How do you keep your coffee consumption under control? (Assuming you did eventually :P)
You're such a jolly presence on the forums. What's your favourite joke?
Since you mentioned it, who are your favourite people on Married at First Sight? Thoughts on the """"final twist"""" in last night's episode ;)
Any tips on how to look past the 'clique' culture at university? As someone who's also doing a bachelor in arts, I find this to be a problem in my uni life at the moment.
What is the meaning of life? :)
hey! thanks for doing this :)
how do you manage/ organise your time and get stuff done? to do lists, schedules/ timetables, something else?
I'm in year 12, standard English. Study techniques you used? maybe specifically for english. Motivation.. How do you find the motivation.
You have a golf club and 2 balls, a baseball and a tennis ball.
You hit both as far as you can, which one will go further and why?
What subjects did you do and what study score did you obtain? What was your hardest subject and why?
how much of a life did you sacrifice to get a good atar?
Which one will win and why: A duck or a cyclone?
Depends - what's the context?If the duck was in a cyclone (cruel, I know). Was asked this one recently and I thought it'd be interesting to reuse it! :P
What was your goal ATAR during VCE and were you surprised with a 99.65? What SS were you aiming for in Business Management and do you have any tips on how to score well in this subject?
If the duck was in a cyclone (cruel, I know). Was asked this one recently and I thought it'd be interesting to reuse it! :P
I'm in year 11 doing busman 3/4. Any tips?
Also don't really know your personality or social interests but did you still have a 'life' while grinding out VCE in year 12?
Hey accountingpro! Welcome to ATAR Notes. :)
I've just listed some general tips for Business Management here, but let me know if you want something more specific, or tips on various areas of study. If you have questions about BusMan content, I'd suggest asking them in this thread. There are lots of past and current BusMan students happy to help there - including the ATAR Notes Business lecturer. ;)
But yeah, let me know. Nice work on doing the 3/4 subject in Year 11. How are you finding it? What subjects are you thinking of taking next year?
In terms of "having a life", yeah, I definitely did. Honestly, not that much changed for me. As I mentioned in a previous response, I still had a lot of time off just chilling, I would have continued playing sport if not for injury, and I was working casually at the time. I don't go out or party much just by personality, so I didn't really have to cut back there, either.
Balance is a big thing in Year 12. :)
Thanks for the reply!
I really enjoy bus man so far. Got 93% on my first sac which could be better but I realised where I went wrong and am confident in not making the same mistake again.
Next year I'm doing: Spesh, methods, physics, english and possibly accounting (which I really don't enjoy, hence my name, but I had no other options, might do UMEP or something)
That's reassuring about the free time thing, wouldn't wanna miss out on the parties lol.
1. Top 10 favourite songs at this very moment?
2. Are you still persisting with the whole use-a-teabag-more-than-once thing?
3. Would you rather a strange donut, or a stranger's donut?
Hey Joseph41!
Congrats!!
Could I just ask you, did you get 100%s for all your SACs or like really really high 90s? - to get that 50 or 48?
How did you average in Unit 3 and 4 Eng Lang? (if you don't mind sharing :)
My school's SACs are super hard for some subjects especially, so it makes me worry sometimes.
Thank you so much for starting this thread! - it's a great one!
2. I sure am! I'm currently drinking tea - it's probably my fourth or fifth using this same teabag.That is soooooooo wrong.
That is soooooooo wrong.
Follow up question: why do you think it's acceptable to do such things, and how did you stray so far from God?
I see nothing wrong with re-using teabags. I'm now onto probably my seventh or eighth.But like, the tea just isn't enjoyable that way. Teabags are designed for only one use. After that, they make sub-par tea. You might as well be drinking hot water. It's an insult to good cups of tea all over the world
I see nothing wrong with re-using teabags. I'm now onto probably my seventh or eighth.
Hey!
just some questions about further maths...
1. Do you have any study tips that you found really helpful?
2. Did you do a theory book, and if so how did you do it and what sort of layout do you recommend?
3. If you don't mind sharing, what were your average SAC and exam marks (if you can remember :) )
Thank-you!
1. Do you miss university (or certain aspects of it)?
2. Excited for the start of the AFL season? How do you think Melbourne's shaping up?
3. How long as it taken you to write out such detailed replies in this thread? :o
But like, the tea just isn't enjoyable that way. Teabags are designed for only one use. After that, they make sub-par tea. You might as well be drinking hot water. It's an insult to good cups of tea all over the world
What did you do to unwind in year 12 without wasting time? Is that even possible?
Hey Joseph41!
Really like the idea of this thread.
Had a few questions myself!
1. While reading the textbook, do you think it would be a good idea to make notes as I go, or should I simply just read the chapter and answer the questions as I go? Shoulx I do questions open or closed book? I reckon it would depend on how well i understand what is being presented, right?
2. How might one go about balancing so many (5) subjects? ok maybe 5 isnt THAT much
3. How to study for eng lang? Just take notes of the different metalanguage and then go about finding examples? Then write some answers to practice questions, i suppose?
4. How does it feel to have graduated from uni- are you looking towards any career paths, apart from ATAR NOTES? Do you think your bachelor of arts was interesting enough for you to pursue uni or more further education?
Thanks! Really like the idea of this thread. Sort of shows what this community seems to be a bit about- helping each other out!
If you could be any animal what would you be and why?
How cute are baby turtles?!
sorry my brain’s a bit fried from camp, I’ll have better questions later.
Are you single?
And if so, will you marry me?SpoilerAnd if not, would you consider leaving your partner..?
Hey friend!
