ATAR Notes: Forum
National Education => Admissions tests => Selective Schools Admissions Tests => Topic started by: kjistsehrtot on May 04, 2019, 10:35:29 am
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ask me anything about macrob i need friends :,))
(if you need any help with the selective exam, pop a question in, either about the exam or an actual question from a practice test, and i'll answer it)
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Hello, I was just wondering if you have tips for getting into Macrob, and the difficulty range of the test.
Thankyou :)
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Hello, I was just wondering if you have tips for getting into Macrob, and the difficulty range of the test.
Thankyou :)
Yes, I was wondering the same thing, would you also be able to give us an insight into what kind of questions there are as well, and what you did to prepare, thanks so much!
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Yes, I was wondering the same thing, would you also be able to give us an insight into what kind of questions there are as well, and what you did to prepare, thanks so much!
Hello, I was just wondering if you have tips for getting into Macrob, and the difficulty range of the test.
Thankyou :)
like in all hoensty, this is the preparation i did:
- i went to james an. as disgusting as most people find it, it basically helped me "cheat" through the exam because i got so familiar with the actual test layout.
- i did sO MANY PRACTICE TESTS OH MY. literally, don't just do the tests, but like, TIME yourself. i know so many people who could have gotten in but the time just didn't allow them to, so please try and answer as much as you can within the timeframe given.
- my parents basically forced me to study like every day for at least two hours and i already had a lot of homework from school (my life was depressing) but the point is, try and have a consistent time where you sit down and study. it doesn't have to be as intensive as mine, but i feel like AT LEAST half an hour should be fine (an hour if you think you really won't get in to your "dReAm ScHOoOL")
essentially for prep, KNOW the exam, be prepared for the TIME and put YOUR effort into it. just because someone you know has gotten in or someone gives you advice on how to get in, it does not mean you will get in. it is up to you
some tips and tricks:
- if you don't know the answer, shade in C. if ten questions are just bloody C, kEEP THEM LEAVE IT. the exam is hard on purpose. most people don't even finish it, yet, they still get in with pretty high scores
- stAY CALM. if you panic, you will miss a question, shade the wrong answer in or possibly faint (the exhibition place does things to some people is wild af). try and stay calm. it is not the end of the world if you don't get in or not. if you work hard in VCE, VCAL, whatever it is, that's what matters. if you want to get in try and stay calm, breathe in and out n keep going
- for the love of bunnings sausage sizzles do nOT bring your phone into the exam. any electronic device isn't allowed. yes they do allow it but do nOT. one kid in my james an class was telling me that his phone went off and they pulled him to the side and patted his whole body down. please do not bring them in, neither a watch (analogue is ok). i have an analogue watch and they STILL made em put my watch under my desk. they are very strict about these rules and one suspicious move can cause you to miss the exam entirely
- this is obvious but do not cheat in the exam. the girl next to me was obviously trying to look at my answers and she was told off by one of the supervisors and threatened to be taken out. there is no point of you taking someone into the exam who looks like you to do the test, to lie about your age to do the test, to pretend to have a disbaility to do the alternate exam, etc. it is just stupid and ridiculous and too extra. (yes, there are many stories regarding my friends if you really wanna know more)
- be prepared the night before. have your id (use your student one, no one will recognise baby you tf you thinking), water bottle, pencils sharpened, etc. it is just a huge mess if you're rushing around for everyting the next morning.
i think that's basically what a lot of people tell you, but the TYPE of questions i can vageuly remember (i did this exam in 2017) but here are some that i do remember:
- there were some year 9 and 10 questions (algebra and number patterns killed me) that were in the exam for numerical and maths. they are not hard if you are familiar with how to deal with them, but if you are unfamiliar, staRT STUDYING
- verbal reasoning and reading comp is just basically what the basic practice tests they give you (literally google "selective exam practice tests" they come up). again, try and find other sources of where you can get more practice tests. if you can not, i will happily write my own and put them up here for everyone to use (everything except writing).
again, i know this isn't helpful for some, but this is all i can say for now. i can ask some year 9's and other year 10's if they would like to say anything and i'll put it here. if anyone knows anything else help a brother out
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Why is Melbourne High just so much better than Mac.Rob? :P ;)
Yes, I was wondering the same thing, would you also be able to give us an insight into what kind of questions there are as well, and what you did to prepare, thanks so much!
you should also look at this thread (https://atarnotes.com/forum/index.php?topic=155074.0) for a bit more information and clarity, don't hesitate to ask me for any more info <3
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Why is Melbourne High just so much better than Mac.Rob? :P ;)
lmao mhs has so much more resources hkshksjksk;s
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A great thing about some selective schools is the variety of extra-curriculars made available. Have you joined any and what do you like about them?
