ATAR Notes: Forum

National Education => Tuition Companies and Services => Tuition and Education Services => VCE (and related) Businesses => Topic started by: Christiano on February 04, 2010, 08:11:43 pm

Title: TSFX Intense Classes Workshop - Worth It?
Post by: Christiano on February 04, 2010, 08:11:43 pm
Year 11, thinking of doing methods and chemistry subjects in TSFX in their Intense Classes Workshop which begins in March. People's opinions and experiences?

Is it better to spend $2400 on the 2 subjects @ TSFX for a year or supplement books like checkpoints, tutors, bus/train fares to the state library and healthy food for an active mind at school ?
Title: Re: TSFX Intense Classes Workshop - Worth It?
Post by: the.watchman on February 04, 2010, 08:15:14 pm
I personally would go with the latter.
I'm not sure that the workshop is worth the time (remember, it is group learning ;))
If you benefit better from self-learning from supplement books, then you probably shouldn't waste your time at these sessions.

(Personal opinion...)
Title: Re: TSFX Intense Classes Workshop - Worth It?
Post by: physics on February 04, 2010, 08:29:03 pm
i don;t think it is
Title: Re: TSFX Intense Classes Workshop - Worth It?
Post by: olly_s15 on February 04, 2010, 09:15:43 pm
dont do it for year 11.. year 12 i'd consider but even still don't think it's worth it
Title: Re: TSFX Intense Classes Workshop - Worth It?
Post by: the.watchman on February 04, 2010, 09:16:56 pm
dont do it for year 11.. year 12 i'd consider but even still don't think it's worth it

+1, yr 12 is justifiable (you should try all options I guess) but yr 11 is imo a waste of time
Title: Re: TSFX Intense Classes Workshop - Worth It?
Post by: rhjc.1991 on February 04, 2010, 09:31:13 pm
It's worth it....

but XLLAcademy sounds better tbh ... I've heard that TSFX lecturers aren't that great
Title: Re: TSFX Intense Classes Workshop - Worth It?
Post by: chops_07 on February 04, 2010, 09:47:35 pm
not year 11. i don't reckon it's worth it.
Title: Re: TSFX Intense Classes Workshop - Worth It?
Post by: ItsSKC on February 05, 2010, 12:59:55 pm
I would agree with the consensus above. It is not necessary to spend that much for a year 11 subject. Hard work and persistence in just tunneling through the questions will be very beneficial in subjects like chemistry and methods. If you keep going at it and knocking question after question, you will find that the concepts tend to just fall into place. For year 12, i dont think doing methods at TSFX is worth the money. I have a completely different opinion of doing chemistry there though. They have one of the most brilliant lecturer for chemistry there. If you can manage to squeeze yourself into Byron Jones class then you are golden for Chem. Hope that helps.
Title: Re: TSFX Intense Classes Workshop - Worth It?
Post by: danielf on February 05, 2010, 01:53:42 pm
Wouldn't go near one of those lecturers even if they were free. But that was because of the way I learned.

If you learn a great deal IN CLASS (you don't distracted by others easily [ie you are able to shut everything off and do lots of your own work even if the stuff is boring], you enjoy and learn from by exchanging opinions in class, you are able to immediately absorb what is being written by your teacher on the whiteboard, etc) - Then these lectures might help

If you learn more OUT OF CLASS, don't even think about it. Spend your money on the supplement materials.

I was personally the latter. I couldn't do work in class cos I was so easily distracted. I went to a free Access Education lecture once and got distracted by the stitching on the chair in front of me. Didn't learn squat.
Title: Re: TSFX Intense Classes Workshop - Worth It?
Post by: mba on February 05, 2010, 02:59:21 pm
I would prefer to use the money on one - on - one tutoring, a lot better then group as the tutor can cater to your specific needs.
Title: Re: TSFX Intense Classes Workshop - Worth It?
Post by: the.watchman on February 05, 2010, 04:51:14 pm
I would prefer to use the money on one - on - one tutoring, a lot better then group as the tutor can cater to your specific needs.

