HSC papers vs trial papers?

[relativity1]

What would be more beneficial to do in preparation for trials
Past HSC papers or past trial papers from other schools?

[RuiAce]

I always suggest to leave the HSC papers for the final HSC exam.

Whilst some HSC questions are reused (or reworded) in the trial exams of certain schools, for the most part I prefer leaving them untouched. This is because despite the massive similarity, you want to leave them for the actual HSC exam. By doing them now, you may feel inclined to skip questions here and there later on the excuse that "oh, I've already done these questions already so I can't be stuffed".

This of course implies (but is not implied by) that for the trial block, you should be doing trial papers off past schools. If you can land your hands on CSSA or Independents papers (I'll assume you're buying them or your school has retained copies because we don't want to do illegal business here) then that's brilliant. That being said, many non-copyrighted papers are available on sources such as THSC and you simply cannot run out of material to use.

(For harder questions, I recommend the Sydney Grammar and Knox questions.)

[relativity1]

Would you recommend doing past papers from around your school ranks difficulty or just doing past papers from the rank 1,2,3 schools

[RuiAce]

Would you recommend doing past papers from around your school ranks difficulty or just doing past papers from the rank 1,2,3 schools

You do any past paper that you can get your hands on. There is never harm in doing past papers harder than the difficulty your school sets unless you're not capable of handling it and you know your school won't set it.

[conic curve]

(For harder questions, I recommend the Sydney Grammar and Knox questions.)

What about the Sydney boys and James Ruse papers?

[jamonwindeyer]

What about the Sydney boys and James Ruse papers?

James Ruse paper actually isn't normally too hard!! Can't comment on Sydney Boys, not seen much of them, but the couple of James Ruse papers I've seen have actually been pretty standard 

I definitely agree with Rui, but you do have a heap of HSC papers to get through for HSC! If doing one or two would boost your confidence, definitely do it! But save the most recent ones for the HSC study period, do some from a  few years ago if you choose 

[jamonwindeyer]

Would you recommend doing past papers from around your school ranks difficulty or just doing past papers from the rank 1,2,3 schools

As I mentioned in my Math lecture yesterday, the harder the past paper, the more beneficial it is for you to understand how to do every question  but yep, agree with Rui, any and every one you can!! 

[conic curve]

James Ruse paper actually isn't normally too hard!! Can't comment on Sydney Boys, not seen much of them, but the couple of James Ruse papers I've seen have actually been pretty standard 

I definitely agree with Rui, but you do have a heap of HSC papers to get through for HSC! If doing one or two would boost your confidence, definitely do it! But save the most recent ones for the HSC study period, do some from a  few years ago if you choose 

This is so ironic because Sydney Grammar has harder maths exams than James Ruse but James Ruse does better than Sydney Grammar in maths so shouldn't it be the other way around?

Brenden said that it's also important to focus on specific weaknesses rather than everything. I think the same applies for maths and past papers as it is important in maths to focus on your weaknesses in the past papers rather than everything

For me, I usually like to do everything earlier than everyone else and when the time comes again, I'll just do it again (to become more familiar with the style and structure of the paper) 

[RuiAce]

This is so ironic because Sydney Grammar has harder maths exams than James Ruse but James Ruse does better than Sydney Grammar in maths so shouldn't it be the other way around?

Nope.

That just means that the students at James Ruse perform better according to how the ranks are calculated.

School ranks are calculated by whoever has the highest "success rate". Success rate is defined by the formula

Therefore, James Ruse only comes first because they get more band 6's. And it's not always the smartest people who gets band 6's - it's those that know how to play the HSC out.

[conic curve]

Nope.

That just means that the students at James Ruse perform better according to how the ranks are calculated.

School ranks are calculated by whoever has the highest "success rate". Success rate is defined by the formula

Therefore, James Ruse only comes first because they get more band 6's. And it's not always the smartest people who gets band 6's - it's those that know how to play the HSC out.

Oh whoops my bad ahaha. Also shouldn't they make the exams harder so then they can spread out the ranks because if the tests were "too easy" then they'd get many students of similar rankings

[RuiAce]

Oh whoops my bad ahaha. Also shouldn't they make the exams harder so then they can spread out the ranks because if the tests were "too easy" then they'd get many students of similar rankings

Having rankings so similar isn't exactly a bad thing, nor is it good. It just means that the assessment marks that get reported will seem quite clogged up.

[conic curve]

Is it a good idea to do open book past papers for maths? For me I'm the type of person who does open book past papers first, especially for subjects like the sciences and the humanities but I don't know whether or not the same principle would apply to maths (I feel that most of the time people do closed book past papers for maths)

[WLalex]

Is it a good idea to do open book past papers for maths? For me I'm the type of person who does open book past papers first, especially for subjects like the sciences and the humanities but I don't know whether or not the same principle would apply to maths (I feel that most of the time people do closed book past papers for maths)

Hey conic curve,

Personally I think it is a good idea to have your set of notes handy when beginning to do past papers...although this would mostly be the case for formulas and I'm not sure, but if you are doing mathematics or extension we are now given a formula sheet.

Obviously, it is ideal to progress into doing exams under exam conditions but I think there is nothing wrong with doing open book to begin with, just try not to rely on your book too much (only use it for questions you are seriously stuck on)

Hope that was somewhat helpful, Alex

[conic curve]

Hey conic curve,

Personally I think it is a good idea to have your set of notes handy when beginning to do past papers...although this would mostly be the case for formulas and I'm not sure, but if you are doing mathematics or extension we are now given a formula sheet.

Obviously, it is ideal to progress into doing exams under exam conditions but I think there is nothing wrong with doing open book to begin with, just try not to rely on your book too much (only use it for questions you are seriously stuck on)

Hope that was somewhat helpful, Alex

Cheers Alex

The thing about maths is that it's all about speed and you don't really have much time to look there and look here for such things

[RuiAce]

Cheers Alex

The thing about maths is that it's all about speed and you don't really have much time to look there and look here for such things

Yes you do. What you don't have time for is "staring" at it.

You should memorise as many formulas as you can, but the sheet ensures that you are never stuck. Use it as soon as you need it.