JMSS 2017 Entry Discussion

[The Average Student]

Hey Guys!
Not much discussion surrounding JMSS has commenced yet, so I decided to take the initiative of establishing this thread for those who are planning on partaking the entrance examination later this year . All are welcome! If you have any issues and/or concerns, please don't hesitate to post and join in with the discussion below.

All the best,
The Average Student 

[osporth]

Good luck to the year 9s trying out! If you need any advice feel free to PM me, I'm not super active but I'd gladly help out some eager year 9s ^^

[maximumliewster]

HI! I'm a yr10 student trying out for a spot to be in the yr11 cohort for 2017. 
So I hope I can get as much help from you guys, because I hear that there are fewer spots for yr11 enrolments..

Don't worry "The Average Student," this discussion is awesome already! 

[The Average Student]

Thanks for posting!
I found this from previous year's JMSS threads and I suppose it will help you all study.

- Angles
- Pythagoras
- Trigonometry (SOHCAHTOA)
- Linear Algebra
- Simultaneous Equations
- Linear Relations (Sketching, understanding the different properties)
- Measurement (Surface Area, Volume, Conversion, Area, Perimeter)
- Indices Law
- Surds
- Geometry (Basics behind Congruence, Similarity and Bearings)
- Factorising and Expanding (Make sure you can do these fast)
- Parabolas (Sketching and Properties)
- Quadratic Equations (Nulls Law will be useful)
- Probability (Optional but may save a few seconds in the test if you understand how a certain chart works)

For science:

Chemistry:
Atoms
Chemical Bonds
Chemical Reactions
Nuclear Decay
Radiation
Periodic Table
Reaction Rates
Matter

Physics:
Thermodynamics
Energy
Light
Waves
Sound
Forces
Friction
Motion
Heat
Mechanics
Space
Electricity
Magnetism

Biology:
Animal Cells
Plant Cells
Five Senses
Digestive System
Circulatory System
Nervous System
Muscular System
Endocrine System
Evolution
Classification
Plants
Photosynthesis
Respiration
Enzymes
Genetics

Thanks for the guide Hannibal!

[maximumliewster]

Thanks for posting!
I found this from previous year's JMSS threads and I suppose it will help you all study.

- Angles
- Pythagoras
- Trigonometry (SOHCAHTOA)
- Linear Algebra
- Simultaneous Equations
- Linear Relations (Sketching, understanding the different properties)
- Measurement (Surface Area, Volume, Conversion, Area, Perimeter)
- Indices Law
- Surds
- Geometry (Basics behind Congruence, Similarity and Bearings)
- Factorising and Expanding (Make sure you can do these fast)
- Parabolas (Sketching and Properties)
- Quadratic Equations (Nulls Law will be useful)
- Probability (Optional but may save a few seconds in the test if you understand how a certain chart works)

For science:

Chemistry:
Atoms
Chemical Bonds
Chemical Reactions
Nuclear Decay
Radiation
Periodic Table
Reaction Rates
Matter

Physics:
Thermodynamics
Energy
Light
Waves
Sound
Forces
Friction
Motion
Heat
Mechanics
Space
Electricity
Magnetism

Biology:
Animal Cells
Plant Cells
Five Senses
Digestive System
Circulatory System
Nervous System
Muscular System
Endocrine System
Evolution
Classification
Plants
Photosynthesis
Respiration
Enzymes
Genetics

Thanks for the guide Hannibal!

Thanks! So does anyone know the difference between both yr10 and yr11 enrolment exams - "do I need to know more of VCE level stuff for maths and science?" 

[Sil]

Thanks! So does anyone know the difference between both yr10 and yr11 enrolment exams - "do I need to know more of VCE level stuff for maths and science?" 

I tried out for Year 11 last year and was offered a place, and I can definitely say that it helps to know SOME basic VCE knowledge, but nothing into too much depth. I think you should be fine if you have a strong understanding of your Year 10 Science concepts, as any questions in the actual exam that will require more thinking can be answered with basic logic or just a bit more thinking from prior knowledge

It also helps if you're doing a 1/2 subject in Year 10 (I did Bio and it REALLY helped in the essay).

[osporth]

Thanks for posting!
I found this from previous year's JMSS threads and I suppose it will help you all study.

-Angles
-  Pythagoras
- Trigonometry (SOHCAHTOA)
- Linear Algebra
- Simultaneous Equations
- Linear Relations (Sketching, understanding the different properties)
- Measurement (Surface Area, Volume, Conversion, Area, Perimeter)
- Indices Law
- Surds
- Geometry (Basics behind Congruence, Similarity and Bearings)
- Factorising and Expanding (Make sure you can do these fast)
- Parabolas (Sketching and Properties)
- Quadratic Equations (Nulls Law will be useful)
- Probability (Optional but may save a few seconds in the test if you understand how a certain chart works)

For science:

Chemistry:
Atoms
Chemical Bonds
Chemical Reactions
Nuclear Decay
Radiation
Periodic Table
Reaction Rates
Matter

Physics:
Thermodynamics
Energy
Light
Waves
Sound
Forces
Friction
Motion
Heat
Mechanics
Space
Electricity
Magnetism

Biology:
Animal Cells
Plant Cells
Five Senses
Digestive System
Circulatory System
Nervous System
Muscular System
Endocrine System
Evolution
Classification
Plants
Photosynthesis
Respiration
Enzymes
Genetics

Thanks for the guide Hannibal!

