How did you do it?

[90+FTW]

I think a lot of people could probably get 99.95 (or very close)

lol sorry that's not what I meant, I just have a high IQ so my family was a little surprised by the mark - not in a nasty way. They just expected a little more perhaps? My brother did EXTREMELY well and he has an IQ of 150 so...

Curse you OCD!

Not complaining though in the end (God, I sound like such a bloody selfish prick, gah sorry!) and yes, you're right, don't stay up until 2am!!!

[SocialRhubarb]

Okay, so I received an ATAR of 99.90 this year.

I always liked doing maths and science, and so studying became less of a chore and more of an exercise. Doing practice questions and practice exams was like practicing a musical instrument or training for a sport - it was improving my skills in a discipline which I ultimately enjoyed doing.
As such, I think it's important to do subjects you like and enjoy, and I guess I'm just lucky that I had a natural interest and proficiency in maths and science.

All of my friends can testify that I didn't work extremely hard this year. I didn't complete that much homework for biology, methods, physics or even specialist mathematics. But what I made sure I could do was complete all the exercises that I could find at a VCE level, and if I found questions I couldn't do, I did similar questions until I was able to. Because in the end, it's not about how much work you do, but how much you remember and the skills you learn.
So I think it's important not to focus on how much time you spend, but the skills you develop and information you actually retain. While I was definitely being lazy throughout the year, I made sure I could complete all the questions I could find. And if there were questions I couldn't do, I learnt how.

Finally, just in terms of stress and coping, it helps for me that I'm a Christian. The belief that my God has a plan for me, and that there is a place and a role for me, regardless of my abilities or my ATAR, takes away all the stress and anxiety of not knowing whether you'll get into your course or meet a prerequisite. I feel an assurance that I only need to be diligent in my studies, seek God, and whatever the result, it will be sufficient.

[pterozachtyl]

I'm not a crazy high achiever (94.15 and not a single score over 40 this year) and I've felt bad every time I've been asked these questions because honestly... I've never done so little work in my life. Year 11 I worked my ass off, this year, I rarely did more than an hour and a half a night.

My answer is less so advice and more a cautionary tale.

Anyway, all you high achievers out there; how did you do it? Like really, how?
Cramming before exams and SACs, really. Totally unprepared for everything. Didn't make a bound reference for either of my Maths subjects. There is nothing worse than walking into an exam and having no idea. Preparation is key, and you'll need to be preparing for exams months in advance, not the week before.
Did you slave your arse off and never see daylight? Did you balance work, leisure and play (if so, how?)
Not at all. Rarely did more than an hour and a half a night. Worked three hours a week. Spent more time on Facebook, playing video games or watching TV each night. Never did any homework on the weekend. And that was my cardinal error. Just because you aren't at school doesn't mean you shouldn't be doing work.
Did you do a sport or part time job?
Yeah, a job. (see above). Used it as an excuse to not do any homework on Fridays.
Did you make endless amounts of notes and completed countless practice questions or spend hours each night studying?
What did you do?
Nope. I was impeccably organised last year. Also very competitive, and very unhappy.
This year I promised to not be competitive, and not put any strain on myself to perform. Just pay attention in class and do the bare minimum. Which I did.
It's important to find a balance between my Year 11 and my Year 12 attitudes. You need to be a little competitive, and you need to put a little pressure on yourself to perform, or else you'll feel like I did on Monday. Not proud of your achievements, but guilty.
Do you regret anything?
Not trying harder.
I was always aiming for a 94 (from the beginning of Year 11). I was convinced I wasn't going to get it, and when I did I was more confused than anything. I had the capacity to have gone even better, but a poor attitude and an appalling work ethic made me suffer in the long run.
At the start of this year I wrote on a tiny flag to finish the year with no regrets, thinking that  the only regret I could have would have been not enjoying Year 12.
I enjoyed Year 12 thoroughly, but I have a regret, and that's that I let life happen to me, rather than taking control.

_{But yeah, over the moon with my score.}

[datfatcat]

Anyway, all you high achievers out there; how did you do it? Like really, how?
Made a timetable. Spend more time on subjects that I had problems with but also made sure I still spent enough time on other subjects. Since making a timetable forced me to put a time frame on each subject (say 2 hours on Methods), it kind of pushed me to work my butt off during these 2 hours because I knew if i spent time daydreaming, I wouldn't have enough time for methods and needed to move on to another subject. I also revised what I learnt over and over again (I always forget things ) to make sure all the concepts sticked to my head.
Did you slave your arse off and never see daylight? Did you balance work, leisure and play (if so, how?)
I did make some rest periods on my timetable, but i wasted most of my rest periods doing nothing  
Did you do a sport or part time job?
I am a lazy person so no, I didn't do a sport nor a part time job (not even during my holiday after my VCE! )
Did you make endless amounts of notes and completed countless practice questions or spend hours each night studying?
I didn't make many notes but I did a fair bit amounts of practice papers. I tried to spend hours each night studying but sometimes I did give myself a break.
Do you regret anything?
Nothing?

