A Student’s Experience Sitting HPAT Online 2023 (Plus Some Tips!)
3 months ago by Chris
I just sat HPAT 2023 online – and what a relief to have it over with! Overall it was as I expected with no major surprises, having done practice exams on MedEntry’s online platform.
Check in process
The check in process was similar to what was outlined in the ProctorU video emailed to us by ACER. I logged into the ProctorU site, and when the countdown reached 0, I was able to start the check in process.
The system prompted me to take a photo of myself and my ID. I was connected to a proctor who helped with some technical checks. I had a technical issue so I was transferred to technical support, who were able to resolve the problem quickly.
I was then re-connected to my proctor. I couldn’t see the proctor but could hear them. They were friendly and talked me through the process. I had to show the four walls of my room, the door, and where my mobile phone was. I also had to show a full view of my table, and the two pieces of blank scratch paper that I was using for HPAT.
The Proctor then took control of my computer and did some extra checks. Then they asked me to log into the ACER app and unlocked my test. When I clicked start, some instructions were displayed, and then I pressed begin when I was ready.
There was an app that opened on my computer where I could communicate with the proctor by typing my questions and responses. There was a bit of a delay between me typing a question and getting an answer.
The test
The test was as expected, and probably easier than the MedEntry exams overall, which was nice. After my time expired for each section, I had the chance to take a mini break before proceeding to the next section.
My tips
Here are my tips for sitting HPAT online 2023:
- Be patient and manage stress
It can take time for the technical checks to occur and for the proctor to respond. It is easy to panic and think there is something wrong, but this will not help with your performance. Instead, use the time to meditate by deep breathing, and focus on the reasons you should feel confident. The proctors are very friendly and helpful, and should be able to fix any problems that occur.
- Don’t begin each section until you are ready
You can start the exam and each section of HPAT when you are ready. This gives you the chance to take a moment to breathe, recoup, and get ready for the upcoming section. Perhaps you can even say a mantra to yourself before the next HPAT section – ‘you’ve got this!’ – or something similar, to put yourself in the right mindset.
- Be prepared for something different
There were a couple of questions in section 2 that were a bit different to what I had practiced on. However, I could use the same strategies and reasoning I had developed over my practice to answer the questions, and I didn’t find the questions particularly difficult. I think it’s always a good idea to be prepared for something unexpected, as ACER does change the exam slightly each year.
Overall, the HPAT test wasn’t as bad or stressful as I expected. I am so glad I underwent MedEntry’s preparation – I wasn’t surprised by the questions and was used to doing them in an online format. The testing platform was exactly like what I used to practice questions on MedEntry, so it really just felt like another HPAT practice exam.
Best of luck for everyone sitting HPAT online 2023 soon!
