ATAR Notes: Forum
VCE Stuff => Victorian Education Discussion => Topic started by: integrationbyrecognition on November 09, 2018, 10:29:40 am
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I've always been bad at taking tests and exams, will I have the same problem in uni?
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Hey I've been seeing some of your posts on the forum and I would just like to say: CHILL. I feel like this stressed out year 12 you talking. You'll be fine in life do not let the performance of a few tests define who you are (I'm such a hypocrite for saying this). There's like 50000 people in this state who are going through year 12 and I can assure you the majority of us feel like crap coming out of exams. Atarnotes generally has high achieving members and I feel like seeing people who complain about losing like one mark may affect those who lose like fifty marks (e.g me in methods). Year 12 is nearly over and its reaaally stressful being in that examination hall, we can all empathise with you. But next year, hopefully, you'll be studying something you genuinely want to study, and thus it wont feel like a competition anymore. Just do your last exams as best you can, because you're just stressing yourself out. Nearly there!!
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Hey I've been seeing some of your posts on the forum and I would just like to say: CHILL. I feel like this stressed out year 12 you talking. You'll be fine in life do not let the performance of a few tests define who you are (I'm such a hypocrite for saying this). There's like 50000 people in this state who are going through year 12 and I can assure you the majority of us feel like crap coming out of exams. Atarnotes generally has high achieving members and I feel like seeing people who complain about losing like one mark may affect those who lose like fifty marks (e.g me in methods). Year 12 is nearly over and its reaaally stressful being in that examination hall, we can all empathise with you. But next year, hopefully, you'll be studying something you genuinely want to study, and thus it wont feel like a competition anymore. Just do your last exams as best you can, because you're just stressing yourself out. Nearly there!!
Thanks bro, although i'm genuinely asking whether my bad test taking skills will be a problem in uni aswell? I wouldn't say i'm dumb, I just suck at tests, due to the format of the test (questions in the test being nothing like my notes and practice exams), and i'm bad at applying information to new situations in tests, i'd much rather a rote learned test. I'm being genuinely seriously, I don't want my bad test taking skills to affect me anymore
Thanks
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There's a whole range of different assignments in uni & this'll often relate to what course you're doing.
My biggest ones this semester are:
- short answer exam (chem)
- multi choice exam on laptops (enviro bio)
- short answer/ extended response exam (maths)
- presentation on a project I've been working on (impact through science)
I also know people who:
- don't have exams for their units
- are writing an essay in the exam and basically already know the prompt
- have a take-home exam
Your assessment really depends on the units you choose, and you can check if there is an exam and how much it contributes to your grade before selecting a unit.
It's also very possible that you'd be good at exams if you're in a different environment that didn't stress you out so much
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There's a whole range of different assignments in uni & this'll often relate to what course you're doing.
My biggest ones this semester are:
- short answer exam (chem)
- multi choice exam on laptops (enviro bio)
- short answer/ extended response exam (maths)
- presentation on a project I've been working on (impact through science)
I also know people who:
- don't have exams for their units
- are writing an essay in the exam and basically already know the prompt
- have a take-home exam
Your assessment really depends on the units you choose, and you can check if there is an exam and how much it contributes to your grade before selecting a unit.
It's also very possible that you'd be good at exams if you're in a different environment that didn't stress you out so much
Are uni exams harder than school exams?
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Are uni exams harder than school exams?
Difficulty is relative to each person, so I cannot accurately comment on difficulty. :)
Most uni exams I have sat through have been pretty straightforward, however tend to be more "here's a scenario, use your knowledge to come up with a solution", than "question about x concept, give me the answer". :)
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Difficulty is relative to each person, so I cannot accurately comment on difficulty. :)
Most uni exams I have sat through have been pretty straightforward, however tend to be more "here's a scenario, use your knowledge to come up with a solution", than "question about x concept, give me the answer". :)
Which is why I hate exams lol, wish they were just like straightforward textbook questions
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Thanks bro, although i'm genuinely asking whether my bad test taking skills will be a problem in uni aswell? I wouldn't say i'm dumb, I just suck at tests, due to the format of the test (questions in the test being nothing like my notes and practice exams), and i'm bad at applying information to new situations in tests, i'd much rather a rote learned test. I'm being genuinely seriously, I don't want my bad test taking skills to affect me anymore
Thanks
I used to live overseas for a while (was born here though) and literally every exam would be straightforward from the book. The exact question from the book would be on the exam. Do I remember any of it? Nope. I "learnt" only to answer a question on the exam. I feel like in Australia they really make you think, and getting the answer right to a question here is so much more rewarding. I would say, you're not "bad" but perhaps unaccustomed to the way of answering the questions. For me personally, the questions I find difficult are usually the ones I overthink the answer too. You're trying to connect too much topics to one simple question. If you can answer the question in an exam they will give you the mark. They don't care how many practice exams you've done or how many hours you've spent studying. Which is why sometimes we see people who don't really "study" that much get some pretty solid study scores. Also, a rote learned test is basically testing your memory and not your knowledge...
