- Studying 24/7 will get you that 99.95 ATAR
You’ve heard this countless times before – balance is everything. The reason why all HSC mentors, including ex-students who were successful in their HSC, advocate for balance is simply because it works. Studying for 8 hours a day or into the night will only cause stress and exhaustion; too often students lose potential to do better because they burn out earlier in the year. Use a good mix of hobbies, healthy eating and exercise, sleep and study in order to reach your maximum potential.
- Pick only high scaling subjects and you’re guaranteed success
Anyone who has achieved a high ATAR will tell you that it was not because of their subjects, but merely because of their performance. And this is true – your ATAR is defined by your performance and skill. Choose subjects that you’re interested in and believe you’ll do well in – avoid choosing the conventional ‘high-scaling’ subjects, such as Chemistry and 4U Mathematics, just because of scaling. It is possible to achieve great results without maths or science, or Extension 2 English.
- HSC means no life outside of school
Myth: you can’t have a job or a social life during the HSC.
Fact: The HSC can be one of the best years of high school because it’s not just full of study.
This is the final year of high school – the best thing you can do is to leave it without any regrets. Enjoy life with your friends, take care of your health and try out new things. Remember, the ATAR is just a number but your memories and experiences will follow you through life.
- Rote learning essays will get a Band 6
Studying is different for every student. However, one important consideration to take is that rote learning paragraphs may very well lower your marks. This is because of the unpredictability of the exam questions and stimuli. The best tip for memorising essays is to familiarise yourself with the structure and ideas held within your essay, as well as ensuring that you have a great understanding of the syllabus. Remember, they can’t ask you questions outside of the syllabus!
