How did you do it?

[Bluegirl]

Firstly, congratulations on everyone's amazing efforts. I hope all your hard work paid off and if not, you'll get to where you want to be in time.

Despite the amount of 'talks' I've had, the suggestions, study tips, and endless 'get your head into gear, it's VCE'  it never really absorbs into your head. Maybe because that top ATAR score is so far away and in reality is just a number that feels so unachievable. But here on AN i believe it's a privilege to be surrounded by so many people that work really hard (in comparison to real life) and achieve such high scores.

Anyway, all you high achievers out there; how did you do it? Like really, how?
Did you slave your arse off and never see daylight? Did you balance work, leisure and play (if so, how?)
Did you do a sport or part time job?
Did you make endless amounts of notes and completed countless practice questions or spend hours each night studying?
What did you do?
Do you regret anything?

I've never been so close to actually talking to people who did amazing so I have so many questions to ask

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

This has probably been all asked before but oh well.
Thankyou!

[shadows]

You got a 40!

IS that not a high score?

What individuals do to obtain a "high score" varies from person to person. There isn't some secret that these guys or not letting you in on. (Well I hope for our sake, not)

It takes hard work and a whole lot of dedication and patience (these amazing scores don't just appear out of no where)

Know what works for you and stick with it. Although some few people can study and work on hours and hours on end, for the majority of us that process is unnatural and very draining. IF you feel like you are tired and need a break, then take a break. If you are motivated to do 3 hours today, then do 3 hours. Just do what you got to do so that you work to get the highest score possible on tests and exams.

I'm sorry if this wasn't the answer you were looking for, hopefully some super duper achievers can shed light on how they succeeded...

 

[silverpixeli]

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

Exercise is important whenever you can find the time, so is sunlight because of some important vitamin or something. Seriously though, staying healthy is your number one priority this year, because while an extra hour to study may sound better than an extra hour to sleep, you cant perform your best unless you're at your best. Stay hydrated, rested and healthy. 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.
Social interactions are also important, there will likely be many 18th parties during year 12, they're fun (I went to a few but never drank alcohol, personal choice) and they do break up the stress and offer a release from everything that's going on. Stuff like this is great, be it parties or just spending time with friends and chilling out. Take up opportunities to enjoy yourself, but know when to knuckle down and focus up.

Did you do a sport or part time job?

I had a part time job for the first semester, but then I quit to give me more time to study. Personal choice, in my job I'd come home from a morning/day shift and not be able to do anything productive for the rest of the afternoon. I figured I had money saved and it wasnt worth the exhaustion.
Sport is generally a way of exercising and exercising is excellent, but I didn't have a sport.

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

Notes are a relatively inefficient way of learning as far as I know, (especially for maths/physics, not so sure about humanities subjects) a big part of successful studying is learning how to use your time effectively. While short and sharp notes can be a good revision tool, they take time to make. For maths, its far more effective to spend time doing maths problems. For english, reading and writing. For content-heavy subjects, applying concepts in the form of answering different questions is great, but if you need to memorise stuff you should attempt to teach someone or something the material (out loud). It could be a sibling, a pet or a lampshade.
Come term 4, practice exams are a must. The more you do, the easier they will become, and the better you will feel on the day. The general rule is aim for 10-20 for each real exam: If you want a score that only 8% of people get, you need to be better than 92% of people, and that means doing what they wont do.

What did you do?

I made it about learning. I sat down with my resources and didn't move on until I understood something. Once it made sense, I was able to continue. I left no question unanswered through the help of the internet (feat. ATARNotes) and my teachers and peers. That way, come exam time, there was nothing they could throw at me that I wasn't ready for, because there were no gaps in my understanding. No potholes for me to trip on in an exam.

Do you regret anything?

There are things I regret, but If I had let them worry me, I would have come to regret that decision as well.

OH I regret neglecting my L's, because I could have my license if I had put in as much effort learning to drive as learning maths. But that's not entirely VCE related.

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

I learned about physics in physics, rather than learning how to answer textbook questions. I learned about maths in maths class, not about how to answer textbook questions. I learned about networks and security and algorithms and project management in software, I learned about improving my sentences and vocabulary and about ways people use language to convince you of a point and what to call those things they do with their writing that you don't have a name for in english. I spent this year learning. Not stressing or working or memorising, learning. Then the scores sorted themselves out, and that turned out okay.

Other people should feel free to contribute, but my big secret was the learning thing, and now that I built it up and let it out I don't have a lot more to say :P other than that you should already be proud of the score you have achieved, it's a taste of that 'unachievable' greatness that you can spend next year trying to beat.

