HOW TO GET INTO HURLSTONE AGRICULTURAL HIGH SCHOOL
Updated April 2020
Hurlstone agricultural high is one of four agricultural high schools in NSW. The school was initially set up by John Kinloch (one of the first graduates from the University of Sydney) to prepare students for farm pursuits. This was revolutionary at the time as it was the first school that offered a formalised Agricultural course. Hurlstone Agricultural also offers boarding positions at the school for both male and female students. The school is rich in history, operating as a boys school until 1979 when it became co-educational. They offer a wide range of extra-curricular activities and have produced notable alumni in a diverse range of professional fields. All NSW Agricultural schools are based on selective entry which required students to sit the Selective Schools placement Test as a prerequisite for application. It is a unique school that offers many opportunities beyond a comprehensive government school and is therefore a popular choice for applications.
The application is assessed based on a score that students receive out of 300. For reference, the minimum entry score gained by students achieving placement in Hurlstone Agricultural High School for 2019 was 207 out of 300. This score comprised of 100 marks that represent a student’s internal performance in their primary school (or equivalent academic experience) and 200 marks are allocated to the selective schools placement test.
The test is very specific in structure, in fact the style of questions that are asked each year are very similar in format and therefore success in these exams is often determined by effective preparation. The exam is split into four components of: Writing (20min), Reading Comprehension (40min), Maths (40min), and General Ability (40min). All components of Reading Comprehension, Maths and General Ability are multiple choice. Due to the strict time constraints of the exam, it is often not enough to have only the aptitude to answer all questions, but it is important to develop effective time management and exam skills to maximise performance potential in the test on the day.
A High percentage of tutors at alchemy tuition have a direct experience sitting the selective schools test, and are therefore able to effectively share their expertise with their students. All members of our team have access to the ‘tutor hub’ in which they are able to find hundreds of resources on how to prepare specifically and effectively for the selective schools test. If you are hoping for your child to gain entry into Hurlstone Agricultural High school, Alchemy tuition is able to provide the specific tools and support to make this happen.