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I used to live overseas for a while (was born here though) and literally every exam would be straightforward from the book. The exact question from the book would be on the exam. Do I remember any of it? Nope. I "learnt" only to answer a question on the exam. I feel like in Australia they really make you think, and getting the answer right to a question here is so much more rewarding. I would say, you're not "bad" but perhaps unaccustomed to the way of answering the questions. For me personally, the questions I find difficult are usually the ones I overthink the answer too. You're trying to connect too much topics to one simple question. If you can answer the question in an exam they will give you the mark. They don't care how many practice exams you've done or how many hours you've spent studying. Which is why sometimes we see people who don't really "study" that much get some pretty solid study scores. Also, a rote learned test is basically testing your memory and not your knowledge...
Haha I was in for a shock when I did the past exams and the real exam was so different and alot harder compared to the practice exams, but yeah, I agree that the education system in Australia strays away from rote learning and focuses more on application of knowledge
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Haha I was in for a shock when I did the past exams and the real exam was so different and alot harder compared to the practice exams, but yeah, I agree that the education system in Australia strays away from rote learning and focuses more on application of knowledge
Sitting under timed conditions in the actual examination hall also makes the exam seem more difficult than it is. I think that's why a lot of us are like "oh exam from year x was sooooo much easier". Maybe if you had gotten the same practice exam you thought was easy doing it at home, in that exam hall, you would've found it difficult. Look, if you have a firm grasp of the topic then you will be able to answer most questions on an exam. Just because you go through the book and answer some questions, doesn't mean you're guaranteed success in an exam. I know people who barely did practice exams or really heavy content revision and ended up acing the exams because they had a sound grasp on the topics. Application questions are also more flexible because there isn't a set right answer you have to have known at the back of your head. You just gotta connect the dots and come up with an answer... maybe I'm oversimplifying things but that's essentially it.
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This is an encouragement to stay closely on the topic of "test taking skills in uni" since we seem to be sliding away from that.
Really don't want this to become another "previous exam difficulty compared to this year" thread.
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Sitting under timed conditions in the actual examination hall also makes the exam seem more difficult than it is. I think that's why a lot of us are like "oh exam from year x was sooooo much easier". Maybe if you had gotten the same practice exam you thought was easy doing it at home, in that exam hall, you would've found it difficult. Look, if you have a firm grasp of the topic then you will be able to answer most questions on an exam. Just because you go through the book and answer some questions, doesn't mean you're guaranteed success in an exam. I know people who barely did practice exams or really heavy content revision and ended up acing the exams because they had a sound grasp on the topics. Application questions are also more flexible because there isn't a set right answer you have to have known at the back of your head. You just gotta connect the dots and come up with an answer... maybe I'm oversimplifying things but that's essentially it.
Normally it would be the pressure of the exam that makes it seem harder, but this time it was genuinely harder, and I respectfully disagree with the idea that if you have a strong grasp of the topic,, you can do any question on the exam. I had a strong grasp on all the concepts in the previous exams, but still got slaughtered on questions such as the "odd and even" area and the value of k for one solution or whatever. And for some reason, I didn't even realize there was a page at the very end, gg 2 marks
This is an encouragement to stay closely on the topic of "test taking skills in uni" since we seem to be sliding away from that.
Really don't want this to become another "previous exam difficulty compared to this year" thread.