[krisskross]

I would say I'm the lowest achiever for my atar range.
Scaling definitely boosted my scores and  my score was definitely unexpected.
So never ever think that you're far from the top range, life is full of surprises!

But that saying, you don't have to study 25 hours a day to get a "good" atar.
For myself, I'm a strong believer of studying smart.
While people might be churning out exams in term 2 and finishing the textbook in term 1, I was just there, trying my best to keep up with the school's pace.
Instead of trying to get ahead, I preferred doing the set textbook work & more of course to ensure that I really understood everything & I am able to apply & not just regurgitate formulas to routine questions.

REMEMBER, never think of the score. It puts so much pressure on you! Sacs, even exams, it's always a shadow looming above you.
With people expecting me to get 50 for methods, I was definitely super stressed out & had a few arithmetic errors & read a few questions incorrectly.
49 is still a good score haha, but definitely, save yourself from pressure and just do to the best of your ability.

& never give up, even when others think likewise.
60% sac average for spesh, I was quite disappointed too. I was giving up on spesh and was totally expecting a 25... But I managed to get a 40+ so... Haha
Sometimes, having people who don't have faith in you can really push you so much more.
& my school did my atar prediction and LOOOL, less than 99 mate. Another person predicted 95+
So if anyone ever puts you down, NEVER ever give up and wallow in self pity but instead, make it your aim to prove them wrong.

Oh and study wise, I'm not a hardworking student, like in term 1 & 2, less than a solid hour at home.
Term 3 was about 1-2, term 4 was about 2-3.
I can't sit still so studying was quite hard..
& being an avid fan of Korean dramas, that didn't quite help...
But nonetheless, I'm pretty much a living example on how you can achieve a relatively good atar without making your boundaries the 4 walls of your room.

I had a part time job too so yeah.
& I didn't have tutoring except for a semester for English...
So.. Yeah.
Sometimes, you learn better by yourself.

All the best for VCE and i hope that what I said was useful!

[BLACKCATT]

Even though i'm not op...
I just want to say thank you for those of you who used your time to reply. The responses
really drew me in and inspired me.

[Stick]

Firstly, congratulations on everyone's amazing efforts. I hope all your hard work paid off and if not, you'll get to where you want to be in time.

Despite the amount of 'talks' I've had, the suggestions, study tips, and endless 'get your head into gear, it's VCE'  it never really absorbs into your head. Maybe because that top ATAR score is so far away and in reality is just a number that feels so unachievable. But here on AN i believe it's a privilege to be surrounded by so many people that work really hard (in comparison to real life) and achieve such high scores.

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

Honestly, I'm still not sure.

In reality, I've been asked this sort of question a lot recently and I've been giving everyone the same answer. Basically, you have to want those high scores. Not just the passive "Oh, I want a high ATAR," but a really strong and passionate inner desire to achieve those amazing results. You have to want to slave away at your desk for several hours each night, you have to want to have no life (or not much of a life - it's still important you socialise a bit) for a whole year, you have to want the gruelling journey that is ahead of you, and you have to want these more than anything you've ever wanted before. More than any material gift that you've really yearned for for a long time, for example. More than you want to go out and have a good time every weekend. More than $20 million, a sexy sports car and a luxurious mansion on the coast of Monte Carlo. That's how much you have to want it. If you can get your head in that mindset, everything else will follow. The study habits, the time management... it will all come to you. Deep down, you'll figure out exactly what you'll need to do in order to succeed. I've finally realised that VCE is a really personal journey and so me dispensing specific advice about how to go about subjects and studying would be futile. For example, in the two subjects I scored perfect study scores for, I took incredibly different approaches to most other students who got 50s in these subjects. I believe that this is the ultimate key to success. This doesn't necessarily mean that you'll get those scores you've always wanted, but you'll know deep down that you've done your absolute best and that you would change very little (or nothing) if you got the opportunity to do it again.

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

Of course studying was considered a priority when it came to time management, but I never did more than 4 hours on a regular school night (if you are, I'd say you're doing something wrong and are not studying effectively). You should never have to compromise sleep for VCE, regardless of the circumstances. I left my part time job prior to Year 12, so that was something I didn't have to worry about. If the money isn't absolutely essential for you at the moment, I'd suggest doing the same, or cutting down your hours significantly so that you only have one or two shortish shifts a week (some say that work acted like another break from VCE). Whenever I fatigued or couldn't focus anymore, I'd take a break. I came to see things such as meal times a break as well and appreciated that time where the whole family dropped everything and came together. As I said above, this will all come to you if you can get your head around the inner desire.