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Do the examiners allow you to write on the question paper, someone told me that all working out(as in solving the questions) has to be done only behind the answer sheet. Can you confirm that ?
Also do you think it was worth the effort ? I mean doing all the hard work and getting into Macrob's ? Are you enjoying being there or is it just that everyone is a smart kid who puts in a lot of effort with minimal help from the teachers ?
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A great thing about some selective schools is the variety of extra-curriculars made available. Have you joined any and what do you like about them?
extra-curriculars here range from clubs, sport, music and student portfolio (SRC, social service, IT, etc.). i only applied for student portfolio in year 9 and didn't get accepted into anything but i did some house stuff (nereids for the fucking win) and this year i am social service rep of my class. macrob has SOOOO much more opportunity than my old school (school in broadmeadows). like there so many extracurriculars in this school despite its size. if anyone does get accepted into macrob just deadass do everything you can in year 9 and 10 because in year 11 and 12 there are some restrictions concerning extracurriculars.
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Do the examiners allow you to write on the question paper, someone told me that all working out(as in solving the questions) has to be done only behind the answer sheet. Can you confirm that ?
Also do you think it was worth the effort ? I mean doing all the hard work and getting into Macrob's ? Are you enjoying being there or is it just that everyone is a smart kid who puts in a lot of effort with minimal help from the teachers ?
for the maths and numerical reasoning im pretty sure we did receive spare working out paper but yes, you are allowed to work out at the back of the test. dont do he back of the answer sheet unless they tell you youre allowed. ive heard it might mess up your actual answers once scanned. tbh VCE can be done anywhere, you have to put in the effort. i only wanted to go to macrob because of the new experiences i wouldnt have received if i kept going to my old school (social connections, school events, volunteering, etc.). i love being here and most people will tell you that because everyone is so goddamned nice here. at my old school i was a massive bitch and macrob literally gave me manners and etiquette. that being said, i know a lot of people who said "oh it's not as good as my old school" but they still do like it. overall it depends on who you are and i can only give you my insight. for me, teachers are only there to teach and help you if you need help. in my case, i was used to it at my old school and only ONE teacher supported me in leaving and would help me in my journey. at macrob, yes, teachers do teach and help you, BUT there is still some (depending on who you ask) will tell you that the some of the teachers are horrible. and i will openly agree with that. it just depends on who you get. however, i have seen one teacher i have had in particular get better. they put a lot of priority towards VCE and encourage the year 9's and 10's to just enjoy it while they can youkno. overall, in my case, it was definitely worth it. many people will tell you at first that it isn't, but at the end of the day, you will understand how hard you've worked to earn your place at the school and the benefits that come with it. hope this answers your question <3
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Thanks heaps for answering those questions for me, also how hard did you find the reading comprehension texts in the actual exam as opposed to James An, I have sat through a few henderson's mock exams and the texts they give there are too hard to comprehend, plus the answers are too tight, as in there are two answers which can be right but then one of them is correct as per them. Did you find reading comprehension easy ?
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Thanks heaps for answering those questions for me, also how hard did you find the reading comprehension texts in the actual exam as opposed to James An, I have sat through a few henderson's mock exams and the texts they give there are too hard to comprehend, plus the answers are too tight, as in there are two answers which can be right but then one of them is correct as per them. Did you find reading comprehension easy ?
i never did henderson's but i found reading comp ok. there were questions where it appeared to be hard at first, but after reading the text and the question i understood it. henderson makes it even harder on purpose and for me personally, there's no point in doing that. james an had a variety of tests, meaning some were just easy, average or hard. they are not the level of hard that henderson is. i have NEVER heard of two answers being correct and then one only being the right answer. james an would ocassionally make that mistake but fix our scores. don't switch to james an all of a sudden but try to combat the hendeson tests. the texts are fairly easy. james an would sometimes give us 15 FUCKING PAGES in our reading comp practice tests (online ones) so i was about to die from happiness when i saw that the texts were so small and were quite easy to understand. hope this helps <3
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Same, some of the mock exams had 14- 15 pages and a single text would span two pages !! No way that can be done in 30 minutes.
