How to Sync Selective Exam Prep with a Calendar Countdown
To sync selective prep with a calendar, make one shared calendar with three kinds of event: the official dates (applications, test day, results), a weekly timed paper with its review straight after, and short weekday practice sessions. Add reminders counting down to the application deadline and the test. It takes about ten minutes in Google Calendar, Apple Calendar or Outlook, and it turns “we should practise” into dated sessions, with nights off protected.
The dates to anchor on
The 2027 test dates have not been announced yet. Use the month for now and replace it with the exact date once it is published:
- NSW selective (Year 6) and OC (Year 4): tests in May. For the last cycle, applications ran from 6 November 2025 to 20 February 2026, selective outcomes came out on 19 August and OC outcomes on 9 September.
- VIC selective entry (Year 8): exam in June. For the June 2026 exam, applications ran from 2 March to 24 April 2026 and first-round offers came on 3 August.
- EduTest: dates are set by each school, so take them from the school’s own information.
What to put on the calendar
- Official milestones: applications open/close, test day(s), results / offers windows.
- Recurring practice: 2–3 weekday micro-sessions + one weekend simulation.
- Review blocks: same day as each mock (do not leave review “for later”).
- School load: NAPLAN weeks, camps, exams — reduce selective volume then (practice around homework).
- Holiday intensives: lighter daily drills + fewer full mocks (holiday routine).
Google Calendar setup (10 minutes)
- Create a calendar named Selective prep (colour it differently from school).
- Add an all-day event for Exam day with reminders 30, 14, 7 and 1 day(s) before.
- Add the application closing date as its own event with a reminder a week before. Late applications are not accepted.
- Create a weekly repeating event, “Timed paper + review”, on a weekend morning. Allow the length of the paper plus 20 minutes to go through mistakes.
- Create shorter weekday repeats (25–40 min) named after the current weak topic, and rename them when the focus changes.
- Share the calendar with the other parent or carer, and with the student if they manage their own schedule.
Tip: put links to the practice papers and the official portal in each event’s description so nobody has to hunt for them.
Countdown phases (month-level)
| Window | Calendar emphasis |
|---|---|
| T−12 to T−7 months | Foundations; light timed sections; reading habit |
| T−6 to T−3 months | A weekly timed paper; topic drills |
| T−8 to T−2 weeks | Exam-day simulations (simulation workflow) |
| Final week | Logistics, sleep, short warm-ups only |
How long each phase needs depends on the student: how long to study for a selective exam.
Where to check official dates
- NSW Selective / OC — education.nsw.gov.au selective high schools
- VIC ACER selective entry — selectiveentry.acer.org/vic
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I put selective exam prep on Google Calendar?▾
Create a separate Selective prep calendar, add exam day and application deadlines with reminders, then add weekly repeating mock and short drill events. Share with the other carer.
What dates should be on a selective countdown calendar?▾
Application open/close, test day, results/offers windows, weekly timed practice, same-day review blocks, and school assessment weeks where you reduce selective load. Confirm official dates each year.
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Exam-style timing, instant marking, and topic weakness tags. No credit card. Official DoE/ACER samples first — then structured practice. Practice helps; school places aren't guaranteed.
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