TSFX Intense Classes Workshop - Worth It?

[Christiano]

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 ?

[the.watchman]

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...)

[physics]

i don;t think it is

[olly_s15]

dont do it for year 11.. year 12 i'd consider but even still don't think it's worth it

[the.watchman]

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

[rhjc.1991]

It's worth it....

but XLLAcademy sounds better tbh ... I've heard that TSFX lecturers aren't that great

[chops_07]

not year 11. i don't reckon it's worth it.

[ItsSKC]

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.

[danielf]

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.

[mba]

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.

[the.watchman]

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.

[jamesn91]

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...

[m@tty]

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.

[Christiano]

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?

[Gloamglozer]

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").