ðə dʒˈɛnɚɹəl ɐtʃˈiːvmənt tˈɛst wʌz ˌɪntɹədˈuːst æz ɐ pˈaɪlət pɹˈoʊɡɹæm ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd ˈeɪɾi sˈɛvən, dɪzˈaɪnd tə tˈɛst ðə fˌiːzᵻbˈɪlᵻɾi ænd ɪfˈɛktɪvnəs əvə dʒˈɛnɚɹəl tˈɛst ðæt ɐsˈɛsᵻz skˈɪlz ænd nˈɑːlɪdʒ ðæt wʌz nˌɑːt spəsˈɪfɪk tʊ ˌɛni vˌiːsˌiːˈiː sˈʌbdʒɛkts.
The General Achievement Test was introduced as a pilot program in 1987, designed to test the feasibility and effectiveness of a general test that assesses skills and knowledge that was not specific to any VCE subjects.