ATAR Notes: Forum

VCE Stuff => VCE Science => VCE Mathematics/Science/Technology => VCE Subjects + Help => VCE Biology => Topic started by: duhherro on June 07, 2012, 03:35:02 pm

Title: How many exams have you guys done so far?
Post by: duhherro on June 07, 2012, 03:35:02 pm
I've only done around 11-13 , can't remember at the top of my head. As we get closer to the exam date, how do you guys study (or what past students did)?
Do you guys just go through what you guys usually have trouble with in your practice exams ?
Title: Re: How many exams have you guys done so far?
Post by: golden on June 07, 2012, 05:35:55 pm
I've only done around 11-13 , can't remember at the top of my head. As we get closer to the exam date, how do you guys study (or what past students did)?
Do you guys just go through what you guys usually have trouble with in your practice exams ?

It's funny how ANers are like "I've only done eg. 15 exams" when many others would be like "wow I've done 15!" lol.

I am a past student and I did very few for Unit 3, I can't remember but it was easily less than 10. I did more for Unit 4 because I found it more interesting lol...

If you want to get over 40 you're on the right track. I don't know about biology but last year for chemistry we got trolled with one question that was mentioned in the textbook but was not put to what I've noticed on any past papers. You should probably take some time to skim over the textbook so that you can be more confident.
Title: Re: How many exams have you guys done so far?
Post by: duhherro on June 07, 2012, 05:54:38 pm
Haha, it is because i see a lot of people that have success in getting a good score do HEAPS , so I take that doing a lot of paper helps . And also doing a variety because I don't feel confident enough by just doing the top tier exams. :S Haha I wish the big companies make like 3-4 trial exams per year (per company) :D
Title: Re: How many exams have you guys done so far?
Post by: SallyRose94 on June 08, 2012, 10:44:49 pm
I've done 12 so far, which is a lot better than where I was last year for Psych! (I'd done about 8 at that stage..)
Hoping to get another 4-5 done before the exam exam (eek!).

82 hours until the exam! <-- Nice thought, eh?  :-\
Title: Re: How many exams have you guys done so far?
Post by: Gazillionaire on June 08, 2012, 10:53:53 pm
12 down, 13 to go...
Title: Re: How many exams have you guys done so far?
Post by: duquesne9995 on June 08, 2012, 10:58:38 pm
gazillionaire; aiming for 25? Just a nice number to aim for or.......?
Title: Re: How many exams have you guys done so far?
Post by: Starlight on June 08, 2012, 11:23:52 pm
Uni biology (first year) I find is so much easier than bio in yr 12 (just thought i'd share that)

Good luck guys!!
Title: Re: How many exams have you guys done so far?
Post by: ligands on June 08, 2012, 11:25:27 pm
i've done 4 :'( so pathetic lol
Title: Re: How many exams have you guys done so far?
Post by: itsdanny on June 09, 2012, 12:23:49 am
i've done 4 :'( so pathetic lol

I know a few different people from different schools who haven't started any, so you're fine. I'm about the same as you and I'm not worried at all.  :D
Title: Re: How many exams have you guys done so far?
Post by: SeanLee95 on June 09, 2012, 12:32:25 am
i've just finished my 10th.. 5-10 more to go....still have some improvements to make... i cant seem to get 25/25 on multiple choice!!!! its pissing me off... my highest was a 23/25... there's just too many weird Q's .... ill just focus on my short answer for now.... T_T
Title: Re: How many exams have you guys done so far?
Post by: nacho on June 09, 2012, 12:41:34 am
i've done 4 :'( so pathetic lol

I know a few different people from different schools who haven't started any, so you're fine. I'm about the same as you and I'm not worried at all.  :D
those few people are probably just effed LOL
4 is alright though, if ur doing them properly and making note of ur mistakes (Y)
Title: Re: How many exams have you guys done so far?
Post by: pi on June 09, 2012, 12:49:19 am
i've done 4 :'( so pathetic lol

It's not pathetic! You still have time to prepare! Seeing as though it should be all days off from now to exam (I think), you should do 4-5 exams per day and you should be alright after that :)
Title: Re: How many exams have you guys done so far?
Post by: duquesne9995 on June 09, 2012, 12:53:05 am
4-5 exams per day?!  :o
Title: Re: How many exams have you guys done so far?
Post by: pi on June 09, 2012, 01:02:38 am
4-5 exams per day?!  :o

Haha, it seems like a lot, but you're only going to be doing this for 4-5 days right? That makes it do-able :D

Plus, if you have the whole day off, you might as well :)
Title: Re: How many exams have you guys done so far?
Post by: Markkiieee on June 09, 2012, 01:03:56 am
"OMG GUYZ, ONLY DONE 25 EXAMS FML :("
"Only done 8, I'm completely screwed :("

STOPPPP.

