ACER HAST vs EduTest: Which SEAL Test Format Does Your School Use?
ACER HAST vs EduTest: Which SEAL Test Format Does Your School Use?
Before you can prepare properly for a SEAL entrance test, there is one question worth answering first: which company actually runs the test at your target school? Most Victorian SEAL programs test through EduTest, but a meaningful number use ACER's Higher Ability Selection Test (HAST) instead — and the two are not the same test wearing a different label. They are structured differently, cover different section types, and reward slightly different preparation.
This guide breaks down the real differences so you can confirm which one applies and prepare for the right format from the start.
In this article:
- How to find out which test your school uses
- What EduTest's SEAL paper covers
- What ACER's HAST covers, and how it differs
- What "abstract reasoning" actually means, since it trips up the most families
- How to prepare when you're not sure, or when your child is applying to schools using both
How to Find Out Which Test Your School Uses
There is no substitute for checking directly — SEAL testing arrangements are set by each individual school, and they do change from year to year. The most reliable places to check:
- Your target school's SEAL or enrolment page, which usually names the testing provider directly
- The application or registration information sent to families once you register interest
- Contacting the school's SEAL coordinator directly if the provider isn't stated clearly
Do not assume based on what a sibling sat, what a neighbouring school uses, or what was true in a previous year — confirm it for the specific year your child is applying.
EduTest's SEAL Paper
EduTest is the more common provider for Victorian SEAL testing, and its SEAL paper follows a familiar five-section structure:
- Verbal reasoning — word-based analogies, pattern relationships, and logical reasoning with language
- Numerical reasoning — number sequences, relationships, and pattern-based problems (not curriculum arithmetic)
- Reading comprehension — passages with inference and meaning-based questions
- Mathematics — curriculum-aligned maths calibrated to a strong Year 6 student
- Writing — a timed narrative or persuasive piece
This is the same broad structure used across many EduTest scholarship exams, which means a student already preparing for a private school scholarship exam through EduTest is, in large part, also prepared for an EduTest SEAL paper.
→ See: What Is the Edutest Scholarship Exam? A Complete Guide for Parents
ACER's HAST
ACER's Higher Ability Selection Test (HAST) is structured differently. Rather than five sections, it is built around four components:
- Mathematical and scientific reasoning — applying logical and quantitative reasoning to numerical and scientific-style problems, rather than testing curriculum content directly
- Abstract reasoning — identifying patterns and relationships in shapes, sequences, and matrices, without any words or numbers involved
- Reading comprehension — similar in spirit to EduTest's, assessing inference and meaning from passages
- Written expression — a timed writing task, assessed on similar dimensions to EduTest's writing section
The biggest structural difference is that HAST replaces a dedicated verbal reasoning section with abstract reasoning, and folds general numerical reasoning into a broader "mathematical and scientific reasoning" component rather than testing curriculum maths separately.
What Abstract Reasoning Actually Is
This is the section that catches families out most, because it is the one least likely to resemble anything a student has practised before. Abstract reasoning questions present a sequence or set of shapes, patterns, or symbols and ask the student to identify the rule governing them, then apply it to select the next item, the odd one out, or the missing piece.
There is no vocabulary and no arithmetic involved — it purely tests visual-logical pattern recognition. Because it draws on a different skill to verbal or numerical reasoning, a student who has only ever practised EduTest-style questions can find HAST's abstract reasoning section unfamiliar in the first sitting. Early, deliberate exposure to this question type specifically is one of the highest-value things a family preparing for HAST can do.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| EduTest SEAL | ACER HAST | |
|---|---|---|
| Structure | 5 sections | 4 sections |
| Verbal skill | Verbal reasoning (word-based) | Abstract reasoning (visual/pattern-based) |
| Numerical skill | Numerical reasoning + separate mathematics | Combined mathematical & scientific reasoning |
| Reading | Reading comprehension | Reading comprehension |
| Writing | Writing | Written expression |
| Also used for | Many private school scholarship exams | Some scholarship testing, other selective pathways |
Preparing When You're Not Sure, or When Both Apply
If your child is applying to more than one SEAL school and the schools use different providers, do not split preparation into two entirely separate tracks. The underlying reasoning and writing skills genuinely transfer between formats. What's worth doing specifically:
- Confirm the exact format for each school your child is applying to, since preparation timing may need to account for both
- Add dedicated abstract reasoning practice if HAST applies to any of the target schools, since it is the one skill EduTest-focused preparation will not build
- Keep written expression practice consistent regardless of provider — both formats assess it, and the underlying writing skill is the same
→ See: SEAL vs Scholarship Exams: What's the Difference?
Practising Both Formats
PassPrep offers two separate free SEAL practice tests — one in the EduTest format, and one in ACER's HAST format — so you can practise the exact structure your target school uses, including abstract reasoning practice for families preparing for HAST.
→ Try the free EduTest-format SEAL test
Frequently Asked Questions
Is ACER's HAST harder than EduTest's SEAL paper? Not inherently — they test different skills through different formats. Students who read widely and enjoy word-based puzzles often find EduTest's verbal reasoning more intuitive, while students with strong visual-spatial thinking often find HAST's abstract reasoning more approachable. Neither is objectively easier.
Can a student prepare for HAST using EduTest-style materials? Partially. Reading comprehension and written expression practice transfers well. Verbal reasoning practice does not transfer to abstract reasoning, since one is word-based and the other is entirely visual — these need to be practised separately.
Do all Victorian SEAL schools use one of these two providers? Most do, but a small number of schools run their own in-house test or use a different provider. Always confirm directly with the specific school.
Is HAST used for anything other than SEAL entry? Yes — ACER's HAST is also used by some schools for other selective and scholarship pathways beyond SEAL specifically. Confirm the exact use case with the relevant school.
If a school doesn't say which test it uses, what should we do? Contact the school's SEAL coordinator or enrolment office directly and ask. Given how differently the two formats are structured, it is worth confirming before committing preparation time to one format.