ACT Scaling Test

The ACT Scaling Test (AST) is a test of aptitude in studies for Year 12 students in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) set by the ACT Board of Senior Secondary Studies (BSSS) and created by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER). It is used to rank students and colleges for the calculation of an Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) as of June 2009.

The AST consists of a Multiple Choice Test (2hr 30min, 80 questions), a Short Answer Test (1hr 30min), and an Argumentative Essay (2hr 30min, 600 words). The AST is designed to test the aptitude of a student and not their knowledge unlike the Higher School Certificate. Questions are taken from a range of subjects including maths, science, social studies and humanities but do not require knowledge in those fields.

The first sitting of the AST occurs on the first Tuesday and Wednesday of September. There is a second sitting of the AST during October for those who missed the first sitting due to illness or misadventure.

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