Did you do a sport or part time job?

I chose not to, since I had a goal in mind and I didn't want any distractions. I personally felt that committing to something like that could muck this up occasionally and decreased my flexibility as to when to take breaks. However, these really benefit other individuals, since it simply forces them to stop what they're doing and do something else for a certain period of time.

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

This obviously depends on who you are and what subjects you're doing. By Year 12, you should know what things work best for you. Do whatever you feel is necessary in order to succeed.

Do you regret anything?

There was a social incident that occurred at my school, but this isn't a "I'm sorry I did/didn't do this" type of regret as it is a "I'm sorry it had to be this way" type of regret. I'm not too comfortable posting this on the forum due to privacy concerns, but I'd be happy to outline it to you in a PM if you really must know.

I've never been so close to actually talking to people who did amazing so I have so many questions to ask

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

I wouldn't change a thing. This is what you should be aiming for. Of course, you can always say that you could do more (e.g. study through the night rather than just 4 hours) but clearly this isn't something that'd be as beneficial to you. You should be able to say to yourself by the end of Year 12 that you couldn't realistically do any more than what you have done.  There may be a minor thing or two you may slightly regret, but nothing major worth worrying about.

This has probably been all asked before but oh well.
Thankyou!

I know my advice is quite non-specific, but I hope you understand why I've gone about it this way. If I outlined specific steps or something, that wouldn't be helpful for anyone. That's what worked for myself but we're all unique individuals. Best of luck for Year 12, Bluegirl. If you have any further queries, feel free to send me a PM.

[The Brightest Witch]

You know, you guys are just amazing, spending all that time and writing out all those paragraph to try and help us. Thank you :')

[Alwin]

Anyway, all you high achievers out there; how did you do it? Like really, how?
Did you slave your arse off and never see daylight? Did you balance work, leisure and play (if so, how?)
Did you do a sport or part time job?
Did you make endless amounts of notes and completed countless practice questions or spend hours each night studying?
What did you do?
Do you regret anything?

I just want to point out one thing, just a bit of a counter point to the other posts.

First up, I got an ATAR of 99.50 and should be pleased etc etc but I'm actually not that stoked about it. Why? I didn't actually study very hard this year, just cruised along and the main reason I did well was because I did work hard last year+some natural ability. It's not that I got complacent, more like I had no motivation to do well - getting all 26 study scores this year would have still gotten me into Aerospace Engineering + Commerce @ Monash. So, I'm probably not a very good person to give advice but I would say that the key thing is to get motivated

ps: the amount of homework I did per night this year was probably 3.30 to 6 pm on school days and a bit more on weekends. Last year, however, it was more like 3.30 to 7pm and similar amount on weekends (but I played sports too on weekends last year). Since I only had 2 3/4s last year and 4 3/4s + uni extension you can see how much I slacked off this year

tl;dr version: Get motivated as that would be the main thing I would change if I redid year 12

[Bluegirl]

Wow guys. Thankyou so so much!
It really did give me (and a lot of other people)  helpful advice,insight and personal experiences in how you did it.
Thanks for taking the time out to reply. It really is appreciated.
P. S I'm unbelievably happy of my 40, but next year I want to try beat it

It's made me realise that you don't need to spend hours each night studying. I do hours each night already and that was all I envisioned next year to be. But next year I'm going to look after myself and not push my body to exhaustion.

Another question, were/are any of you in relationships? How did you find it? Was it the 'distraction so many parents complain about or did you think it was more helpful?

Thanks guys.  You're all awesome.

[teletubbies_95]

Anyway, all you high achievers out there; how did you do it? Like really, how?
Year 12 ...was tough year for me . I had a lot of family problems, with some of my family members having abuse problems and psychological problems, throughout the year and through the exam period. Due to things going on at home, I usually had to study in the library or at a friend's place. So yeh it was tough!  But having a close group of friends is VERY important and helped me through so much.
And also thanks to ATARNOTES family. You guys have been great!
And I cannot emphasise the importance of the study design for the subjects you do . It is vital !

Did you slave your arse off and never see daylight? Did you balance work, leisure and play (if so, how?)
I had a few leadership opportunities at school and went to all the clubs that I liked at lunchtime . Didn't really work that hard compared some of the other girls at school, who studied at every chance they got. I was pretty chill and enjoyed procrastinating
Did you do a sport or part time job?
I have no eye-hand coordination
Did you make endless amounts of notes and completed countless practice questions or spend hours each night studying?
What did you do?
Spent about 3-4 hours studying, because of travel times , it took me 1.5 hours to get home !
Do you regret anything?
Not being to study to the best of my ability

If you had to repeat year 12 again, what advice would you give yourself? What would you do differently?
Be more conceptual and start understanding the application of knowledge in real life, not just forcing myself to learn. and procrastinating less.

