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March 29, 2024, 09:40:04 am

Author Topic: Trying out for macrob in 2020 to hopefully get in , in 2021. Anyone else? Tips?  (Read 31150 times)  Share 

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runa123

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Does anyone have any advice for the exam? Also if you went to JAC, What kind if results did you get on the practice tests? How similar were JAC tests to the exam tests?
Thanks

AMC for life

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Does anyone have any advice for the exam? Also if you went to JAC, What kind if results did you get on the practice tests? How similar were JAC tests to the exam tests?
Thanks
Also, don’t compare the results. Be more focused on beating your competition. Again aim for top 5. Results are similar, and the actual test is only slightly harder. The big mock exam from jac which you will have in March next year, is very hard. If you get a few superiors in that, you have an extreme good chance of getting in.

homeworkisapotato

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Advice for the exams
1. Spend a maximum of 30 seconds for each question. If you still don't know the answer flag it, skip it, and come back after
2. Know which questions to skip. In maths and numerical reasoning, I skipped the questions with the long passages and instead came back to them in the end. If you spend like a minute reading the passage and not know how to answer them, that's a waste of more than a minute.
3. If you get halfway through the exam and feel a bit hopeless because in the worst case scenario you keep skipping questions, flip to the end questions and do those. Usually the easier questions are at the start and end, and they put the harder ones in the middle to slow down students
4. With writing, always allocate at least 2 minutes for planning. You want to visualise a structure for your essay before you start writing because if you get stuck halfway then it can be game over for you.
5. For writing, make sure to remember the basics such as punctuation, grammar, polished vocabulary, etc. To build these skills READ.
6. For mathematics, the curriculum mostly covers Year 8-9. It would be great if you could learn linear equations, speed&distance&time questions, money, trigonometry, volume and area, and other Year 8/9 topics.
7. Make sure to have a good sleep, eat healthy, DRINK A LOT OF WATER BETWEEN THE EXAMS.

Results in JAC
My first tests for each topic I got really really bad. Like 30% in verbal and mathematics, and 60% in numerical and reading comprehension. It was mostly due to the fact that the timing is really bad for edutest and I hadn't covered much of the content. After a few weeks of asking a lot of questions in class, analysing patterns, and fixing my weaknesses my results spiked to superiors for the next 8 months. Keep in mind that I went to an accelerated program so I didn't need to study much outside of school as much of the maths and writing was covered at school. JAC doesn't let you take the tests home but the week after each test, JAC would give these sheets with each question number, what topic that question was, how many students got it right, and if you got that right. The best way to improve is to analyse a couple of weeks' worth of those sheets, find a pattern for your weaknesses and work on them. Khanacademy is great for this and has a lot of videos for mathematics. If writing is your weakness then search prompts up and write them, and then ask your JAC English teacher or your school English teacher for feedback. The practice papers at JAC should be enough for you to get the hang of timing but it's good for you to be able to identify questions you should probably skip. I always skipped the money questions and the questions with a large amount of writing.

How similar were JAC tests to the exam tests?
Very accurate. In fact, I think some of the tests they give are harder versions. As in the same topics are in the practice tests but they give harder versions. I don't think any other testing centre is that accurate, especially Henderson's. I went to their exam and it was REALLY easy, way easier than the actual exam. I got 5 superiors and 1 above average on the Henderson's exam as opposed to 4 superiors and 2 high averages (ugh, writing) on the real one. However, I still recommend you go to one of their trial exams as it gives you the experience of the testing conditions.

The biggest tip I'd give you is use those sheets that JAC gives you every week. Almost no one does but it's the best way for your results to sky rocket.

All the best! With hard and smart work you'll get in for sure!!
2020: Biology [43]
2021: Methods, Chemistry, HHD, English, Further
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runa123

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Advice for the exams
1. Spend a maximum of 30 seconds for each question. If you still don't know the answer flag it, skip it, and come back after
2. Know which questions to skip. In maths and numerical reasoning, I skipped the questions with the long passages and instead came back to them in the end. If you spend like a minute reading the passage and not know how to answer them, that's a waste of more than a minute.
3. If you get halfway through the exam and feel a bit hopeless because in the worst case scenario you keep skipping questions, flip to the end questions and do those. Usually the easier questions are at the start and end, and they put the harder ones in the middle to slow down students
4. With writing, always allocate at least 2 minutes for planning. You want to visualise a structure for your essay before you start writing because if you get stuck halfway then it can be game over for you.
5. For writing, make sure to remember the basics such as punctuation, grammar, polished vocabulary, etc. To build these skills READ.
6. For mathematics, the curriculum mostly covers Year 8-9. It would be great if you could learn linear equations, speed&distance&time questions, money, trigonometry, volume and area, and other Year 8/9 topics.
7. Make sure to have a good sleep, eat healthy, DRINK A LOT OF WATER BETWEEN THE EXAMS.