I've done 2. Does that mean I'm screwed? Nooo, I concentrating more on my own study and the way I learn.
Alot of my friends have done 3-5 and they're pretty fine with everything..
Title: Re: How many exams have you guys done so far?
Post by: pi on June 09, 2012, 01:19:56 am
Hey Markkiieee, as I said before this probably applies to you too:

You still have time to prepare! Seeing as though it should be all days off from now to exam (I think), you should do 4-5 exams per day and you should be alright after that :)


Short term pain for long term gain mate :)
Title: Re: How many exams have you guys done so far?
Post by: Markkiieee on June 09, 2012, 01:35:17 am
Hey Markkiieee, as I said before this probably applies to you too:

You still have time to prepare! Seeing as though it should be all days off from now to exam (I think), you should do 4-5 exams per day and you should be alright after that :)


Short term pain for long term gain mate :)

Yup. :)

No stress.
Title: Re: How many exams have you guys done so far?
Post by: lukeim on June 09, 2012, 03:25:28 am
12 papers... it's hard to focus on bio exam when you have other mid-years as well
Title: Re: How many exams have you guys done so far?
Post by: golden on June 09, 2012, 10:09:11 am
Hey Markkiieee, as I said before this probably applies to you too:

You still have time to prepare! Seeing as though it should be all days off from now to exam (I think), you should do 4-5 exams per day and you should be alright after that :)
Short term pain for long term gain mate :)

I find that amazing coming from you lol for Bio!

Wouldn't you die after doing 5 exams in a day? At most for my mid years I did 2 a day and that was a one off.
Title: Re: How many exams have you guys done so far?
Post by: WhoTookMyUsername on June 09, 2012, 10:28:00 am
Depends how thoroughly you do them. Of course if you take the full 90 + 15 and take 30 minutes to mark your exam (not outrageous) then you're not going to be able to do 5 a day
Title: Re: How many exams have you guys done so far?
Post by: nisha on June 09, 2012, 10:53:03 am
In my opinion, practise exams provide a base level in which you can see what an examiner looks for and what to write to get full marks. Doing heaps of practise exams DOES help in understand your knowledge and building on from that, but there are alot of concepts THAT ARE NOT TESTED in exams, and just because they do not come up in the practise exams, does not mean that it will not come on the midyear one. Remember, its the last midyear ...they can throw anything at you.

On the other hand, it all depends on how YOU PERFORM ON THE DAY. If you have done 60+ exams, but have a nervous breakdown the day before, you are not in a great mindset to do the exam. Bottom line: Relax. You can only do your best, accept that, and keep breathing.
Title: Re: How many exams have you guys done so far?
Post by: ligands on June 09, 2012, 10:56:34 am
I got an a on last years vcaa
Title: Re: How many exams have you guys done so far?
Post by: Markkiieee on June 09, 2012, 11:09:29 am
I got an a on last years vcaa

What % was that?
Title: Re: How many exams have you guys done so far?
Post by: ligands on June 09, 2012, 11:24:47 am
I got an a on last years vcaa

What % was that?

i hope it was an A, i think it was 83%
Title: Re: How many exams have you guys done so far?
Post by: Sapphire on June 09, 2012, 01:50:48 pm
Sorry to sway a bit off topic, but I tend to write outside the lines when I'm doing practice exams.
On the real exam, what happens if you write extra, do the assessors still look at it?
I should try and write smaller...
Title: Re: How many exams have you guys done so far?
Post by: duhherro on June 09, 2012, 02:21:05 pm
Do you guys just go through over the main exams (vcaa, stav, neap) after you complete most of the trials and see what you got wrong and just keep remembering it for convenience? :D
Title: Re: How many exams have you guys done so far?
Post by: Comatose on June 09, 2012, 02:53:04 pm
uhhh ive only done one LOL, and scored soooo bad, what do you guys suggest the most effective and quickest way to approach this subject? start the vcaa's?
Title: Re: How many exams have you guys done so far?
Post by: ligands on June 09, 2012, 03:08:25 pm
uhhh ive only done one LOL, and scored soooo bad, what do you guys suggest the most effective and quickest way to approach this subject? start the vcaa's?
at this stage do all the revelant vcaa ones then do the 2011 insight/neap and the 2010 insight/neap and then any others you can fit in (i think stav and lisachem are good also)
Title: Re: How many exams have you guys done so far?
Post by: kensan on June 09, 2012, 03:28:22 pm
I've done around 10, I keep finding some really minor details of certain concepts that we didn't cover at school, so I find doing lots of practice ones are really useful for me.
Title: Re: How many exams have you guys done so far?
Post by: duquesne9995 on June 09, 2012, 03:50:16 pm
Ligands, I find that some of the Insight questions are a bit weird/dodgy; don't really like them. LisaChem can be good to test your knowledge and find out where the gaps in knowledge are. :)
Title: Re: How many exams have you guys done so far?
Post by: duhherro on June 09, 2012, 03:51:33 pm
Ligands, I find that some of the Insight questions are a bit weird/dodgy; don't really like them. LisaChem can be good to test your knowledge and find out where the gaps in knowledge are. :)

Yeah this is very true, they don't have much out of course questions.
Most of the questions is really relevant, and they are built like whether you know the concept or not (simple as that)
Title: Re: How many exams have you guys done so far?
Post by: Wazzup on June 09, 2012, 04:16:46 pm
I'm getting there... 4-5 a day is a good number hopefully I can do 4-5 a daaayyyyyyy... Photosynthesis questions are hard on VCAA exams, 2 days to practice!! Comon guys we can DO this!! oh wait.. we dont have a choice :P

thanks for the advice... Keep calm.... breathe... i like it :D

All the best guys.. study hard!