AM(almost)A from a 2015 graduate (2 Viewers)

[Triinkii]

Hi y'all!

I completed the HSC in 2015 and since I'm a little bored these long holidays, I'm happy to answer any questions regarding the HSC, UMAT, applying for scholarships and associated interviews, etc.

So first, some credentials.
ATAR: 99.95
UMAT: 100
State ranks: 2nd in physics, 5th in chemistry
Future direction: co-op scholarship for electrical engineering at UNSW

Subjects: English Advanced, Mathematics Extension 1 and 2, Physics, Chemistry, Latin Continuers (via distance education - that is, Open High School)

Most of these are pretty generic, and while I'm happy to answer the usual questions about ATAR and state ranking, I'd be very stoked if any distance ed kids could ask burning questions that could potentially help future generations (I know I definitely didn't get enough information on it before making the choice). I also went to an IB school, so if any are considering or curious about that, I can easily get you some answers.
For later down the line if any of you are considering engineering, I can also answer questions regarding making this choice, especially as a female (all my final co-op competitors were male!).

Whether it's specific to subjects or about study methods or tips, or even balancing extra-curriculars and post-HSC plans, please ask away!

 

[Kaido]

This is excellent, thanks for showing up on BoS with such generosity! I'm sure the hsc'ers would greatly appreciate it

 

[qwert73]

How many hours did you study a day and did you get tutoring?
Also why did you choose not to go into medicine?

 

[Zoinked]

How did you study and achieve a state rank for Chemistry? (Personally am aiming for 92+).

How many hours a day/week did you study a day and how did you integrate past papers and/or trials (if at all) into your regular study routine.

 

[AppleTea]

What drugs did you use to cope with hsc?
was it worth it?

 

[turntaker]

umat: 100
atar : 99.95

wot,
r u human

 

[RenegadeMx]

would u rather fight one horse sized duck or one hundred duck sized horses

 

[-Senpai]

What were your EC's (name a few examples)?

+ Anom I think we found your dream girl

 

[internalsarekey]

What are your best tips for someone who wants to state ranks physics/high mark?

 

[janbroodryk]

Daily schedule?

 

[Triinkii]

How many hours did you study a day and did you get tutoring?
Also why did you choose not to go into medicine?

Hi qwert73,

I didn't count the hours I studied but I firmly believe it is about the quality, not quantity. Don't let the people who say "I studied 8 hours yesterday!" freak you out! I can guarantee you they were procrastinating at least half of that, unless in super-stressed-study-state, which doesn't last more than a week before burn-out.
Study should not feel like a chore. I completed most of my immediate homework in my free periods, and once home would work on assignments OR read ahead in the textbook OR revise by writing up notes/doing practice questions for perhaps 3-4 hours maximum per day, and more often just 1-2 hours of relevant study.

I didn't get tutoring except for the last 2 topics of chemistry (long story - my parents thought I was failing the subject). If you work hard and study smart, you shouldn't require tutoring at all for the sciences, the dot points are there for a reason and don't be afraid to use your friends, family and teachers. Often rephrasing and teaching your parents the information will consolidate it in your own head, and also convince them you're not failing school (haha), and doing so to friends allows them the opportunity to add their own details on top of yours for some perfect band 6 responses.

You can probably see I was on track to going straight into medicine - that is, until I reassessed my reasons for doing so, and realised it was merely because I had no idea what I wanted to do with myself. After a bit of scouting however, I've decided on engineering for the main reason that I get to problem solve using concepts all day, and stretch myself intellectually, while giving me the opportunity to be part of exciting innovations.
The question then lies in:
Do you want to be using new technology to directly help people (medicine) OR do you want to be part of developing that technology and have some fun in being creative (engineering). Of course, both are perfectly viable and equally respectable, and those aren't your only options, but definitely look at which will be more personally fulfilling and stretch you to your full potential!
As someone once put it to me, ATAR isn't fly-buys points you don't have to use all of it!

 

[Triinkii]

How did you study and achieve a state rank for Chemistry? (Personally am aiming for 92+).

How many hours a day/week did you study a day and how did you integrate past papers and/or trials (if at all) into your regular study routine.

Hi mattstaker,

Chemistry I admit was one of the subjects that gave me the most grief. I had teachers who would mark exceptionally hard, to the point my raw marks were convincing my parents I needed external help! How I studied for it is actually quite simple - I read the textbook, cover to cover, about 4 times, and did a kazillion past papers. Until you know enough detail that your responses are impressive enough!
Also, I would suggest reading ahead in the textbook so that during class, you:
1. Know exactly what is happening
2. Can contribute to discussions with teachers and potentially teach your classmates (the best form of learning)
3. Can ask more in-depth questions and then do some relevant past HSC questions
One important thing to remember is: there is no one right answer (most of the time) for the longer responses! Chemistry is a contradictory subject sometimes, with lots of ambiguity (especially when experiments don't work out properly ). The one thing they look for is detail, detail and more detail!
As for a little digression, I would also advise you to do your past papers timed to plan your time wisely for the options. In my HSC, I didn't leave enough time for the last question and ended up misreading it and freaking out afterwards that I just failed completely - an avoidable mistake (and also laughable now considering the state rank).