Isn't talking about exam difficulty related to test taking skills though?
mod edit: merged posts
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Normally it would be the pressure of the exam that makes it seem harder, but this time it was genuinely harder, and I respectfully disagree with the idea that if you have a strong grasp of the topic,, you can do any question on the exam. I had a strong grasp on all the concepts in the previous exams, but still got slaughtered on questions such as the "odd and even" area and the value of k for one solution or whatever. And for some reason, I didn't even realize there was a page at the very end, gg 2 marks
Idk then, I think you’re just mad that the exam didn’t suit your strengths and that’s okay. Doesn’t necessarily make you a bad test taker. And you not realising there’s a page at the end is not the exam’s fault... I just think you’re pissed that you didn’t do as well as you were preparing for. And guess what?? This happens EVERY YEAR to a lot of people. My best friend got an atar of 70-ish last year. Not bad but not amazing. They’re now at uni, in a course they enjoy and are top of the class with a perfect GPA. They were even offered an exlcusive exchange student program just for high achievers. I remember they used to complain so much about the application questions in year 12 and how studying the content never helps (much like you). What I’m trying to say is, the system is not perfect and not everyone will like it. That doesn’t make us bad students or inherently bad at tests. It’s a period of your life that you get the opportunity to go through. You do well, good on you and if you don’t, it’s not the end of the world. Methods is over and there’s literally nothing you can do but wait for results. If you carry the “I’m inherently bad at tests” mindset into uni, then trust me you WILL be bad at tests. Anyway that’s my 2c
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Friendly warning:
This is an encouragement to stay closely on the topic of "test taking skills in uni" since we seem to be sliding away from that.
Really don't want this to become another "previous exam difficulty compared to this year" thread.
I will not hesitate to lock this thread if topic does not stay on track. :)
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Re: OP's question - nah I don't think you'll have the same problem in uni. Obviously it depends on the unit you're doing, but I found that in VCE questions were always about including the right key word and answering the question in a specific way. In my experience at uni, you're not learning how to answer a question. You're learning knowledge, then you're asked to apply it. They want to see that you've understood a concept, not that you can answer a question in a certain way. I find it a lot easier to express myself in uni assessments than I did in any high school assessments.
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What part strayed off the topic...?
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I've always been bad at taking tests and exams, will I have the same problem in uni?
Taking exams is still a pretty new thing for high school students. It takes a little bit of time to sort out how to do them to the best of your ability, and even then the inherent variation in the way exams are set up can still throw you off guard from time to time.
The short and simple answer of it though is that you're not at all disadvantaged going into uni if you've found exams difficult. It takes some time to sort out how to do them well and to find your rhythm, with uni providing a really good opportunity to do that. Personally, if I got anything out of my undergraduate degree it was how to prepare myself to take exams.
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Taking exams is still a pretty new thing for high school students. It takes a little bit of time to sort out how to do them to the best of your ability, and even then the inherent variation in the way exams are set up can still throw you off guard from time to time.
The short and simple answer of it though is that you're not at all disadvantaged going into uni if you've found exams difficult. It takes some time to sort out how to do them well and to find your rhythm, with uni providing a really good opportunity to do that. Personally, if I got anything out of my undergraduate degree it was how to prepare myself to take exams.
Thanks, I was just a bit frustrated that people have always said that if you know the material, you'll always do well on tests, when clearly that's not the case for me, in that even when I knew the material well, i always get slaughtered on the questions in the test
@miniturtle and insanipi, what part of this discussion strayed away from the topic?
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@miniturtle and insanipi, what part of this discussion strayed away from the topic?
I believe it was a pre-emptive warning :)
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I believe it was a pre-emptive warning :)
what's a pre-emptive warning?
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Thanks, I was just a bit frustrated that people have always said that if you know the material, you'll always do well on tests, when clearly that's not the case for me, in that even when I knew the material well, i always get slaughtered on the questions in the test
@miniturtle and insanipi, what part of this discussion strayed away from the topic?
And that sometimes happens for people who are unfamiliar with exams. Like I said, a bit of time and practice and careful consideration of the above tips will help you get used to it more at uni.
what's a pre-emptive warning?
Just a friendly reminder of the rules when things might look like they're heading away from the original topic. I think we can all relax about the off-topic warning :)
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And that sometimes happens for people who are unfamiliar with exams. Like I said, a bit of time and practice and careful consideration of the above tips will help you get used to it more at uni.