And I graduated in 2012, so I don't know why I posted here...Shit

[rufisino]

In all seriousness i did about 1 hour each night of just homework, i only studied for a couple of nights before a SAC.
I was behind in a lot of my subjects throughout the year, and just did moderate study for about 1.5 months before exams started.
Year 12 is not hard at all.


That being said, my score wasn't that high at all though.

[Only Cheating Yourself]

In all seriousness i did about 1 hour each night of just homework, i only studied for a couple of nights before a SAC.
I was behind in a lot of my subjects throughout the year, and just did moderate study for about 1.5 months before exams started.
Year 12 is not hard at all.


That being said, my score wasn't that high at all though.

You got a 36 for methods, thats awesome!  Can you give some advice and are you naturally good at maths?

[shadows]

But what I made sure I could do was complete all the exercises that I could find at a VCE level, and if I found questions I couldn't do, I did similar questions until I was able to. Because in the end, it's not about how much work you do, but how much you remember and the skills you learn.
So I think it's important not to focus on how much time you spend, but the skills you develop and information you actually retain. While I was definitely being lazy throughout the year, I made sure I could complete all the questions I could find. And if there were questions I couldn't do, I learnt how.

Yeah this is something I have learnt having done a 3/4 this year. For the first few months of school this year, I put in hours and hours when I could have studied a lot less, and still get the same understanding and knowledge out of it.

There is not a set guideline on hours you have to do. What worked well for me... I did not use a timetable because I am never good with sticking to the times. What i do is I have a few realistic goals that I set daily, and once I have completed them to the best of my ability and feel happy with my progress, I stop. Even if you finish early... (finished everything you set out to do), take a night off... do something you love.

Even though you need to make sacrifices in VCE, be reasonable. It's ok to turn on the TV once and a while and just relax.

Oh and one thing. PLEASE DON'T COMPROMISE SLEEP. If you are feeling tired, just go to sleep. Don't stay up. Your health is top priority.

Even though studying longer and harder will benefit you in the short term, Year 12 is a year long.... that is a long time and finding time to unwind and relax will benefit you in the long term.

[silverpixeli]

Sleep > homework. I slept this year and I got scores I'm happy with, what more proof do you need? Seriously though, no matter how important you think sleep is right now, it's more important.

You should never have to compromise sleep for VCE, regardless of the circumstances.

Oh and one thing. PLEASE DON'T COMPROMISE SLEEP. If you are feeling tired, just go to sleep. Don't stay up. Your health is top priority.

So many times, my friends think its okay not to sleep, it's really not, but it's easy for them to think that they're better off getting their work done than getting their sleep. Sleeping properly keeps you alert and helps combat stress. (also, being tired all the time sucks). Your health, which remaining rested is a huge part of (as is hydration actually), is of paramount importance in a year that's about showing people what your best is. How can you show them your best if you're not at your best?

[Only Cheating Yourself]

So many times, my friends think its okay not to sleep, it's really not, but it's easy for them to think that they're better off getting their work done than getting their sleep. Sleeping properly keeps you alert and helps combat stress. (also, being tired all the time sucks). Your health, which remaining rested is a huge part of (as is hydration actually), is of paramount importance in a year that's about showing people what your best is. How can you show them your best if you're not at your best?

Sleep?  'Sleep are for the weak'.  I rarely sleep, that fact that I'm working harder than someone who is to busy sleeping and dreaming is a satisfying feeling!

[Stick]

Sleep?  'Sleep are for the weak'.  I rarely sleep, that fact that I'm working harder than someone who is to busy sleeping and dreaming is a satisfying feeling!

I hope this is a troll, for your sake more than anyone else.

[Yacoubb]

Anyway, all you high achievers out there; how did you do it? Like really, how?

Determination was paramount this year; when I told individuals at my school that I intended to complete two year 12 subjects in year twelve, I was drowned in "No way, you can't do that" and "You wont do too well". Yes, it killed me. But I was determined to achieve high marks, as well as simultaneously prove wrong all those who doubted me. Throughout the year, I found that establishing determination and a sheer desire to do well was imperative. Every time I felt inferior to another in terms of my understanding, I would work hard to ensure that I did everything I could to reach a level where I could score just as high and higher. Secondly, hard work. You cannot expect to do well if you do not invest your energy and effort into studying. I established a passion for the subjects I was studying. That facilitated my learning experience by miles. It not only enhanced my comprehension of the topics encompassed by the subject, but it also allowed me to immerse myself in the subject when it came time to do practice exams and revision for my final exams.

Did you slave your arse off and never see daylight? Did you balance work, leisure and play (if so, how?)