[Kuchiki]

My school asked me to write a short article for their prospectus which I think sums up my VCE experience. They edited out around half of it, but you can find the full version on my blog here.

Honestly, I was never really aiming that high during VCE, and never got too obsessed with trying to predict my ATAR or study scores. I guess I was hoping for a 90 at least, but it wasn't something that was on my mind that often. I just took it step by step and focused on the next SAC coming up, trying to do the best I could, and then focusing on the next SAC, and so on.

I guess it probably helped that I didn't have any work/sport/extra-curricular commitments and that I wasn't the type of person who would go out every weekend, but that was just how I chose to live my life (I wasn't really involved in much extra-curriculars before VCE, either).

But yeah, as some have mentioned above, it really varies by each individual. As I wrote in my article, "At the end of the day, there is no secret formula that will work for everyone. Personally, I was most efficient studying alone at home in the middle of the night while watching TV, whereas many of my friends preferred to meet up in groups at the library. You just have to find the approach that suits you best."

[90+FTW]

did you slave your arse off and never see daylight?

Pretty much, and I'm being entirely honest. I never went to my formal or deb, I refused to go to parties, I literally spent everyone weekend locked away studying into the early morning (usually 1 or 2am). But looking back, I realize that was silly - sure, it got me an amazing mark, outstanding study scores and a sense of security that I'm on my way to what I've always wanted, but I compromised a lot. Please, don't let it consume you, like it consumed me. I was placed in hospital about 3 times over the anxiety brought on by VCE, and I'll warn you, the pressure can be crippling at times. I still haven't completely recovered, and my advice, while clichéd, is completely honest. Do not lose your grip on what truly matters, do your best, and let that be the end of it. 

In reality, you will have to make sacrifices in order to do very well. Yet, looking back with the benefit of hindsight, I realize that even I could have fixed a few things - who knows, if I hadn't gotten all those panic attacks during my exams, maybe I could've gotten that shining 99. Well, time teaches.

[chasej]

Pretty much, and I'm being entirely honest. I never went to my formal or deb, I refused to go to parties, I literally spent everyone weekend locked away studying into the early morning (usually 1 or 2am). But looking back, I realize that was silly - sure, it got me an amazing mark, outstanding study scores and a sense of security that I'm on my way to what I've always wanted, but I compromised a lot. Please, don't let it consume you, like it consumed me. I was placed in hospital about 3 times over the anxiety brought on by VCE, and I'll warn you, the pressure can be crippling at times. I still haven't completely recovered, and my advice, while clichéd, is completely honest. Do not lose your grip on what truly matters, do your best, and let that be the end of it. 

In reality, you will have to make sacrifices in order to do very well. Yet, looking back with the benefit of hindsight, I realize that even I could have fixed a few things - who knows, if I hadn't gotten all those panic attacks during my exams, maybe I could've gotten that shining 99. Well, time teaches.

Do you think there's a point where more study just lowers your mark? Like I mean do you think there's a sweet spot for study which once you go over just stresses you out so much you no longer preform at your optimum?

[90+FTW]

Do you think there's a point where more study just lowers your mark? Like I mean do you think there's a sweet spot for study which once you go over just stresses you out so much you no longer preform at your optimum?

YES. I mean, according to my IQ I was capable of getting 99.95 but, the anxiety it's crippling. Literally. I mean I'm not complaining, I only wanted a 90.00 and I got SO MUCH MORE, but it goes to show how much of an impact our mental health has on our life.

But I've learnt now, and I'm still an incredibly high achiever so I should probably shut up now...

SMILE PEOPLE!

[psyxwar]

YES. I mean, according to my IQ I was capable of getting 99.95 but, the anxiety it's crippling. Literally. I mean I'm not complaining, I only wanted a 90.00 and I got SO MUCH MORE, but it goes to show how much of an impact our mental health has on our life.

But I've learnt now, and I'm still an incredibly high achiever so I should probably shut up now...

I think a lot of people could probably get 99.95 (or very close) if they worked hard enough (and perhaps did some high scaling subjects, that helps...) :P

Thanks for the advice guys. Yeah, I don't think working til 2 am is really my thing. I love sleep too much.