As for study, just as I said to qwert73, it's not about the hours at all. Having said that, although I gave a ballpark figure of 1-4 hours a day depending on the amount of work, closer to the HSC in the stuvac I was doing past papers about 6 hours a day, cramming in two papers a day. However, right before the HSC and during it, I did very very little work - by then, the syllabus is almost burned into your head!

I do recommend doing a past paper every weekend for mathematics. I didn't do many past papers for the sciences during term except the week or two before exams, however.
I'd also suggest writing an essay per week at least! But take off Friday afternoons for a movie.
During holidays, try to do a paper a day, doesn't matter what subject! Start today

 

[Triinkii]

What drugs did you use to cope with hsc?
was it worth it?

Music.
Yes.

Longer response: SOUNDTRACKS ARE MY DRUG! Theory of Everything and The Imitation Game are some of the best to study to!

 

[Triinkii]

umat: 100
atar : 99.95

wot,
r u human

Looking at your forum signature, I have to wonder if you're some kind of computer working in base 2 code

 

[Triinkii]

would u rather fight one horse sized duck or one hundred duck sized horses

One horse sized duck. Definitely.
Why fight it? It'd be like a pegasus but duck-shaped. Embrace it and ride it into the sunset!

That said, duck sized horses sound kinda cute, but I'm not sure making one hundred custom-sized bridles is going to work out well. For anyone.

 

[Triinkii]

What were your EC's (name a few examples)?

+ Anom I think we found your dream girl

Here goes... An incomplete list because most escape my brain right now, in hopefully some strange form of order:

School stuff:
School musical (2010, 2012)
Opera House concerts (2011, 2013, 2015)

Sport:
Waterpolo (2010-2012)
Netball (2010-2012)

Music:
Band (2010-2015)
Choir (2010-2015)
Flute ensemble (2010-2015)
Orchestra (2012-2015)

Other:
Tournament of Minds (2010-2014)
Science club (2014-2015)
Round Square committee (2013-2015)

And just for fun:
NCSS Intermediate Challenge (2014)

I did DOE Bronze but gave up after finishing all the requirements but couldn't chase up paperwork

 

[Triinkii]

What are your best tips for someone who wants to state ranks physics/high mark?

Hi internalsarekey, (why yes they are, for the ranks!)

If you want a state rank, your best bet is ranking 1st internally (of course, you know that already ). I had that part easier in that I went to a top 50 girls' only school... My physics cohort had a grand total of 10.
Physics is the one subject in which I made comprehensive notes for (almost) all the dot-points!! (except for the really stupid self-explanatory ones). I think I could almost classify HSC physics as a humanities subject due to the sheer amount of memorisation and detail required!

Here are some best tips:
1. Write very very comprehensive notes, using one main source and then drawing some facts from other sources, but if you do so make sure you KNOW what you are writing, not just copying it out, and can recite it not word-for-word but in detail.
2. Make certain you understand every concept, and by that I mean you are able to explain it to someone who has no idea what it is!
3. USE DIAGRAMS WHENEVER POSSIBLE and link these to your response!
4. Write smaller so you can fit more in
5. Try to keep everything concise and relevant, chucking in enough details (using statistics such as the approximate speed of Earth's rotation) to overfill all the lines they give you!
6. Know how to respond to all your syllabus dot-points and do all the past-paper questions, once just quickly and second time for problem topics.

In my year, I believe they chucked in a few more sideways questions (namely the one on Hertz) that may have thrown people off, and some more obscure experiments. Make sure you explain every experiment in terms of: equipment, method, variables, safety, validity, reliability, processing data. You never know what they're looking for!
Other than that, questions end up pretty standard. But watch out for those MC questions - they like to chuck in curveballs and tricks. I believe they now order them from easiest to hardest, so while the first 5-10 you can trust your initial response, make sure you really look for the last few and if you have time, realise exactly what the trick in it is, which helps prevent you from being tricked!

 

[Triinkii]

Daily schedule?

Hi janbroodryk,

I'm assuming you mean on schooldays.

8:15AM-3:15PM - school
3:15PM-5:00PM - extracurriculars (or chill-out/social time)
5:00PM-6:30PM - getting home and dinner
6:30PM-10:30PM - homework/study with occasional breaks depending on the amount of work that day, using shower/snacks/walking dog/Facebook as breaks (make sure you message someone on fb to tell you to get back to work at some point though, or study together by brainstorming topics)
10:30PM-11:00PM - more work if I'm stressed or just have more work to do, otherwise just Facebook
11:00PM - bedtime

Fridays = minimal work though!
Weekends = whatever I feel like/need, make sure you plan in advance what topics you want covered that particular weekend depending on what you personally need more time in.

 

[Triinkii]

Thanks to everyone who asked questions today!!
And those waiting for responses in pm's, sorry I can't get around to them tonight - it's off to bed for me. I will get around to you before everyone else tomorrow, I promise! Didn't expect quite this amount of interest, nor the near-essay-length responses I just churned out!

 

[SoStudenty]

Most of these are pretty generic, and while I'm happy to answer the usual questions about ATAR and state ranking, I'd be very stoked if any distance ed kids could ask burning questions that could potentially help future generations (I know I definitely didn't get enough information on it before making the choice). I also went to an IB school, so if any are considering or curious about that, I can easily get you some answers.
For later down the line if any of you are considering engineering, I can also answer questions regarding making this choice, especially as a female (all my final co-op competitors were male!).

WAY TO GO GIRL! x