======Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Test (N.E.W.T.)======
=====Object Information=====
  * **Type:** Advanced magical examination; academic qualification
  * **Owners:** While not an object to be owned, N.E.W.T.s are administered by the [[Wizarding Examinations Authority]] on behalf of the [[Ministry of Magic]]. They are taken by seventh-year students at [[Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry]].
  * **Maker:** The examinations are set and governed by the [[Ministry of Magic]]'s Department of Magical Education and the [[Wizarding Examinations Authority]].
=====Description and Appearance=====
A Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Test, commonly known by its acronym N.E.W.T., is the highest level of subject-specific examination a [[witch]] or [[wizard]] can take at [[Hogwarts]]. The "appearance" of the exam is not of a single object, but a series of rigorous tests taken at the end of a student's seventh and final year.
Each subject's N.E.W.T. consists of at least two parts:
  * A written theory paper, requiring deep and nuanced understanding of the subject matter.
  * A practical examination, where students must perform advanced [[magic]] under the watchful eye of an examiner from the [[Wizarding Examinations Authority]].
These exams are famously difficult, a fact reflected in their full name, which was coined by students and later confirmed by [[Fred Weasley]] and [[George Weasley]].
=====Magical Properties and Usage=====
The primary purpose of N.E.W.T.s is to serve as a high-level qualification for entry into specialized magical professions. Most skilled careers in the wizarding world require a certain number of N.E.W.T.s in relevant subjects. For example, the [[Ministry of Magic]] requires a minimum of five N.E.W.T.s with top grades of 'Outstanding' or 'Exceeds Expectations' for its [[Auror]] training program.
**Prerequisites:**
To be eligible to take a N.E.W.T.-level class (and the subsequent exam), a student must first achieve a sufficiently high grade in that subject's [[O.W.L.]] (Ordinary Wizarding Level) exam. The required grade is set by the professor of each subject.
  * [[Professor McGonagall]] required at least an 'Exceeds Expectations' in [[Transfiguration]] [[O.W.L.]] to continue to N.E.W.T. level.
  * [[Professor Snape]] infamously required a top grade of 'Outstanding' in [[Potions]] [[O.W.L.]].
  * When [[Professor Slughorn]] took over as [[Potions]] Master, he lowered the requirement to 'Exceeds Expectations', allowing [[Harry Potter]] and [[Ron Weasley]] to join the class.
**Grading System:**
The grading for N.E.W.T.s is the same as for [[O.W.L.]]s:
  * **Pass Grades:**
    * O = Outstanding
    * E = Exceeds Expectations
    * A = Acceptable
  * **Fail Grades:**
    * P = Poor
    * D = Dreadful
    * T = Troll
=====History=====
N.E.W.T.s have long been the culminating academic challenge of a [[Hogwarts]] education, serving as the gateway to a professional wizarding life. The results are a significant measure of a young [[witch]] or [[wizard]]'s magical ability and discipline.
Several characters are noted for their exceptional N.E.W.T. performance:
  * [[Percy Weasley]] achieved twelve N.E.W.T.s, a source of immense pride for him and his family.
  * [[Bill Weasley]] also earned twelve N.E.W.T.s.
  * [[Bartemius Crouch Jr.]] was another high-achiever, earning twelve N.E.W.T.s before his fall from grace.
The exams are overseen by elderly and experienced members of the [[Wizarding Examinations Authority]], such as [[Griselda Marchbanks]] and [[Professor Tofty]], who travel to [[Hogwarts]] to conduct the practical assessments.
=====Role in the Story=====
The prospect of N.E.W.T.s heavily influences the academic lives of the main characters from their fifth year onwards. In //Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix//, students attend career consultations with their Heads of House to choose the subjects they will pursue to N.E.W.T. level, highlighting the academic pressure and future-planning required.
In //Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince//, [[Harry Potter]], [[Ron Weasley]], and [[Hermione Granger]] begin their N.E.W.T.-level classes. The difficulty is immediately apparent, with lessons involving complex topics like non-verbal spells in [[Defence Against the Dark Arts]] and [[Charms]]. Harry's unexpected entry into advanced [[Potions]] is a central plot point, as it leads him to acquire the textbook of the [[Half-Blood Prince]].
Ultimately, Harry, Ron, and Hermione abandon their seventh year at [[Hogwarts]] to hunt for [[Lord Voldemort]]'s [[Horcrux]]es during the [[Second Wizarding War]] and therefore do not sit for their N.E.W.T.s with their classmates. This decision marks their final transition from students to active participants in the war.
=====Behind the Scenes=====
  * **Etymology:** The acronym N.E.W.T. is a pun, as a [[newt]] is a type of small salamander, an amphibian often associated with witchcraft and potion-making. This follows the same pattern as the [[O.W.L.]] exams.
  * **Real-World Parallel:** N.E.W.T.s are the magical equivalent of the UK's non-compulsory post-16 qualifications, A-Levels (Advanced Levels), which students take to gain entry into university and specialized professions (J.K. Rowling interview).
  * **Post-Series Information:** [[J.K. Rowling]] has stated in interviews that [[Hermione Granger]] returned to [[Hogwarts]] after the war to complete her seventh year and take her N.E.W.T.s. [[Harry Potter]] and [[Ron Weasley]] did not, but were recruited directly into the [[Auror]] office by [[Kingsley Shacklebolt]] on the basis of their experience and accomplishments in defeating [[Lord Voldemort]] (J.K. Rowling interview), (Pottermore).