When should you start doing Practice Exams?

[Gokart#5]

Hi everyone!

Just wondering when is the best time to start doing practice exams to prepare for end of year exams? 

I am in year 11 and doing 2 year 12 subjects, and focusing mainly on them. I want to get a head start on practice and past exams, so just wondering from past students or students who know when you generally start doing past exams. I want to get a slight head start / advantage so when would be the earliest in the year you would recommend starting? 

Also any other advice on doing practice exams to prepare for end of year would be awesome! 

[jnlfs2010]

Hi everyone!

Just wondering when is the best time to start doing practice exams to prepare for end of year exams? 

I am in year 11 and doing 2 year 12 subjects, and focusing mainly on them. I want to get a head start on practice and past exams, so just wondering from past students or students who know when you generally start doing past exams. I want to get a slight head start / advantage so when would be the earliest in the year you would recommend starting? 

Also any other advice on doing practice exams to prepare for end of year would be awesome! 

I did accounting 3/4 in 2019. I started doing practice exams for accounting just when term 4 began (i.e., October). My Y11 1/2 exams were in early September which allowed me to focus only on Accounting afterwards. I was very rushed since the exam for me was on the 8th of November & I completed 30 practice exams (including VCAA).

I would recommend doing them after finishing all the content and reviewing it. Try to do them ASAP without severely affecting Y11 subjects.

Tips for Accounting:
- doing excessive amounts of exams is not sufficient for mastery, nor is it required (I should have done less. 2019 was also the first year of the new study design which meant there were not that many relevant ones; I would assume there are now tons)
- prioritize quality papers (I think VCAA, QATs, CPAP....)
- summarize & group similar theory questions to create formulaic responses (any q relating to accounting assumptions for example OR lists of potential reasons for changes in ratios....)
- develop a strategy for calculation questions
- read questions carefully especially for balance day adjustments, inventory, budgeting

[Coolmate]

Hi everyone!

Just wondering when is the best time to start doing practice exams to prepare for end of year exams? 

I am in year 11 and doing 2 year 12 subjects, and focusing mainly on them. I want to get a head start on practice and past exams, so just wondering from past students or students who know when you generally start doing past exams. I want to get a slight head start / advantage so when would be the earliest in the year you would recommend starting? 

Also any other advice on doing practice exams to prepare for end of year would be awesome! 

Hey Gokart#5!
This is a great question.
I haven't done VCE Accounting so these are just my general thoughts:

I would suggest starting practice questions as soon as possible and should be done alongside writing notes and doing assessments. This is because at the end of the year you will have your big final exam and if you have trained yourself to complete exam style questions throughout the year, you will be way ahead of students who only start doing practice exams after assessments and close to the final exam. You may also have developed an exam strategy by this time so you know exactly how to answer certain mark questions (EG. 4, 5, or 6 markers).

Practice questions/ exams are crucial in securing a great final mark as they focus on the application of content to unknown situations rather than straight memorisation (though memorising content is also important).

Just a tip - Save the past 2 or 3 years of VCE past papers to complete a couple of weeks or so near the date of your exam

If you run out of practice exams you could make up your own questions (guided by the syllabus) and ask your teacher to read over your answers, self mark them or ask any question on ATAR Notes if you need help.

Goodluck and I hoped this helps!
Coolmate