With Term 3 just around the corner, there is one thing on the mind of every Year 12 student – the commencement of the HSC Trial Exams. It’s definitely a daunting time for most, if not all students.
The reality is that that the HSC trial exams are essentially a test-run for the actual HSC exam. The kicker is, these exams make up a big chunk of your internal/assessment mark, usually around 30-40%. This measures up to be 20% of your overall mark – meaning it can have a pretty significant impact on your ATAR ranking! Here are 3 things you can do to prepare for the HSC trial exams.
The syllabus is your best friend
The syllabus, for every single one of your subjects, should be your guide to establishing every core area that needs to be studied and understood. The HSC trial exams cover the majority of the syllabus, therefore, it’s important to create study notes around the crucial content outlined. One way to do this is to turn the syllabus dot points into questions – and then study by writing out and perfecting answers to them, using your textbook and other sources such as set texts. Be sure to answer every single dot point, as you never know exactly what will be asked of you in the exam. Keep a copy of the syllabus at the front of every corresponding note section when studying for the HSC trial exams, so it’s always accessible and can be referred to as you write your notes and study.
Create concise notes
It is very unlikely you will achieve the results you desire from you HSC trial exams if you just copy out big chunks of paragraphs from your textbooks. The reality is, the study workload of year 12 students are heavy and you will have to cover a large number of topics. Keep your notes condensed and concise by structuring them from the syllabus, revising them when possible, and cutting them down to the bare minimum of what you need. There is no use in having hundreds of pages of notes that will not only be a huge chore to read but also virtually impossible to memorise. Keeping your material organised in folders, colour coordinated, clear and concise, will make study time more manageable and less overwhelming.
Practice, practice, practice!
Once you are familiar with the syllabus and have your notes organised and condensed, one of the best things you can do to nail your HSC trial exams, is to practice with practice exam papers. Tackling past papers, especially by mimicking exam conditions by using a timer, will show you what areas require more attention and need to be further refined or understood. For subjects like English, which have an emphasis on long-form essays, make sure to practice planning your essay structure before you begin writing your answers. Our professional tutors at C3 Education Group can help you with nailing essay structures and past papers. Why not access our essay marking service if you can’t get to a face-to-face lesson for speedy and effective feedback. Simply click on www.essaymarking.com.au.
The HSC trial exams are an ideal opportunity to get into good study habits, boost your confidence and familiarise yourself with the exam format, plus get a good head-start on achieving your dream ATAR result. Want to get serious about your study and achieve your academic potential? Contact C3 Education Group to find out more about how our HSC tutors can help.
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