I am very happily in a relationship, won't be leaving my partner and, therefore, will have to politely turn down your very kind offer haha.
<3
Hey!
Thanks! ;D Really didn't know much apart from that it was a great website when i joined so didn't realise it would be my actual name! :P ;D
But thanks for your help!
Questions... so many questions..... hmmmm.
Well here goes nothing a series of questions that are varying, interesting and thought-provoking for you :).
- What is the book (or books) you've given most as a gift, and why? Or what are one to three books that you have greatly influenced your life?
- How has a failure, or apparent failure, set you up for later success? Do you have a "favorite failure" of yours?
- What is the one of the best or most worthwhile investments you've ever made? (Could be an investment of money, time, energy, etc.)
- What advice would you give to a smart, driven highschool and/or university student about to enter the "real world"? What advice should they ignore?
- When you feel overwhelmed or unfocused, or have lost your focus temporarily, what do you do? (If helpful: What questions do you ask yourself?)
Hey I am in year 11 and I am stuck on my biology assignment.Hey there! Welcome to ATAR Notes :)
Do you know what a hydrophilic channel is and what the function of a alpha helix structure.
Hey, this Q&A thing is really cool - it's like a nerd's version of a Reddit AMA haha
Did you go to a "good" (academically oriented) school or get tutoring or anything like that? And do you think that having those kinds of resources is as relevant to your ATAR as many say it is?
How much of a role does sucking up to your teachers and writing what the examiners want to hear have on the total result? Do you think that in any of the subjects you did that there was a bias towards certain ideas and ways of answer questions?
Have you watched the show "My Year 12 Life"? If so, what did you think of it?
Questions... so many questions..... hmmmm.
Well here goes nothing a series of questions that are varying, interesting and thought-provoking for you :).
- What is the book (or books) you've given most as a gift, and why? Or what are one to three books that you have greatly influenced your life?
- How has a failure, or apparent failure, set you up for later success? Do you have a "favorite failure" of yours?
- What is the one of the best or most worthwhile investments you've ever made? (Could be an investment of money, time, energy, etc.)
- What advice would you give to a smart, driven highschool and/or university student about to enter the "real world"? What advice should they ignore?
- When you feel overwhelmed or unfocused, or have lost your focus temporarily, what do you do? (If helpful: What questions do you ask yourself?)
Hey Joseph41 !
Any tips for what to do on mid-sem break for uni??
Hey I am in year 11 and I am stuck on my biology assignment.
Do you know what a hydrophilic channel is and what the function of a alpha helix structure.
1. What is your motto in life?
2. Do you think the whole leadership team (warner, lehmann, smith) should step down? (obligatory cricket q)
3. What is your greatest achievement?
4. If you could have a million dollars (with the condition that you had to stay on a desert island for 2 years, would you do it)?
5. Do you class the actions of smith and bancroft in the same level as Maria Sharapova and Lance Armstrong's actions?
That is all :P
(sorry additional q, forgot it before)
4. If you could have a million dollars (with the condition that you had to stay on a desert island for 2 years, would you do it)?;D, love the answers
I need more information here. What are the stipulations of the island? Am I alone? Am I comfortable? Can I work?
5. Do you class the actions of smith and bancroft in the same level as Maria Sharapova and Lance Armstrong's actions?
I think performing-enhancing drugs and ball-tampering are separate issues, but I guess both fall under the broader umbrella of cheating. I don't know that much about the Sharapova or Armstrong cases, but I'd say they're similar to a degree despite some pretty fundamental differences.
;D
Do people work on deserted islands? HAHA
...
As for Sharapova and Arnstrong.... Sharapova failed a drug test at the 2016 Australian Open (was banned for 2 years and a bit from competing) and Armstrong was found to be doping (and had his titles stripped off him).
But what's your workload like at the moment in terms of assignments and readings and revision and everything else? How are you finding first year so far?
G'day zofro! Thanks for your questions.
What is the book (or books) you've given most as a gift, and why? Or what are one to three books that you have greatly influenced your life?
I seldom give books as a gift, and even if I did, they probably wouldn't strongly reflect my personal preferences. I'll speak briefly about the book I most recently finished, plus my favourite book.
* I just finished After Bali by Jason McCartney. McCartney was a professional footballer who survived the Bali bombings. He suffered burns to 50% of his body, was in a seriously critical condition for a period, and then somehow made it back to play again at the highest level. This book has been sitting on my bookshelves for like five years but I hadn't picked it up until recently. Couldn't put it down. I was only eight at the time of the Bali bombings, so my understanding of it was pretty limited, and this book gave a pretty comprehensive run-down of them. Definitely gave me perspective and in an unexpected way, has helped me personally over the last little while.
* Throw a blanket over a bunch of George Orwell texts, but my favourite is Keep the Aspidistra Flying. On first reading, it really hit home that societal structure isn't inherent, and the way we are is largely a result of conditioning - not nature. I enjoyed the Comstock's war on money dependence, and also could identify with parts of his personality, which is perhaps why I like it so much. If I were to gift a book based on my own preferences, it would probably be this one. It's one of Orwell's lesser-known novels, but I really enjoyed it, and have read it on multiple occasions.
How has a failure, or apparent failure, set you up for later success? Do you have a "favorite failure" of yours?
Difficult question to answer, just because I'm not really sure what constitutes a failure.
I mean, I've had some pretty difficult periods personally, and I certainly think I'm stronger as a person now as a result. Being in difficult situations has helped me to be more objective, and to be able to detach myself from situations I'd previously have been drawn into.
