Selective placement sounds mysterious, but the logic is straightforward once you separate the test result from the offer process.
It’s relative, not a fixed bar
A child’s result is based on how they performed compared with every other applicant, reported as bands rather than a raw mark. Broadly, these describe the top 10%, the next 15%, the next 25%, and the lowest 50%. There is no published cut-off score — the threshold for any school depends on demand that year. We unpack the “what score” question in what score do you need.
Preferences and the single offer
When you apply through the Department of Education, you list up to three school preferences in order. The placement system then makes one initial offer, based on the child’s merit and the order of your preferences. So preference order matters: think carefully about it, because the system tries to place a child as high up their list as their result allows.
Equating keeps it fair
Because the test runs in different forms, scores are equated — a statistical adjustment ensuring no version is unfairly easier or harder. If one form is slightly tougher, the marks are scaled so every child is held to the same standard. Families don’t need to do anything; it happens behind the scenes.
The odds
Across the state, roughly one in four applicants is placed. That’s genuinely competitive — and a good reason to focus on well-rounded performance across all four sections, since each counts for 25%.
After the offer
Not getting a first-round offer isn’t the end — reserve lists and withdrawals can open places later. And it’s worth keeping perspective: a strong local high school can be an excellent outcome too. For the timing of all this, see when results are released, and to prepare well, our selective practice tests mirror the real format.