Also the texts were picked out from adult novels with all those crazy vocabulary that would make my cry !! I did learn heaps afterwards, noting down the meaning of those new words but I swear to God I have never seen those types of words even in newspapers, and I read newspapers everyday. You have actually relaxed me a bit, as I was thinking reading and verbal would be something I won't be able to crack.
Coming back to Macrobs - Have you got a new principal recently, and also a lot of new teachers lately ??
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Same, some of the mock exams had 14- 15 pages and a single text would span two pages !! No way that can be done in 30 minutes.
Also the texts were picked out from adult novels with all those crazy vocabulary that would make my cry !! I did learn heaps afterwards, noting down the meaning of those new words but I swear to God I have never seen those types of words even in newspapers, and I read newspapers everyday. You have actually relaxed me a bit, as I was thinking reading and verbal would be something I won't be able to crack.
Coming back to Macrobs - Have you got a new principal recently, and also a lot of new teachers lately ??
omg that vocab was literally insaneeee. and woah you read the news everyday now i feel dumb lol. but im glad that youve calmed down a bit. we do have a new principal (Ms Stout keeps her dog in her office i love hER <3) because Dr Meath had left for melb girls grammar. and yes we do have new teachersjust like any other school. teachers come and go but apparently this years teachers arent as good as the previous years according to the year levels above us
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Thanks khadeejaatif for your help. I will ping you again if anything comes to mind !
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Wow, thanks so much for all the information khadeejaatif! Just wondering (you don't have to say if you don't want to) but what scores did you get in with and what do you think I should aim for?
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Wow, thanks so much for all the information khadeejaatif! Just wondering (you don't have to say if you don't want to) but what scores did you get in with and what do you think I should aim for?
maths: superior
numerical: superior
verbal: superior
reading comp: superior
persuasive: high average
creative: high average
i'm pretty sure this year it's either persuasive or creative and it's half an hour rather than each one (15 minutes each). you should be aiming for three as most girls i know of do have three. BUT some girls come in with two, one or even none. doesn't mean you shouldn't aim for three superiors though. as long as your scores are toward the higher end you'll be fine. if you do get in, it doesn't matter how many superiors you get people dont judge you for it. someone i know lied about her superiors because she got less than i did. that doesnt matter because we still got in. it only matters with your admission. remember to watch out for late offers so if you get an offer for suzanne or nossal dont accept it right away (unless you live super super near it)
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hello khadeejatif !
this year im applying for mac rob and was wondering which of the tests you found the easiest to the hardest? i was also wondering if there were topics or tricks that people should look out for when taking the exam.
thank you in advance ;D
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hello khadeejatif !
this year im applying for mac rob and was wondering which of the tests you found the easiest to the hardest? i was also wondering if there were topics or tricks that people should look out for when taking the exam.
thank you in advance ;D
hey dude so before i go into the difficulty rankings, for writing they only gave me ONE piece of paper (keep in mind it might be the same this year idk) and no extra paper. at james an id write on four or five pages so it was very difficult for me to compress my ideas to one page. also keep in mind this year the format for writing has changed so writing cant really be scaled properly here. this is a bit of backstory before i go into the difficulty of the tests for me:
1. creative
2. persuasive
3. numerical
4. maths
5. verbal
6. reading comp
i have already shared some tips and tricks before and have even linked to some additional ones on this thread so ye check it out
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if anyone does get accepted into >any school< just deadass do everything you can in year 9 and 10 because in year 11 and 12 there are some restrictions concerning extracurriculars.
Fully agree.
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Hi khadeejaatif!
I was just wondering, what orders are the test in? Like, RC first, Maths second, etc. I just want your input on this, I go to a grammar school, it is a pretty decnt school, pm me if you want to know what school, and I was wondering how much superiors I would need to atleast get a place at Suzanne Cory.
Also, for example, you get an offer into SCHS and accept it, will you still get that second round offer from Mac.Rob for example and then change to Mac.Rob?