I was in a relationship for just under two years before ending it through Year 12, and I struggled with that "failure" for quite some time. Now, I'm very happily with the love of my life, and we're approaching 4.5 years together. I definitely learnt a lot about that first relationship in terms of communication and honesty, I think (in the not bottling up emotions sense).
I was always pretty good at school tbh, but "failed" in my own eyes in some respects. My school had this thing where the top like 20 students or something from each cohort were awarded with a prize at the end of the year, and I was never selected in that group. This was pretty weird for me coming out of primary school, where I'd always been one of the top few in the class. I think this made me work harder and figure out how I studied best, which put me in good stead for VCE. I ended up being the Year 12 dux, and also achieving the highest ATAR my school had ever had at that time (since usurped).
I don't think I have a favourite failure, to answer your question directly. There are very many things I've learnt from in my life, and I'm sure there'll be many more in the future. I make mistakes regularly - numerous times daily - but I think everybody does, and that's just part of life.Perhaps what I'm working on most actively at the moment is relevant here: not taking mistakes to heart too much, and taking a step back from them to see that mistakes are not the end of the world.
What is the one of the best or most worthwhile investments you've ever made? (Could be an investment of money, time, energy, etc.)
Relationships of all sorts comes immediately to mind. I don't think you can make a better investment of time than in relationships.
Thinking pragmatically, working hard through high school has paid off for me, I'd say. I've tutored, worked several jobs and received scholarships as a result.
What advice would you give to a smart, driven highschool and/or university student about to enter the "real world"? What advice should they ignore?
I don't think you should ignore any advice. That's not to say you should act on everything you hear, but thinking about advice is a good process IMO. Taking something in and deciding against it isn't the same as ignoring it IMO.
For high school students:
* If you're planning to study at uni, think carefully about what you actually enjoy, and what you want to pursue in your life.
* Try to get involved where you can, and don't just cruise through uni like I did in a sense. Some of the most important traits for the workforce are things you'll pick up in non-academic parts of university life.
* If you're at uni, I'd really recommend working part-time. Seriously.
* Don't be afraid to reach out for help if you're having a tough time making the transition to uni/work. This can be really difficult, and it can honestly creep up on you heaps. It's important to take care of yourself first and foremost.
For uni students, largely the same, but:
* Experience is experience, and your first job certainly doesn't need to be your last one.
* Organise your finances. The sooner the better.
* Don't be afraid to reach out for help if you're having a tough time making the transition to work. This can be really difficult, and it can honestly creep up on you heaps. It's important to take care of yourself first and foremost.
I'll also note here that I'm only in my second year of full-time work myself, so take all of this with a grain of salt haha.
When you feel overwhelmed or unfocused, or have lost your focus temporarily, what do you do? (If helpful: What questions do you ask yourself?)
* Go for a walk
* Drink water
* Mindfulness
* Take a break and just do whatever
* Draw
* Write
* Sport
* Read
Depends on the situation a bit, but those things about are good circuit-breakers for me. I think the key is to just take your mind off things and try to focus on something else for a short period.
What do I do if I have a bad teacher for biology?
Thanks ;D
How many hours did you study every day?
Bit broad, but how did you study during uni?
At the moment it's very full on hahahah. I have 3 assignments due within the next month and a bit :// I know once I start them though it will be easier to get done, so I'm kinda looking forward to the mid-sem break just so I can stop stressing about finding time to actually make a start. There's also so much content so revising by summarising notes from lecture slides is very time-consuming, but does feel very satisfactory when I finish and can tick it off my to-do-list.
First year in general is pretty fun so far (only week 5 though lol) !! Just the social side is super busy !!! I've met so many new people and there have already been so many social events, but it's a nice break from seeing the same people everyday in highschool. The workload isn't unbearable but it does keep you busy (especially the readings for law ahhh).
But overall, I'm managing ! Just need to get on top of the assignments >:(
Hey I was wondering if you ever did poorly in a school assessment in Year 12? Like is it possible to have stuffed up one school exam and still achieve a +99 ATAR? Thanks
First of all, thanks for the awesome answers.
It was interesting to see your take on "failures" and I agree with your last passage that I bolded and made it red from your answer to that question because more people should take this viewpoint on failures/mistakes.
I too also love George Orwell's novels, I'll be sure to give Keep the Aspidistra Flying a read soon. *Looks at the stacks books on my desk.... :)*
Thanks for the AMA, I wish more of these in the future. Is it time to bring back Mod AMAs for the newer mods?
Hey Joseph,
Currently in year 12 atm and I seem like my marks are pretty decent, however I feel like I'm losing the motivation to study now
1) Would you have any tips as to how i'd be able to tackle demotivation?
2) Why is it that some people are unable to see their academic potential while others around them can?
3) Is it possible to achieve 95+ atar even if one scores pretty average in their Half yearlies?
In your opinion what are the top 10 Universities in Australia and why?
And, when you really have no idea what you want to study/be/do with your life, then how would you suggest going about looking at options for uni?
Is it still possible to get a 35 and above study score if you fail the first SAC that's worth 20% of the outcome mark?
What is the best advice you could give a student doing the HSC and what do you think the best way to improve is ?
Will you marry me?
Are you single?
And if so, will you marry me?SpoilerAnd if not, would you consider leaving your partner..?
Will you marry me?I ship it.
Hello!
study tips for each subject during your HSC years?
Do you have any
How did you study during uni?
How did you make use of practice/past papers?[/li][/list]
Thank you!
Will you marry me?
1. For uni assignments, how do you push yourself to aim for distinctions/ high distinctions, rather than just settling for a credit, particularly when the unit isn't all as interesting as you expected?
