Understand the test5 min read

OC test or Selective test: a side-by-side comparison

A plain comparison of the NSW Opportunity Class test (Year 5 entry) and the Selective High School test (Year 7 entry): year, age, format, timing, writing, weighting, school choices and places.

Last checked 7 October 2026 against the official sources.

Families often ask whether the Opportunity Class (OC) test and the Selective test are the same thing. They are not. They are two separate tests with separate applications. This page sets them side by side.

The OC test is sat in Year 4 for Year 5 entry. The Selective test is sat in Year 6 for Year 7 entry.
The Selective test is longer, is two year levels up in content (Year 6 rather than Year 4) and includes a writing task. The OC has no writing.
You apply separately for each. An OC place does not carry over.

The comparison

	OC test	Selective test
Entry year	Year 5 (a two-year program, Years 5 and 6)	Year 7
When the student sits it	Year 4	Year 6
When parents apply	End of Year 3 or start of Year 4	End of Year 5 or start of Year 6
Usual age	9 years 5 months to 11 years at the start of Year 5	11 years 5 months to 13 years at the start of Year 7
2027-entry births	1 January 2016 to 31 July 2017	1 January 2014 to 31 July 2015
Format	Computer-based at a local test centre	Computer-based at a local test centre
Sections	Reading, Mathematical reasoning, Thinking skills	Reading, Mathematical reasoning, Thinking skills, Writing
Testing time	110 minutes of test time	155 minutes of test time
Writing	None	One typed task, 30 minutes
Weighting	33.3% for each section	25% for each section
Curriculum	Up to Year 4	Up to Year 6
School choices	1 to 4 opportunity classes	1 to 3 selective schools
Places, 2027 entry	1,840 Year 5 places in total, including 100 at Aurora College	4,338 Year 7 places

All details are from the Department, checked 7 October 2026.

What the table shows

Different years: The OC is for Year 5 and Year 6. Selective schools start in Year 7 and run to Year 12. A student could sit both tests, in different years, or only one.
Different length: The Selective test has an extra section, Writing, and longer Reading and Thinking skills sections. Selective is 155 minutes against 110 minutes for the OC. For a younger student, a shorter test is kinder.
Different weighting: The OC has three sections of equal weight. The Selective test has four, each 25%, so writing counts for a quarter of the result.
Different choices: An OC application can list up to four classes. A Selective application lists up to three schools. In both, the order is your order of preference.

Applying separately

The Department says an OC place does not carry over to Selective and you apply separately. Applying for the OC in Year 4 does not register your child for the Selective test. You will need a new application in Year 5 or Year 6. Look out for the application dates for each. See key dates.

Siblings

Each sibling has to qualify on merit. Siblings do not receive preference in test placement. (For agricultural boarding places, selection committees may give extra consideration to applicants whose brothers or sisters attend the school.) A family with children in different years may need to track an application window for each child, so keep a calendar for each.

The same calm approach

Both tests use the same Department application site, the same style of multiple-choice questions and the same four-band performance report. Families often find that what helps most is the same in each case: regular school attendance, familiarity with the test layout through free practice tests and a relaxed attitude at home. The Department does not recommend coaching for either test, and ExamExplained is run alongside a tutoring business. See preparing without coaching.

Where to go for the OC

For the OC test, read our guide what is the OC test. It covers the OC format, eligibility and how classes work.

Deciding

There is no right answer to whether your child should sit one test, both or neither. The Opportunity Class suits some students, and a local high school suits many. Our page should we apply helps you think it through.

Source: NSW Department of Education, Opportunity Class and Selective high school pages, checked 7 October 2026. Confirm on the Department's pages.

Department of Education wording on this page is quoted or adapted briefly under CC BY 4.0. © State of New South Wales (Department of Education), 2023. Licence: CC BY 4.0. ExamExplained has changed and summarised the text and is not endorsed by the Department.

Frequently asked questions

If my child gets into an OC, do they get a place at a selective school?

No. A place in an Opportunity Class does not carry over to Selective. The Department says you need to apply separately for the Selective test, in Year 6 for Year 7 entry. Each test is judged on its own.

Do we need to do the OC test before the Selective test?

No. The OC test is optional, and many students sit only the Selective test. Students who did not sit the OC, or who did and did not gain a place, can still apply for Selective in Year 6.

Do siblings get preference?

No. Each sibling has to qualify on merit, for both tests. A brother or sister already in an OC or a selective school gives no extra place from the test (agricultural boarding selection may consider siblings).

Which test is harder?

They are designed for different ages. The OC test is based on the curriculum up to Year 4 and the Selective test up to Year 6. The Selective test is longer and has a writing task. A comparison of difficulty is not something the Department publishes.

Can a family apply for both in the same year?

They are for different year groups. The OC is sat in Year 4 and the Selective test in Year 6, so one child normally sits them in different years. Families with two children can apply for each child separately.