choice questions. Logic and problem-solving. Not standard school math. No calculators.

4. Abstract Reasoning - 20 minutes, 35 multiple-choice questions. Visual patterns and sequences. Students figure out the missing step or what comes next. Fast-paced, speed matters here as much as accuracy.

There's a 10-minute break halfway through (after the writing test). The whole thing wraps up in under three hours.

Is this just a harder school exam?

No. The ASET is not a school-based test, and it does not assess what your child has learned in class. Instead, it focuses on how they think, including reasoning, pattern recognition, and the ability to generate ideas under time pressure.

That means it is not something students can prepare for in the same way they would study for a math or science exam, and natural ability does play an important role. However, that does not mean preparation is unnecessary. If a student has already seen the style of questions, especially in areas like Abstract Reasoning - they are less likely to waste time trying to understand the format on test day.

The goal is to prepare enough for your child to feel familiar and confident, without turning the test into another school subject.