2. Can we expect any answers to be delivered in video format? ;)
3. How are you such an inspirational human specimen?
I got a pretty good ATAR and then enrolled in a straight Bachelor of Arts - some people would (erroneously) see this as "wasting" the ATAR or whatever. My girlfriend studies Med, my brother studies Law, my best friend studies Science; I felt as though, in some sense, I was inferior to them.I may not have the external pressure to get distinctions + but hopefully some of your words will pull me out of my lazy "I'll just make this good enough for a credit" attitude
Not gonna lie, I had this page open waiting for your reply and man, this was so relatable!I may not have the external pressure to get distinctions + but hopefully some of your words will pull me out of my lazy "I'll just make this good enough for a credit" attitude
What is writing a 10,000-20,000 word honours thesis like? I've been looking at a few honours and masters programs, and I'm finding the ANU honours program a bit off-putting because they require a 20,000 word thesis as opposed to an Oxford taught masters degree (10,000 word thesis). I'm reasonably confident of being able to write 10,000 words (I'm use to writing 2,000-5,000 word reports and university essays), but 20,000 seems a bit of a stretch.
Also since you are considering a PhD, does spending 4-5 years on one research question and doing a 80,000-100,000 word thesis scare/worry you? Even though I find research interesting (not as a career though), the PhD time commitments seems beyond me. I have a lot of respect for people that complete PhDs because of the perseverance involved.
Hey man! So glad this thread exists, anyway for VCE, would you recommend primarily focusing on subjects you think would probably be your primary 4 and less on the other 2 subjects or is it better to spend my time equally across all my subjects, even if 2 of them will only contribute 10%? Thanks in advance :)
Thanks for the advice! I was initially planning to spend 99% of my time on my 3 best subjects for the holidays and neglect the other 2, guess I should re-evaluate my plan a bit! ;D
I’m trying to figure out how to word this as a question haha.
I guess I just want to know your thoughts/experience with choosing what subjects (units?) to do at uni.
Like did you just choose things that you thought were interesting, did you do some subjects that weren’t interesting because they would help you get a job/be useful later in life? How would you recommend choosing what to do?
P.S. Did you appreciate my video response?
Mmmmm yes and no. Yes because you did it and we got to see that gorgeous face of yours, but also no because it was too shortI'm totally predicting more marriage proposals to come in this thread
Thanks so much for your reply :D
If you learn any language, regardless of difficulty or usefulness, which one/s would you learn?
I thought FB3 would ask this, but nope... so I will. What is your patronus?
How did you find the time to homework, study notes, assignments, practice papers ect. Im finding it hard to complete all these "to-do's" in one afternoon. How did you manage your workload?
My biggest problem is I feel guilty whenever I'm not doing work. Sometimes I procrastinate and then I "reprimand" myself by limiting myself in my "free time". I honestly don't remember the last time I fully watched a movie. I was wondering if you ever felt like this during your HSC? If so how did you deal with it? Thanks! :)
Mmmmm yes and no. Yes because you did it and we got to see that gorgeous face of yours, but also no because it was too short
Hi Joseph41.
What strategies did you use to manage your time and balance your life during Uni between your academic studies, extracurriculars and other activities (e.g. family or a job)? Were you a person who had everything under control and procrastinated very little?
Thanks,
EragusTrenzalore
Thanks for the awesome response. I've also had the same experience with timetables; despite trying to set one up in VCE, I never ended up following it and it turned into more of a to do list. How do you determine how many tasks you can fit in a day and do you get better at this over time?
Got 3 questions that have been on my mind lately and wanted your opinion them
1. How do you 'sell yourself' in a job resume and make it look appealing?
2. What is your opinion on part-time jobs during year 12 and how does it differ from uni?
3. Regarding school, do you recommend studying ahead (if so by how much)?
-Thanks in advance
Hi!
I had some questions regarding 1st year uni. I'm finding the transition between high school and uni quite tough. My first question is how did you manage to do all your assignments, practice, tute Qs, reading and summaries and still have time to go out with your mates or just generally enjoy yourself. I find myself in one room for days upon days, just studying for uni (and I'm only in my first semester!) :( :( :(
Secondly, how do you deal with bad tutors? My tutors are so bad. They dont help us and just show us answers to the questions. I'm really struggling and have my Mid-Sems soon. Any other advice?
btw, what uni did you go to ?
Tysm
When are you getting new shoes?
also how long have you had those ones for ??? ...and why do you still have them?
Hey Joseph,
Good job. but how do you manage your subjects so effectively daily and to still be able to achieve the top marks?
Hi Joseph, congratz on an amazing result!
I'm currently a first year and struggling really bad at keeping up with lecture notes. I find that I'm a slow leaner and that in a way is pulling me behind because one lecture and easily cover 2-3 chapters of a textbook in 50 minutes. Then i feel like I'm forced to speed up my studying but when I review back the concepts in a few days I have already forgotten whats its about. I can't seem to find myself reading ahead of lectures because I'm trying to write catch up notes for the previous one.
What are some tips to help combat this problem?
Thank you :D
How do you maintain motivation for running?
On a similar note, do you vary your routes often?
Hey Bubbly_bluey,I'm currently doing pharmacy and managment. I have so far attended all my lectures and write down little notes on slides that I have printed out and then when I go home I listen to the recordings again. But I find the issue is that listening to a typical 1 hour recording will take me 2-3 hours to get through it because I'm constantly pausing to jot things down- trying to understand it-looking on youtube to try make sense of certain concepts- or textbooks. So its definitely time consuming especially for one subject. I've started transitioning to typed notes just to save a bit more time but not really.