Very true!
Also with group tutoring, the lecturer usually doesn't really care about your level of understanding, and won't really sit down and go through things with you. Personal tutors can specifically target your weaknesses with a more specialised course.
Title: Re: TSFX Intense Classes Workshop - Worth It?
Post by: jamesn91 on February 05, 2010, 05:45:48 pm

I agree with some of the others. Really wouldn't be worth it for year 11. I did the masterclasses for quite a few year 12 subjects last year. It was pretty useful, and covered a lot of stuff that my school missed out on. The classes themselves aren't that great though. Really boring, impersonal, and essentially it's just a spoken version of their notes. Their notes are excellent. If I could go back, i'd buy the notes from someone who's done the classes, cause that's the only helpful thing form TSFX and i spent more than $2400...
Title: Re: TSFX Intense Classes Workshop - Worth It?
Post by: m@tty on February 05, 2010, 05:50:27 pm
It's worth it....

but XLLAcademy sounds better tbh ... I've heard that TSFX lecturers aren't that great
This.
I am utilising group classes such as these because I don't believe my teachers will teach the little important things, the ones which are very hard to discover on your own. A good teacher, or a past high achiever, will be able to convey such information.
Title: Re: TSFX Intense Classes Workshop - Worth It?
Post by: Christiano on February 05, 2010, 05:54:56 pm
They have one of the most brilliant lecturer for chemistry there. If you can manage to squeeze yourself into Byron Jones class then you are golden for Chem.

I've heard multiple times on this forum that Byron Jones retired. Any verification?
Title: Re: TSFX Intense Classes Workshop - Worth It?
Post by: Gloamglozer on February 05, 2010, 06:00:21 pm
They have one of the most brilliant lecturer for chemistry there. If you can manage to squeeze yourself into Byron Jones class then you are golden for Chem.

I've heard multiple times on this forum that Byron Jones retired. Any verification?

ItsSKC said that he retired at the end of 2008 but I managed to get him last year, probably because he changed his mind (or TSFX gave him a better "deal").
Title: Re: TSFX Intense Classes Workshop - Worth It?
Post by: akira88 on February 09, 2010, 08:28:01 pm
No not worth it, definitely not for year 11! TSFX isn't that good, and you would be better off- like some have said above- to invest in a tutorer where it is one on one. Checkpoints etc. + tutorer>TSFX. TSFX also drones on and on and on, and they read off the booklet they give you >.<
Title: Re: TSFX Intense Classes Workshop - Worth It?
Post by: Biology on March 13, 2010, 12:06:31 am
What can you do if the postal application date had already passed? Do you go directly to their location and sign up there?
Title: Re: TSFX Intense Classes Workshop - Worth It?
Post by: biolstar on March 13, 2010, 08:51:42 am
just ring them directly-there are classes all day today so someone will be there to answer phones. there are 2 biology classes for unit 3 running tomorrow. it is the first week of the 10 week intensive program so it shouldn't be too late to join up.
Title: Re: TSFX Intense Classes Workshop - Worth It?
Post by: Biology on March 13, 2010, 04:01:36 pm
Ok thanks for that !
Title: Re: TSFX Intense Classes Workshop - Worth It?
Post by: charli_christall on July 17, 2010, 10:04:13 pm
Haha wow that is a lot of money.... so not worth it! You have a teacher, use them! If you want more work ask, if you need a better explanation hassle them until you understand. if you have teacher issues, see teachers of the subject from other near by schools. trust me its their job they will be delighted you actually want to learn. Although these lectures have fancy writing about scores and achievement, from VCE english analysis you can see the general trend of the appearance that is desired to be projected. the lectures before exams are good for year 12, year 11 dosn't count, its S or N work on key concepts and use you time to work on it, all year 11 exams are different depending on the school. I don't know it irritates me that they charge so much for lectures, but its your choice i guess. look at 2nd hand vce book shop the books are cheaper and therrfore you can buy more :D try on making positive study habits in year 11 so you can carry on in year 12.