On regular school weekdays, I'd work from 5PM to 11PM with regular 15 minute breaks. A lot of people may disagree, but personally, I found that this wasn't something I forced myself to do, but rather, something I wanted to do. Weekends I'd study from 8AM to 5PM, again, with regular breaks. Afterwards, I'd go out with the family to a relative's home, or perhaps a nice restaurant. I personally didn't and don't intend to do any sports or leisure activites. However, I am a prefect at my school, in the School Representative Council. Bestowed upon me are several duties, including supervision and planning of several fundraisers we plan on carrying out in 2014. I am also involved in planning our dinner, so I guess the extra-curricular activities are not entirely eradicated from my life at this stage, haha.

Did you do a sport or part time job?

Nup. I wouldn't want to waste time. I know, a lot of people will disagree with me, but I feel like you can substitute the hours working for hours studying. You're going to get tired at work anyway - why not engage in more studying? Again, this is so subjective, and everyone is different. Each to their own.

Did you make endless amounts of notes and completed countless practice questions or spend hours each night studying?

I attended TSFX lectures, and so for Biology and Further Maths, my notes were already prepared. That being said, I found that summarising my notes, through doing some free-writing, or even using my whiteboard and pretending to teach a class, allowed me to consolidate all the topics. For SACs, I completed a lot of note-writing that I tailored specifically to the specifics of the topics covered in the SACs.

Do you regret anything?

A lot. I should never have done Further Maths. I should have finished Biology and Math Methods 3/4 in year 11, then gone on to complete English, Chemistry, Physics and Specialist Maths. Further Maths is my biggest regret; honestly. But you cannot afford to dwell on the past; only concentrate on the future and reap what you sow from that. 

If you had to repeat year 12 again, what advice would you give yourself? What would you do differently?

See my regrets answer, hehe.

By the way, congrats on the 40 in Psychology. good job!

[Only Cheating Yourself]

I hope this is a troll, for your sake more than anyone else.

not trolling. 

[mackintosh]

Anyway, all you high achievers out there; how did you do it? Like really, how?
As has been said countless times, it is really just about work. Know the task. Do the work (theory and practice). Get feedback from as many people as you can. And once this has been done, trust yourself, have confidence and remember  that it is only one year of your life. If it all goes wrong- at least you’ve had a crack. Also use your holidays well- this takes so much pressure off throughout the year.
Did you slave your arse off and never see daylight? Did you balance work, leisure and play (if so, how?)
Haha well put in that way sounds quite pejorative. Ofc everything is a game of balance. Remember this is your last year at school full stop. Enjoy having the regular contact with friends at school and elsewhere- sign up to as much as you feel comfortable with. Those who are busier often perform better than those who sit blankly staring at their textbook for hours on end.
Did you do a sport or part time job?
Yes played several sports and did many other co-curricular activities. Couldn’t fit in a part-time job. Use these to relax.
Did you make endless amounts of notes and completed countless practice questions or spend hours each night studying?
Just make sure that there doesn’t pass a long period of time without touching a subject, understandably SACs for subjects will come up, but that doesn’t mean that a week goes by without picking up a pen to do an English essay or notes or reading for example. Practice exams are generally a sign that you’re close to the end of the road. These should be marked properly and thoroughly, sometimes by teachers, other times by yourself, writing out model answers and filling in gaps of knowledge. Regarding notes. You should make your own set of notes, making them allows you to remember- do this in consultation with all available text books and other people’s notes, to make sure you have covered all possible avenues of questioning.
Do you regret anything?
You will find that Year 12 is one of the most enjoyable years of school in so many ways. So not at all.
Hope this helps

[psyxwar]

not trolling.

You need to sleep well, seriously.

On regular school weekdays, I'd work from 5PM to 11PM with regular 15 minute breaks. A lot of people may disagree, but personally, I found that this wasn't something I forced myself to do, but rather, something I wanted to do. Weekends I'd study from 8AM to 5PM, again, with regular breaks. Afterwards, I'd go out with the family to a relative's home, or perhaps a nice restaurant. I personally didn't and don't intend to do any sports or leisure activites. However, I am a prefect at my school, in the School Representative Council. Bestowed upon me are several duties, including supervision and planning of several fundraisers we plan on carrying out in 2014. I am also involved in planning our dinner, so I guess the extra-curricular activities are not entirely eradicated from my life at this stage, haha.
Nup. I wouldn't want to waste time. I know, a lot of people will disagree with me, but I feel like you can substitute the hours working for hours studying. You're going to get tired at work anyway - why not engage in more studying? Again, this is so subjective, and everyone is different. Each to their own.

also how the fuck

[Robert243]

Stick , looking at your subjects they seem very "over the top " , with spesh maths and further maths . Im doing all of the subjects your doing except for further maths , i think the question we all want to know is how did manage to keep a robust balance  and to achieve a great study score for each subject ?

The other question i think all of us want to know is , do only natural smart people like you receive high atars  ?