Thanks for that!
I'm currently doing pharmacy and managment. I have so far attended all my lectures and write down little notes on slides that I have printed out and then when I go home I listen to the recordings again. But I find the issue is that listening to a typical 1 hour recording will take me 2-3 hours to get through it because I'm constantly pausing to jot things down- trying to understand it-looking on youtube to try make sense of certain concepts- or textbooks. So its definitely time consuming especially for one subject. I've started transitioning to typed notes just to save a bit more time but not really.
And so I feel like I'm forced to rote learn a lot of things- but this isn't good because 1) i don't really understand the concept and 2) by not understanding it properly I feel like I'm more likely to forget it- which has been happening.
" Do you find yourself a little stressed/strapped for time trying to get everything on the page before the lecturer moves onto the next slide?"- Not so much because I mostly sit in class trying to absorbed what is being said and maybe write little notes down because if I missed something, I know I can look back at the recordings. I think I find it difficult to listen at the pace the lecturer is going - so I don't have enough time to write what they have said, and then I have forgotten what they have said, and the lecturer proceeds to move on to the next concept and then it begins again. Basically I can't vigorously write down notes whilst listening to the lecturer speak... if that makes sense? - maybe its my lack of concentration?
So I'm not sure what I am doing wrong.
Thank you for your help :)
hi joseph (joe?)
i also received a 99+ atar (99.10 to be specific, so not as high as you!) but in 2017.
i just started a bachelor of laws/arts monash this year-i'll be dropping it at the end of this semester....probably gonna continue being a checkout chick selling avocados to the bourgeoisie for the rest of my life
my question is slightly existential: after you worked so hard and achieved such success, was it worth it in the end? is there anything you would do differently if you had your time in school/uni again?
I know for me when I received my score for VCE I felt empty and unsatisfied- it was really a bit of a letdown to a traumatic year. i'd envisioned that if i got a score of 90+ i would be ecstatic or cry and people would perceive me as less of a dropkick and more of a success story...but that didn't happen.
I've been thinking that maybe if didn't get a good result and hadn't have worked so hard then maybe I would be in a better situation (socially, physically etc.)
thx ur incred
btw i feel like us 99+ vce grads have some sort of unsaid bond- like a mutual understanding of how hard it is to be smart. thoughts?
Hi there, any idea what is the student demographics for the Monash Sociology degree programme? I will be enrolling into the programme from the 2nd year onwards and would like to know if you have any tips/advice with regards to the units i should take. Thanks a lot for the help :)
Hey dude, so right now we are having a SAC for unit 3 methods which is broken up into 4 sections. I completely bombed my first section expecting a 10/30 for that section but for the rest of the sections i m very confident that i only lost 1 mark maximum on each of the last 3. I dont know why but my brain just stopped working for the 1st section causing me to make such a rookie 'over thinking' mistake. the whole thing is out of 77 marks btw. My question is if i get above 90% on the end of year exams and stay top 5 out of 30 in my cohort (top 10 are strong), what is approximately the highest SS still possible? :( thank you
When did you start studying for exams? If you did it as you were going when would you fit this into your week while studying for upcoming sacs
I do a science degree with a finance breadth, I thought it would be interesting but didn't enjoy it and am doing quite bad. If at the end of exams I get an overall P or H3 (if I am lucky) how would that reflect jobs? Seeing a P on my results wouldn't be great especially if I'm planning to do further medical studies or something along those lines would it?
Hi!
This is my first year taking Literature and am uncertain about the best way to study!!
Should I be memorising themes/conventions/ideas or writing practice essays or what?!
Hey Nick!
Firstly, I love this thread!! I really appreciate the concept behind it in that you're helping stressed Year 12s!! :D
Could I please ask you about what you did when you had oceans of work coming to you, SACs one after the other from every subject and tonnes of memorising associated with all of this?
I use to-do lists, but the things just keep adding and adding and...
The pressure's just firing at me right now!
(I know I'm no one special or anything, every Year 12 has the same thing, but you know, just asking for some expert opinion! ;)
Also, what's happening is that for content subjects, our teacher's powerpoints are already so comprehensive (but the teachers always say they're summaries), so do you think it will be sufficient to use just these powerpoints or literally go through the textbook page by page and study?
And so when I study my notes, it just gets extremely tiring and long to study the powerpoints + textbook. What do you suggest (with my question above)
Obviously for chapter review questions and things like that you need to look into the textbook, but about for memorising content?
Thanks for being so thoughtful with this question thread Nick!
Definitely in my bookmarked sites ;)
Honestly not really sure if I answered those questions very well, so please feel free to ask follow-ups! ;DYeah, you did answer my questions :)
Yeah, you did answer my questions :)
And they are pretty common questions that have a common answer I guess,
like prioritising important and upcoming things first, like you said, changing your study methods, etc
But did you do a bit of every subject every day? So you wouldn't fall behind on particular things?
I've tried doing this, but when I do another subject that I know for which I don't have a SAC too soon (like a week ahead), I keep feeling bad that I'm not doing stuff for my upcoming SAC.
I know I shouldn't feel this way, coz it's study after all, but yeah, I guess I should just prioritise and memorise/understand each subject's content very quickly so I get to catch up on my other subjects.
Yes, I do agree that there's a risk in just following the ppts. So I'll continue to do the tiring thing now! Looking at my textbook + ppts! ;D
(all good!)