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Hi khadeejaatif!
I was just wondering, what orders are the test in? Like, RC first, Maths second, etc. I just want your input on this, I go to a grammar school, it is a pretty decnt school, pm me if you want to know what school, and I was wondering how much superiors I would need to atleast get a place at Suzanne Cory.
Also, for example, you get an offer into SCHS and accept it, will you still get that second round offer from Mac.Rob for example and then change to Mac.Rob?
test order changes every year and im not sure about the amount of superiors for suzanne because i only put macrob as my preference as personally i lived too far from suzanne and nossal so i have no idea but ill get back to you on that. and for the offers thing, no. you can not change it from what i know. a friend of mine ended up going nossal and got an offer for macrob but couldnt accept it because she already accepted the one for nossal. it might be different for some people but you should be incredibly careful about choosing offers
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Hey dude, once again thanks for helping all of us out! Wow, looking at your scores you must be really smart, I just wanted to also ask what kind of preparation you did for the tests in general, eg: did you study a year 9 textbook, do writing every day or did you just do tutoring? I'm really worried I haven't done enough, but at the same time, I'm studying as much as I can, around 2 hours a day. Please help!
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Hey just wondering are you planning to go to social at mhs in August?
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Hey dude, once again thanks for helping all of us out! Wow, looking at your scores you must be really smart, I just wanted to also ask what kind of preparation you did for the tests in general, eg: did you study a year 9 textbook, do writing every day or did you just do tutoring? I'm really worried I haven't done enough, but at the same time, I'm studying as much as I can, around 2 hours a day. Please help!
two hours a day is enough imo. but i borrowed a year 9 and 10 maths book and practiced writing every week, not every dya. i wish i was smart lmaoaoa. some people dont do ANY tutoring or studying and they just show up on the test day and get in but theyre like crazy smart. study as much as you can and im sure youll be fine. if you dont get in (omg the next sentence is so cringy im sorry) its probably not your destiny
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Hey just wondering are you planning to go to social at mhs in August?
lmao only year 9's go there and new year 10's. people only go to the middle school social if they wanna hook up with someone or makeout with their boyfriend/girlfriend and im not going cuz thats what my friends did last year and none of them wanna go this year
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Hey khadeejaatif,
thanks for answering my previous question and i hope i am not bothering you with another one but compared to the real tests, are the practice tests alike it at all or like way easier? For example, if the practice test was a 5 outta 20 in hardness ranking, what would you rank it outta 20?
Hope this makes sense ahahha.
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Hey khadeejaatif,
thanks for answering my previous question and i hope i am not bothering you with another one but compared to the real tests, are the practice tests alike it at all or like way easier? For example, if the practice test was a 5 outta 20 in hardness ranking, what would you rank it outta 20?
Hope this makes sense ahahha.
the practice tests are very easy compared to the actual test but they have the exact same format imo. "hardeness rating" would be 15/20 for me
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Hi, do you remember what time the exam starts and what time it finishes ?
Thnx
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Hi, do you remember what time the exam starts and what time it finishes ?
Thnx
Yes, I was just about to ask the same question :)
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Yes, I was just about to ask the same question :)
Hi, do you remember what time the exam starts and what time it finishes ?
Thnx
i dont remember exactly but like im pretty sure it was 9am to noon or a bit after
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Hey, got any tips for revising in these last few weeks? I can't believe there are only three weeks left! What do you think I should go over and how should I do it? When you took the test did you have some kind of schedule where you did one thing on a day and then something else after?
sorry if I'm asking a lot of questions
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Hey, got any tips for revising in these last few weeks? I can't believe there are only three weeks left! What do you think I should go over and how should I do it? When you took the test did you have some kind of schedule where you did one thing on a day and then something else after?