Just a tip, if it hasn't been covered in school and isn't in your textbooks, they wont test on it. I bolded some maths stuff that you should know, but thats just my suggestion. For science a general idea of all those topics is a good idea. Most of the science was just general knowledge and interpreting data, and while you had to know some maths it wasn't anything super complex or that you wouldn't have a basic idea about.

The essays (for me at least, I had to test early so I got different topics but whatever) were fairly broad, and if you weren't certain on one area you weren't totally dragged down. I would suggest choosing the topic you are more confident about rather than the topic you think most people won't choose. If you aren't confident they will be able to tell and it wont come across as good as it could be.

The test is a while away (I think?) though so um I would suggest reading through your textbooks, doing some basic revision and if you can do some edutest tests (they'll help you with the type of questions found in the test)

[maximumliewster]

thanks guys!

I tried out for Year 11 last year and was offered a place, and I can definitely say that it helps to know SOME basic VCE knowledge, but nothing into too much depth. I think you should be fine if you have a strong understanding of your Year 10 Science concepts, as any questions in the actual exam that will require more thinking can be answered with basic logic or just a bit more thinking from prior knowledge

It also helps if you're doing a 1/2 subject in Year 10 (I did Bio and it REALLY helped in the essay).

hey!! im doing biology this year!

[osporth]

Hey,
Does the JAC help with the types of questions in the test? Because other than Science; it looks rudimentary, or on the same kind of level as MHS/Macrob test.

Thanks and GL everyone applying!

The test is completely different to the other edutest tests I've done ^^ I didn't try for macrob but I believe they use edutest? If they did then it wont be like that.

[osporth]

So you're saying it's much harder or much more abstract?
Because if the test has worded problems instead of straight up equations like the MHS test I might be in a bit of a pickle..

It's not harder necessarily, it's just done completely differently.
Most of the test is worded problems yes, but they're easy questions. There are some straight up equations

[Sil]

It's not harder necessarily, it's just done completely differently.
Most of the test is worded problems yes, but they're easy questions. There are some straight up equations

I wouldn't say that they're done "completely differently" (unless I misunderstand what you mean by this), but if you have done the MHS/Macrob exams before like myself, you may have a slight advantage over those who haven't before, as you should expect most questions to be somewhat similar in their structure and degree of difficulty. Of course, JMSS has a science-related test (unlike the MHS/Macrob exams) that involves more logical and deeper thinking, but regarding the content of the papers, they are generally worded similarly.

From my experience having tried out for MHS and JMSS, I would say that the JMSS exams were slightly easier, probably because I prepared a lot better and my 'passion for science'

[undefined]

I wouldn't say that they're done "completely differently" (unless I misunderstand what you mean by this), but if you have done the MHS/Macrob exams before like myself, you may have a slight advantage over those who haven't before, as you should expect most questions to be somewhat similar in their structure and degree of difficulty. Of course, JMSS has a science-related test (unlike the MHS/Macrob exams) that involves more logical and deeper thinking, but regarding the content of the papers, they are generally worded similarly.

From my experience having tried out for MHS and JMSS, I would say that the JMSS exams were slightly easier, probably because I prepared a lot better and my 'passion for science'

So in your opinion, for the science tests, would you say that you had to extract the information from the text into the answers or do they rely heavily on your actual knowledge of science? Because I seem to struggle a lot grasping the actual concepts as there are so many to learn

[~Asuna~]

So in your opinion, for the science tests, would you say that you had to extract the information from the text into the answers or do they rely heavily on your actual knowledge of science? Because I seem to struggle a lot grasping the actual concepts as there are so many to learn

They don't rely heavily on your science knowledge, well I guess the two essays do. But they shouldn't be too hard, if you know your year 8 science and kinda your year 9 stuff you will be fine. Just make sure you read your textbooks thoroughly and do the questions if you want!

The maths ones are a lot like the MHS/Macrob ones. (:

[Sil]

They don't rely heavily on your science knowledge, well I guess the two essays do. But they shouldn't be too hard, if you know your year 8 science and kinda your year 9 stuff you will be fine. Just make sure you read your textbooks thoroughly and do the questions if you want!

The maths ones are a lot like the MHS/Macrob ones. (:

Yep, the essay(s) do require you to understand scientific concepts that have been covered up to your year level and possibly a bit beyond (the topic for my essay DEFINITELY required extended knowledge to write on). You aren't given any assistance on how anything works, or statements that assist you in writing your essay. You have to make logical assumptions and understand the area of science that concerns the topic fairly well

(Oops I hope I didn't make it too daunting ahahahaha You should be fine though, it's generally not too hard and won't screw you over )

For the actual multiple-choice exams, there will be a mix of questions where you need to recall information that you have previously learnt, and those questions where you are given information in the text and you have to make sense of it in order to pick the correct answer

[~Asuna~]

What were your topics you had to write about?

I know last year it was something like 'why are polar bears white'

Um... one of them was about why are polar bears white (and why they have all this other stuff) which was actually year 9 science I think (?).

And the other was like........ I can't remember too well but something about a prac for native Australian seeds and if they grow better after fires or something about chromatography. (You could pick either one.)