Sorry this is just a stream of consciousness coming out, but once again, I think you've answered everything! :)
Thanks so much! ;D
My mainstream teacher says further maths is really hard and not a bludge subject. (Evidence cause she teaches VCE Further Maths)
Is this true??? (I have no intentions doing further xd)
Thanks for this thread! That's an incredible Atar! :o
It's August now and I have a million SACs before term ends (not a million but you know just really intense emotions coming out! ;D), what I can I do to revise Unit 3 for exams?
Also, I feel like I've forgotten heaps and heaps of Unit 3 content for all my subjects! They're just so content heavy!! :(
What can I do to catch up with exam revision and content so that I don't feel guilty while at the same time being really confident in my preparation for upcoming SACs?
Basically, what was your study routine in August? ;D
Thank you! Congratulations! :)
Is innate ability more advantageous at a high school (e.g. VCE/HSC) level or during a university degree?
How hard is it to get 99+ like how much work did u do in the holidays leading up to the hsc? And how do u space out subjects according to exams?
Hey Joseph
Just wondering, how much do trials really matter? I was doing okay up until trials now I'm worried that my ATAR will be very negatively impacted because of it.
Cheers
Hey Joseph!
How did you keep motivated? After trials I can't manage to actually start studying again and no matter how hard I try I just feel so lost and overwhelmed!
When you came out of the exam rooms, were you confident that you did well?
Hi, I was wondering, do you think it's more advantageous to go into an exam feeling confident or stressed? For my trials I went into those feeling anxious but ended up with amazing results, so maybe it doesn't affect your exam performance.
Also, what did you do on the nights before exams?
Hi I’m also currently a yr 11 business management :) but I’ve lost motivation for the subject. One of the reasons for this is constantly being around friends that really know what their doing in the subject :/
How did u get motivated in yr 11 to do business management?
How often did u study for the exam and how early did u start?
Any tips to ace business management? (I’ll try anything at this point)
How do u memorise so much content?
Overall, how did u manage stress? (because I’m constantly stressed and never do well in exams)
Cheers in advance mate :D
Hi im currently in year 12 doing SACE, i was wondering what atar i would get if i had the following grade for each subject:
Maths Specialist - B
Chemistry - C+
Maths Method - C+
Physics - A-
English - B-
RP - B
Hey Joseph,
Did you find any of your subjects were vague in terms of their content, and/or what you could be assessed on? If so, how did you deal with it? The only two we've got/had in common are BusMan & EngLang, both of which I find are pretty straightforward in preparing for SACs/Exams anyway. I'm not very familiar with your other choices, but maybe VisCom could be put in that boat for you?
Some clarification; I'm doing Philosophy and everything I'm studying for seems to be flying straight over my head. I did 1&2, but the fact that it actually counts towards my ATAR now is a massive weight, and seems to be preventing me from taking in information :-[:-X It was so chill last year, mainly just class group discussion and such and evaluation of arguments on SACs, and quite varied. It's more analytical now, and obviously there's added pressure.
I know you didn't do Philosophy, but maybe you've had experiences with subjects not just in high school, or even Uni? Any advice would be appreciated. :)
hi! how did you find psychology?
how much study time did you devote to psychology in your routine? is it incredibly difficult to get a 45+?
did you find it easier than your other subjects, and if not, what made it hard/easy?
which is better, typed notes or handwritten, and why? is copying the powerpoint directly a bad idea?
how do you go about revising notes for the end of the year?
also, how did you study for psych? (like notes, flashcards, etc.)
thank you so much!
how do you go about revising notes for the end of the year?
I loved summaries. I wrote a lot of them, and tried to get my notes to be as concise as possible. When I felt comfortable on the majority of the content (maybe even before), I started practice exams (and had done practice questions throughout the year). Marking those practice exams was a really important process for me - perhaps even more important than actually sitting the exams in the first place.
Hiii,
How did you do it . What did you study, how did you study, did you use extra resources if so where from ? Also how did you study for english in the way of writing sounds dumb but im not so good at it. Thankyou
Question 1. what did you study in high school
Question 2. specialist maths vs biology and why
Question3. What are you studying in UNI
Question 4. What is your dream job
Question 5. Are you also a tutesmart tutor cause I see u EVERYWHERE in ATAR NOTES
thank :P
Hi, thanks for your response, it was really helpful! What do you mean by writing summaries? Do you mean like writing out everything you have learnt without using the book? I am just a little confused as to how I would go about that.
Also, yeah, I hand write all my notes because it helps me to absorb what I am writing down, so it makes me feel a little better that you did that too haha :)
As for copying from the powerpoint, so far I've been copying directly because I am afraid that if I write it in my own words, I will miss some buzz words or key phrases that are needed. I am trying to apply what I copy down but I am not sure how to do that other than practise exam questions.
Again, thank you!
I studied a Bachelor of Arts at Monash University. I majored in Linguistics and International Studies, and then went on to do Honours, also in Linguistics. :) Now I work full-time for ATAR Notes!
DaMMN ;)
Majored in linguistics (can you write my essays for me ;D jk)
and International Studies...is that like International Law?
correct me if im wrong but don't you have the qualifications to become a lawyer....and also how do you work for atar notes...thats a new concept
International Studies was more like a combination of history, politics, religion and philosophy to be honest. Was a bit of a weird mix. It was fine, but probably would major in Linguistics and Philosophy if I had my time again.
And nah, definitely not qualified to become a lawyer. You need a Law degree for that!
ATAR Notes - see this thread. :)
ohh....but can't you go into a law degree from bachelor of arts?