sorry if I'm asking a lot of questions
HAHHAHAHAHA THREE WEEKS LEFT MY BROTHERS GONNA DIE. anyways go over what you have already been revising and find some practice exams or tests online on a specific topic, regardless of where the test is from. I didn't really have a schedule i tried to cover as much as possible during a set time but you should focus on maybe two or three topics a day and then do the rest of them another. ive some friends who in fct took a week off of school to study for the exam. in fact, that was everyone trying out except for me (i had to have good attendance to keep my scholarship). if you think thatll help, talk to your parents and go for it. otherwise you dont HAVE to
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HAHHAHAHAHA THREE WEEKS LEFT MY BROTHERS GONNA DIE. anyways go over what you have already been revising and find some practice exams or tests online on a specific topic, regardless of where the test is from. I didn't really have a schedule i tried to cover as much as possible during a set time but you should focus on maybe two or three topics a day and then do the rest of them another. ive some friends who in fct took a week off of school to study for the exam. in fact, that was everyone trying out except for me (i had to have good attendance to keep my scholarship). if you think thatll help, talk to your parents and go for it. otherwise you dont HAVE to
lmaooooo!! thank god we have monday off next week. tbh i suggest that maybe u take one day off school to study for the exam as this time is precious and you wont get this oppurtunity again... I'm taking off next wednesday oopsssss
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lmaooooo!! thank god we have monday off next week. tbh i suggest that maybe u take one day off school to study for the exam as this time is precious and you wont get this oppurtunity again... I'm taking off next wednesday oopsssss
do what you want but look at your situation. for example:
1. do you have a scholarship or academics at risk? my issue was is that i had a scholarship at risk if i took a few days off to study
2. will you actually do work if you do take those days off? so many people i know took days off but apparently couldn't work for half the day.
good luck to all of you and i wish you the best. if you do not get in, you can make and find your own way no matter what <3
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do what you want but look at your situation. for example:
1. do you have a scholarship or academics at risk? my issue was is that i had a scholarship at risk if i took a few days off to study
2. will you actually do work if you do take those days off? so many people i know took days off but apparently couldn't work for half the day.
good luck to all of you and i wish you the best. if you do not get in, you can make and find your own way no matter what <3
Yeah that is true. Do you have any tips for stress and how to basically not panic on the day? lowkey feel like imma have a panic attack on the day lmao
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Yeah that is true. Do you have any tips for stress and how to basically not panic on the day? lowkey feel like imma have a panic attack on the day lmao
Me too, I feel like I’m going to mess it up by not keeping calm and just being too scared.
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Me too, I feel like I’m going to mess it up by not keeping calm and just being too scared.
IKR!! Like I'd be intimidated by the thousands and thousands of people there and would loose focus on my own test ahhh im so scared already
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IKR!! Like I'd be intimidated by the thousands and thousands of people there and would loose focus on my own test ahhh im so scared already
meh tbh I couldn’t care less if I don’t get in, it’s just that my parents r pressurising me lol.
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Me too, I feel like I’m going to mess it up by not keeping calm and just being too scared.
IKR!! Like I'd be intimidated by the thousands and thousands of people there and would loose focus on my own test ahhh im so scared already
Yeah that is true. Do you have any tips for stress and how to basically not panic on the day? lowkey feel like imma have a panic attack on the day lmao
my thing is is that on the day of the exam, i didnt care about getting in or not because i did so many practice exams just like the actual exam. one way i like to not panic tho, is to think of my happy place (what id like to do youkno) and control my breathing. i sometimes have panic attacks and this does help me but you will only be scared before your first exam, after everyone just calms down.
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my thing is is that on the day of the exam, i didnt care about getting in or not because i did so many practice exams just like the actual exam. one way i like to not panic tho, is to think of my happy place (what id like to do youkno) and control my breathing. i sometimes have panic attacks and this does help me but you will only be scared before your first exam, after everyone just calms down.
Yeah, that is true. I am just very desperate to get into schs and I get really nervous just thinking about what would happen if I didn't get in :((
But, anyways, good luck to everyone and I am sure you all will do amazing and get into the school you want to :))
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hey guys the exam is over!!! apparently the format's changed you poor unfortunate souls. hopefully you all get in and if you dont, you can make your own destiny. sorry for being cringe sjhjkdlksd <3
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Hey, I was wondering if you have any suggestions for resources to study on?
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Hey, I was wondering if you have any suggestions for resources to study on?
hi, i dont remember exactly what resources i said i used but heres a list (ones with asterisk is ones i havent used for selective but only for scholarships for private schools):
- james an
- year 9 and 10 maths textbooks (pearson, jacaranda, cambridge)
- reading comprehension (purple book from pearson??)
- novels* (stephen king etc.)