Just a friendly reminder of the rules when things might look like they're heading away from the original topic. I think we can all relax about the off-topic warning :)
are exams generally designed to throw you off? (aka, have questions completely different to past exams)
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are exams generally designed to throw you off? (aka, have questions completely different to past exams)
No
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No
what really? I always thought exams were designed to be like that, at least from personal experience
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Thanks, I was just a bit frustrated that people have always said that if you know the material, you'll always do well on tests, when clearly that's not the case for me, in that even when I knew the material well, i always get slaughtered on the questions in the test
@miniturtle and insanipi, what part of this discussion strayed away from the topic?
My initial comment was because I noticed that the conversation had started tending away from being about test taking skills in uni and more towards the difficulty of the methods exam last year. At that point the thread wasn't off topic yet, but it was heading in that direction. This was a pre-emptive warning to try and prevent posts being about the methods exam (when they should be about whether VCE test taking skills (or lack thereof) will significantly impact university performance).
Then, there was a response specifically about the methods exam, which is why Insanipi stepped with another remark (I'm speaking on insanipi's behalf here - I'm happy to be corrected)
The place for conversations about the methods exam is the maths exam board. So far, there have been occasions where threads have been locked due to having that conversation in the wrong place, so I was more cautious about that possibility and wanted to remind you early to stay on topic.
I know that test taking skills can be relevant to exam performance, exam difficulty etc. but if you want to talk about the methods exam (how you did on it, how difficult it was etc), please do it in the methods exam discussion threads.
I hope this has cleared things up. Since insanipi's warning things have been fine :)
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My experience has been that uni's want you to do well and be able to showcase what you've learnt and your abilities. There are difficult questions sometimes, but I've never had a uni question try to "trick" me
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what really? I always thought exams were designed to be like that, at least from personal experience
Exams are designed to discriminate between students of abilities on an approximately normal distribution. How they achieve that depends on the exam.
I think, though, that miniturtle's warnings have become oddly prescient because we've now succeeded in getting off-topic. Please keep the discussion to test taking skills at uni and, as above, go to the methods thread if you want to vent your spleen.
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Re: tests being designed to throw you off - I certainly haven't found it to be like that in uni. They want you to succeed and all they want to do in your exam is to test your knowledge and see what your application skills are like - it's all about the principles :)
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I felt that VCAA and university exams are extremely different. Even then, there is a diversity of VCAA exams. E.g. for some subjects such as methods/spec you cant just dump all your time into the subject and be guranteed to get a high score as it doesnt only test you what you know, but how you think and how you think on the day of the exam. For other subjects you could just learn all the concepts (+ key words, etc) and you will do very well.
As for university, i definitely think its less about your inherent ability and more about how much you know and how much you have studied. Even for the maths exams where they rarely have any "seperator" questions designed for most of the cohort to get wrong. At uni they are mainly explictly testing you about stuff that you have learnt and the real difficulty is the amount of content given to you in the semester. This is probably as big or bigger than a vce subject in 12 weeks.
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I felt that VCAA and university exams are extremely different. Even then, there is a diversity of VCAA exams. E.g. for some subjects such as methods/spec you cant just dump all your time into the subject and be guranteed to get a high score as it doesnt only test you what you know, but how you think and how you think on the day of the exam. For other subjects you could just learn all the concepts (+ key words, etc) and you will do very well.
As for university, i definitely think its less about your inherent ability and more about how much you know and how much you have studied. Even for the maths exams where they rarely have any "seperator" questions designed for most of the cohort to get wrong. At uni they are mainly explictly testing you about stuff that you have learnt and the real difficulty is the amount of content given to you in the semester. This is probably as big or bigger than a vce subject in 12 weeks.
Not the case for this years methods exams imo. Lots of questions which never showed up in past exams
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In my opinion, at the VCE level at least, unique questions are fundamental to testing student abilities. A skill of test taking (that is expected by VCAA) is the ability to apply concepts to new and unfamiliar scenarios.
If tests simply regurgitated past questions, they would be pointless. Everyone would find it easy
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Have locked the thread. You've been warned to keep the thread on topic a number of times. As mentioned, if you want to discuss the Methods exam more specifically, go to the Methods exam thread.
Ensuring that our threads keep on topic are helpful to those who navigate the fora and who might be interested in the topic of "test-taking ability", perhaps expecting this thread to involve some advice about how to answer questions on exams. This thread has therefore been locked to help them avoid the mounting disappointment that it has instead descended into a discussion about the Methods exam being unreasonable, a discussion that is much better placed in the Methods thread, as suggested.