When it comes to time spent studying, many students will measure their success based on how long they were able to spend at their desk. However, effective study is all about quality over quantity, and the students who perform best in exams are the ones who study most effectively by learning the foundational knowledge and then training in exam conditions.

One task which many students spend a lot of time on is notes. Notes are important, but students must work actively in order to actually absorb the knowledge they are trying to learn. For example, recalling mindmaps or writing out short summaries for a topic from memory is far more effective than simply highlighting their class notes. 

Once students have become highly confident with their foundational knowledge, it is crucial that they start training on exam style tasks weeks before their Trials, Prelims or HSC. There is a lot of uncertainty at the moment as to the exact form that these exams will take, but we do know that, wherever these exams are, students will have to complete them in timed conditions. Therefore, the best way to build confidence and certainty is for students to put their phone away, pretend they are in an exam room and practice sections of exams such as writing their English essay in 40 minutes.

Doing timed exams at home requires a lot of self-discipline, but so does any type of training that we do, and at the end of the day, it is how we train that determines how well we do when it counts.

Join our Head Performance Coach Jesse, and Founder Fergus as they provide their best tips for success in the Trial Exams and the Final HSC Exams.