- random worksheets (google them, theres a crap ton and ill put some links later on)
- writing prompts* (from an)
- umat practice questions*
if theres anymore that come to mind ill let you know <3
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hi, i dont remember exactly what resources i said i used but heres a list (ones with asterisk is ones i havent used for selective but only for scholarships for private schools):
- james an
- year 9 and 10 maths textbooks (pearson, jacaranda, cambridge)
- reading comprehension (purple book from pearson??)
- novels* (stephen king etc.)
- random worksheets (google them, theres a crap ton and ill put some links later on)
- writing prompts* (from an)
- umat practice questions*
if theres anymore that come to mind ill let you know <3
Thank you soooo much this will help alot!!!
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hey, I am trying out next year for macrob. I currently attend selective entry practise tutoring. I just started a few weeks ago. For my first Practise tests i received
Reading Comprehension -56%
Verbal Reasoning -72%
Mathematics- 40%
Numerical Reasoning-42%
(Yes, I really need to work on maths but luckily i have a year remaining, i'm sitting the test in 2021 for year 9 entry)
Can you please give me some advice on the test, like tips on how to prepare efficiently and answer questions quickly(specifically for maths). Also, what did you do to prepare for the test? I go to a competitive school and REALLY want to get in.
hey,
I'm not OP but try to identify the things holding you back more specifically and work on those. e.g. do you take a long time to do mental arithmetic like times tables? does it take you a long time to figure out how to approach the question? Do you make silly errors that slow you down?
When you get more specific with your problems it's easier to figure out targeted solutions
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hey, I am trying out next year for macrob. I currently attend selective entry practise tutoring. I just started a few weeks ago. For my first Practise tests i received
Reading Comprehension -56%
Verbal Reasoning -72%
Mathematics- 40%
Numerical Reasoning-42%
(Yes, I really need to work on maths but luckily i have a year remaining, i'm sitting the test in 2021 for year 9 entry)
Can you please give me some advice on the test, like tips on how to prepare efficiently and answer questions quickly(specifically for maths). Also, what did you do to prepare for the test? I go to a competitive school and REALLY want to get in.
hi i just responded to your pm I'm so sorry for the late response! i don't think i can give anymore proper advice on sitting the exam since the format has changed quite a bit since i last did it (my brother sat the exam two years after i did and he told me this) and last time i did it we had two writing pieces. but maybe what i did to prepare could help you out a bit:
- i went to James an so we often did mock tests every week or two
- i used to do reading comprehension exercises from year 9 or 10 textbooks
- for verbal reasoning, i mainly did whatever homework James an would give us
- writing was just looking at different types of prompts online and timing myself and asking a friend to mark it
- numerical reasoning and maths was going through exercises in year 9 and 10 maths textbooks (do not worry about any new concepts too much, but rather, consolidating ideas taught in year 7 and 8)
to be completely honest with you, the marks they give you in tutoring arent the best to monitor your progress. plus, tutoring companies basically teach you HOW to take the exam. teaching yourself or getting tutored concepts is the easy part but the hard part is actually sitting the exam. by teaching and consolidating topics (particularly in maths), you'll be able to figure out if a certain question is going to take you more than a minute to answer. if that's the case, just guess C and move on. like i said, im really sorry that i cant fully answer your question <3
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hi guys, i would like to add before you ask me any questions or pm me, please check the thread to see if i have answered your question. i have gotten a lot of messages asking about the selective exam and i would like to mention that it has changed twice since i did it in 2017.
also please know that whichever tutoring company you prepare with for the exam isn't going to make or break whether you get in or not. i received 4 superiors and got in and i know people who have none at all and still got into macrob. i also know people who got 4 superiors and still didn't get in. additionally, if you don't get into whichever selective school you want, its not the end of the world. just work your ass off for vce. if you get in, that's great, good on you. but please be kind to yourself if you get a "bad" mark on a practice exam or don't do well on the exam. there are many factors that determine your entry and with covid-19 it makes it even more uncertain.
like i said, i have no problems with answering any questions about the selective school exam, but just read the thread and see if I've answered the question you might want to ask and remember, I'm old now so the formatting has changed quite a bit. please take my advice on preparation and exam skills with a grain of salt.
stay hydrated and stay safe <33