You can! You can study law either at undergraduate (usually your first degree) or postgraduate (usually after already graduating from a degree). In theory, I could study undergraduate law or postgraduate law if I wanted to and was accepted. However, I chose not to study law after high school, and nothing has changed since then - I don't think it would be right for me. ;D
nicce everyone's different and the last thing u want is to be doing a job that your not interested in..that would be a major RIP
what can you do or become with your qualifications anyways,
just curious :P
What kind of marks should I be getting all year around to get an ATAR above 98?
80+? 90+? 95+?
hey I just realised who you are
your the guy from the ATAR notes online commercial... ;)
anyways my question:
what was your study routine, like daily after school
how did you plan what subjects you would study when you were bombarded with homework.
:)
I'm in year 11 and everyone around me tells me that i need to have tuition to get a good atar. I have never gone to any tutors. What should I do?Hey!
And any tips on how not to procrastinate?
Hey Joseph,
I've got my AC for EngLang coming up for the informal text/transcript, any tips? It's amazing how differently our new teacher has taught us the AC structure, as compared to last year where the retiring teacher suggested a subsystem-based analysis.
I'm in year 11 and everyone around me tells me that i need to have tuition to get a good atar. I have never gone to any tutors. What should I do?
And any tips on how not to procrastinate?
So, I can ask you literally anything? ;) :P
1) Do you personally think that it is better off for you not to study at all than to study ineffectively and inefficiently?
2) Not asking for medical advice here, just your opinion. Are naps good or bad for your health?
3) How do I switch studying between subjects on a given night (i.e. when do you know that it's time to study English after having studied Methods for x minutes?)
Hey Joseph41,
Thanks for making this thread and congrats on your amazing results!
And you mentioned that when you were doing VCE you didn’t study at home - what kinds of things did you do when you were at home? Did you ever feel like you should be studying?
I feel like I’m wasting a lot of time just watching YouTube and movies and get that nagging feeling that I should be doing more work. Did you ever get that?
(I mean it worked out really well for you and not so much for me so just wondering if I should put more time into studying and cut back on my ‘free time’).
Thanks again! :)
As always, happy to answer any questions about school/uni/work etc. :) Feel free to leave them here - this thread is always open!
What are your top 10 tips for people going into Year 12
Hi Joseph! I was wondering how you disciplined yourself to avoid procrastination?
Also, how did you organise you time doing SWOTVAC in Year 12?
Thanks so much for this helpful guide! :)
Hi Nick!😀
Thanks for this awesome thread! I was just wondering, did you start Yr 12 work during the September/ October holiday period? If so, was this helpful during Term 4 (Start of Yr12 -Term 1)?🤔
Thanks!
Coolmate 8)
Hey Nick! :)
You pretty much nailed the question, thanks for your reply and insight! The travelling sounds like it was lots of fun! :D Sorry, I may not have been clear, I meant the holidays to come (when this term ends). ;D
Cheers,
Coolmate 8)
Over the holidays, I am planning on going to the AN lectures 8), look over some year 12 content (prep for next term) :) and of course relax/ hang out with friends ;D!
Hey Nick!
What is your opinion on working through content during the summer break (so that when you get to class you have background knowlege)?
Also what subjects did you do in Yr 12? (Did they scale in your favor?)
Heya :)
Any tips for dealing well in school whilst dealing with a chronic illness?
Howdy!
I think working through content through the summer break is fine if you want to do it. I also don't think it's necessary in order to do well in Year 12.
No matter which way you go, though, I think balance is important. As I mentioned above, I was actually travelling for a lot of the summer break, and didn't do heaps in terms of VCE preparation aside from assigned homework from my teachers. I certainly wasn't several chapters ahead or anything like that.
Does that mean you should do the same? No, not necessarily. Are you thinking of getting ahead over that break?
Re: subjects, I'll list them below with very approximate raw and scaled scores. This is just from memory, so may not be completely accurate (I might even be contradicting myself from earlier in the thread).
> Business Management (in Year 11): 48 > 47.5
> English Language: 44 > 45.5
> Further Maths: 45 > 44
> Health and Human Development: 50 > 50
> Psychology: 48 > 47.5
> Visual Communication Design: 44 > 42.5
So, only English Language (slightly) scaled up, but I don't really see that as in my favour or otherwise. Scaling is what it is, and it's designed to make the system fairer. I certainly didn't feel that way through Year 11 and Year 12 ("my subjects scale down, this is so unjust!"), but definitely believe that to be true now. :)
"I RECEIVED A 99+ ATAR AND A PERFECT GPA - ASK ME ANYTHING"
Well, what is the meaning of life?
Big question! I have no idea - what are your thoughts?
I have no idea as well. That's why I am asking you, the 99+ ATAR and perfect GPA student, to enlighten me.
What did you personally do in the summer holidays to prepare for Year 12? Is there anything you would have done differentely?
How did you study for HHD? Spaced repetition, key knowledge, avoid waffling and etc.
HHD:
You can see some of my tips/reflections at the links below. :)
> [HHD 50] Maximising your exam performance - from now
10/10 recommend the link above :) thanks Jo
First of all, thank you and all the ATAR Notes people. I love this forum so so so much.
My questions are:
When you were studying, did you have a certain ATAR goal that sometimes you were very scared you wouldn't get?
Also what are your study tips in general?
And further maths is prob my worst subject, I am doing many practice exams and marking down what I need to improve but on every exam I get like 67 percent ):
Also random, since you liked MAFS, are you are fan of love island or the bachelor?
Thank you so much!
Also, it's comforting to know that you did scaled down subjects and still got an amazing score because every single subject of mine is scaled down and yeah, it's worrying because I need an 80 plus.
