to do or not to do Checkpoints

[treystorm]

hey,

just wondering if you guys recommend doing cambridge checkpoints since they contain the vcaa exams and most people say to leave vcaa exams till end.

also take into consideration that i have already done all vcaa prac exams last year as im repeating further maths.

[Furbob]

I wouldn't recommend doing Checkpoints since they make the VCAA exams redundant when you do them since you've done some of the questions here and there

Plus I preferred exposing myself to as many different types of questions as possible than doing the same question over

[Mr Keshy]

I wouldn't recommend doing Checkpoints since they make the VCAA exams redundant when you do them since you've done some of the questions here and there

Plus I preferred exposing myself to as many different types of questions as possible than doing the same question over

I've heard many people say this too. But even if you've done the question before, can you really remember the answers? And even so, when you do work it out, you're going through the main steps so isn't that good practice anyway?

Interesting though, to the people I've talked to, a lot of people are 50/50. I find that almost all teachers at my school recommend checkpoints.

[Professor Polonsky]

I did checkpoints throughout the year for Methods, and when it came to doing the VCAA exams, I couldn't remember a single one.

[rebeckab]

I did them all as prep for SACs, and didn't really remember them when it came to prac exams, apart from the occasional extended response that I had spent tons of time on - I can't remember with Further exactly, but some subjects like Chem also have their own questions in there too.

[#1procrastinator]

for math, my teacher said it would be better to do practice exams instead because in checkpoints, the questions are all organised by topic and you should be practising  identifying what the questiom asking and ones that draw on more than in topic... something like that

[Hutchoo]

Seriously, checkpoints are great.
I never used them for Methods/Spesh, but they helped so much when it came to Physics and Chem.

Sure, they have questions from exams, but that won't "ruin" your trial exam period. In fact, you probably won't remember the checkpoints questions (there are like 500 lol).

I have some anecdotal evidence supporting my view as well.
For unit 3 physics, I studied SUUUUUPER hard, did 9 million practice exams, completed a rain dance and did NOT do checkpoints. I received a C+.
For unit 4, I only did checkpoints and maybe 3 trial exams. I received a high A.



EDIT:
Also, use the ATARnotes study guides. They are realllllllly awesome.
There were questions in the Chem study guide that were pretty much identical to the chem exams.

[WINGARDIUM]

I found with some subjects, checkpoints was organised into specific topics (like methods for example). So I could just whizz through them after the learning process/completing text book questions to get a feel of what exam style questions were like, or solidify certain topics before a SAC. 

[Kuchiki]

I'm not a big fan of Checkpoints.

I used them for Methods and Specialist (I bought the one for Further, too, but never used it). The solutions/explanations are decent, but I remember finding a few mistakes/errors in the questions as well as the answers -- not a whole lot, but enough to make me feel a bit paranoid that I would be trying to solve an invalid question.

As people have said before, you can get the same material for free on the VCAA website, so your time and money is probably better spent on other resources.

[Emie]

What about Checkpoints for Psychology?

[pi]

Not a checkpoints fan. Much prefered NEAP (or the AN guides, although I didn't have them in my day).

[teletubbies_95]

Checkpoints for psych are great!! really good for sacs and extended response.