Results in JAC
My first tests for each topic I got really really bad. Like 30% in verbal and mathematics, and 60% in numerical and reading comprehension. It was mostly due to the fact that the timing is really bad for edutest and I hadn't covered much of the content. After a few weeks of asking a lot of questions in class, analysing patterns, and fixing my weaknesses my results spiked to superiors for the next 8 months. Keep in mind that I went to an accelerated program so I didn't need to study much outside of school as much of the maths and writing was covered at school. JAC doesn't let you take the tests home but the week after each test, JAC would give these sheets with each question number, what topic that question was, how many students got it right, and if you got that right. The best way to improve is to analyse a couple of weeks' worth of those sheets, find a pattern for your weaknesses and work on them. Khanacademy is great for this and has a lot of videos for mathematics. If writing is your weakness then search prompts up and write them, and then ask your JAC English teacher or your school English teacher for feedback. The practice papers at JAC should be enough for you to get the hang of timing but it's good for you to be able to identify questions you should probably skip. I always skipped the money questions and the questions with a large amount of writing.

How similar were JAC tests to the exam tests?
Very accurate. In fact, I think some of the tests they give are harder versions. As in the same topics are in the practice tests but they give harder versions. I don't think any other testing centre is that accurate, especially Henderson's. I went to their exam and it was REALLY easy, way easier than the actual exam. I got 5 superiors and 1 above average on the Henderson's exam as opposed to 4 superiors and 2 high averages (ugh, writing) on the real one. However, I still recommend you go to one of their trial exams as it gives you the experience of the testing conditions.

The biggest tip I'd give you is use those sheets that JAC gives you every week. Almost no one does but it's the best way for your results to sky rocket.

All the best! With hard and smart work you'll get in for sure!!
Thanks so much for all the detail! I really appreciate it

Meg210706

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Do you think the test will be online coz of restrictions?

runa123

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Do you think the test will be online coz of restrictions?
I don't know. That's what my mum thinks though!

Alomoac

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I don't know. That's what my mum thinks though!

Same, my tutor teacher thinks it will be online too. I'm so worried for the test, my sister was successful and got a place in Suazzane so I'm super worried the consequences of me failing. Right now I'm keeping my head high and hoping for the best. I wish you good luck for the test. 
"It's not about being nice, it's about doing the right thing."

Meg210706

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Same, my tutor teacher thinks it will be online too. I'm so worried for the test, my sister was successful and got a place in Suazzane so I'm super worried the consequences of me failing. Right now I'm keeping my head high and hoping for the best. I wish you good luck for the test.


Dont worry I'm sure you'll do just fine!! I'm just honestly worried about the fact that the superior score might be higher this year if the test is online coz theres a chance people might cheat. 🤷‍♀️

runa123

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Dont worry I'm sure you'll do just fine!! I'm just honestly worried about the fact that the superior score might be higher this year if the test is online coz theres a chance people might cheat. 🤷‍♀️
same, I think people might cheat. The thing is though if people feel like they need to cheat then why are they doing this test. People applying for year 10 are doing it online. I think they have to keep their camera's on and the screen probably locks to the test.

Alomoac

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same, I think people might cheat. The thing is though if people feel like they need to cheat then why are they doing this test. People applying for year 10 are doing it online. I think they have to keep their camera's on and the screen probably locks to the test.

I heard from Years 9's who applied for a spot in a Year 10 selective school that the EduTest people will have your IP address and be able to trace the search history of all the devices under that IP address. But sadly it still doesn't stop others from using calculators.
« Last Edit: September 07, 2020, 11:19:01 am by Alomoac »
"It's not about being nice, it's about doing the right thing."

runa123

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I heard from Years 9's who applied for a spot in a Year 10 selective school that the EduTest people will have your IP address and be able to trace the search history of all the devices under that IP address. But sadly it still doesn't stop others from using calculators.
I feel like they should just get people to do the test at their school and send a recording

Alomoac

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I feel like they should just get people to do the test at their school and send a recording

Or they could have students complete the test at their local library and have the librarians look out for cheaters.
"It's not about being nice, it's about doing the right thing."

runa123

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Or they could have students complete the test at their local library and have the librarians look out for cheaters.
yeah, I don't trust people to not cheat
The library would be a good place

Meg210706

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yeah, I don't trust people to not cheat
The library would be a good place
Yeah exactly, I think either libraries or doing the test at school would be a great way to make sure no one cheats but I highly doubt that we'd be allowed to because of the extended lockdown.

Meg210706

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same, I think people might cheat. The thing is though if people feel like they need to cheat then why are they doing this test. People applying for year 10 are doing it online. I think they have to keep their camera's on and the screen probably locks to the test.

Yeah definitely but like it'd be hard to do it online coz like nearly 4,000 people r doing it and there's gonna be some sort of I.T problem and you can't keep track of everyone's camera and surrounding. Idk tho 🤷‍♀️