No, thank you! The value of ATAR Notes comes from the people of ATAR Notes, including you and everybody reading this. I love the forum, too! 😍
Not really. At the start of Year 11, I was asked to write down my goal ATAR as some sort of motivation tool, and I really had absolutely no idea what to write, because I didn't know what was realistic. I didn't want to aim too high in case I was being unrealistic and just setting myself up for disappointment, but I also didn't want to aim too low, because I wanted to push myself!
As a result of that^ (which I think would be common tbh), I never really had a goal ATAR as such - I just wanted to do as well as I could. All of the courses I was interested in pursuing through Year 12 didn't need a particularly high ATAR, so that wasn't a huge motivating factor, either.
But were there times through Year 12 where I was scared I wouldn't do as well as hoped? Absolutely. Most days haha.
Tough one. Here are ten broad tips. Happy to elaborate on any if you're interested. :)
What are you losing marks on mostly?
MAFS feels like so long ago haha. I've never watched Love Island and have no interest in it. The Bachelor - yep, but less and less. I think shows like this are really hitting saturation point. How about you? :)
No worries at all!
Yeah, through VCE I was quite concerned about this, but now I have a better understanding of what scaling is and how it functions. If you're "punished" by doing subjects that scale down, what that scaling is actually doing is just negating the "advantage" you have of less competitive cohorts in your subjects. All in all, things are level, meaning you can be confident that you won't be positively or negatively affected in a substantial way. :)
What was your biggest VCE regret?
Also, how did you deal with stress? ;D
youre basically a god in these forums. however, how did you find out about an?? (the master was once a student)
Hey Nick,
I know VCE was a while ago for you but do you remember what kind of marks you were receiving throughout the year
and did you got to an underrepresented school or not?
What do you miss the most about school - do you miss anything at all? How did you find the transition from school to uni?
Hello,
I want to ask if you did Methods back in year 12. If you did, what were the study tricks that you used to help you achieve a high study score? I bought VCE checkpoints to do as well as the ATAR NOTES methods book study guide, notes and workbook. I do all my exercises from school, revise and do my notes. But when it comes to test day or sac time, i always end up stuffing up. Which is really frustrating, I always end up getting 63% or less. I've been getting 63% for the past 2 years. Do you also know where to get hard worded questions for methods? Because I just did my SAC 1 for methods at school, and it is so, so hard. Completely different from all the questions i've seen, i've never been exposed to it before, which i think also contributes to me not doing as well.
What were your study techniques? What study methods do you use to remember things most effectively?
If you weren't getting good SAC scores in Unit 3, but you do really well in Unit 4, will that help in terms of your ATAR score?
Hey man who will win Big Brother 2021?
This one got me. 😂Hahhaha was just being random
I actually haven't watched a single second of it - I'll probably wait until about 2041 before I give it a crack. Are you watching?
Hahhaha was just being random
In all seriousness, your Dees have gone so well this year. Did you go to any games before the lockdown? High hopes for the season? Really happy with how well they've gone, inspiring stuff!
My apologies if this has already been asked but what did you find more difficult personally, obtaining an ATAR of 99+ or maintaining a High GPA at Uni?
Hi,
Just wondering what raw scores you got in your subjects to get such a high Atar. I'm feeling unsure about around what raw scores you would need to get in the above 99's. I know scaling does come into play but hearing yours would be interesting if you don't mind sharing.
A 2022 bump! Happy to answer any other questions. 🥳
Hi Joseph,
Wanted to ask how was your university experience especially first year?
Hey Commercekid2050! Thanks for your question.
It's very possible I've answered something similar to this in this thread before, but I'm going to answer again without going back to see what I said previously - hopefully that gives a better representation of my thoughts right now rather than what I thought or had reflected previously.
In total, my uni experience was fine, but it got progressively better as I went on, I think. In first year, I was really lost. I came off Year 12 where I was pretty diligent with how I studied, to a degree that only had like eight contact hours or something (I did straight Arts at uni). This was good in some ways because it provided flexibility and more freedom etc., but it also meant I had way, way more time where I had to decide what to do myself, rather than having it dictated by school bells and school periods and the like.
As a result, I didn't love first year uni. In fact, I recall I very nearly dropped out at some point in my first or second semester. I avoided people as much as possible and was just generally not in the best study (or general) headspace.
In second year and beyond, I started going to lectures more in person (I think I listened to as many as I could online in first year), and I found that that helped. I think I was probably just on campus more in general, which provided more structure and better differentiated study time from non-study time. And the further I went on, the more I enjoyed uni, because I sort of worked out which subjects I liked, and which subjects I didn't. I also just naturally become more familiar with uni processes and how it all worked, which is probably hard to fully appreciate until you're in it yourself (like a lot of things).
At the end of my third year, I applied for honours, and then had a year doing that. That was by far and away my favourite year of uni. I was also way more involved in things that year, doing volunteering stuff and getting a little bit (peripherally) involved with a society. I was just more engaged in general. I'm really glad I persisted with the whole uni thing and didn't drop out in my first year, like I wanted to.
Of course, this experience won't reflect everybody's uni experiences, and it's also probably a bit different because I had so few contact hours across my entire degree. I'm sure those who have studied at uni the last few years have different experiences with COVID stuff, too (I went back to uni for a Grad Cert in 2019-2020, but it was completely online anyway, and wasn't my first uni experience).
How are you finding it so far?
In your first post you explain how you would summarize a chapter of a textbook until you could condense all the information you needed on 1 page. How many pages was your first summary usually?
Also I noticed you got a 48 in Psychology which is quite an amazing achievement! Could you offer any study advice on the subject as I am doing it now.
Thanks you for taking your time and sharing so much it is extremely useful. :D