Year 12 is, without a doubt, a step up from previous years of school. The work is harder. There is more content to revise. You will likely spend a lot more time studying in Year 12 than you have in the past. The pressure to do well will stress out a lot of students, but with just a few simple habits and preparation techniques, you can maximise your chances of getting the score you need with minimal anxiety. If your Year 12 goals include undergraduate medicine or dentistry, the same disciplined approach also applies to
UCAT preparation, which often needs to be balanced alongside school exams.
Learning the course content
Understand key concepts and terms
The bulk of VCE® Exam assessment is on the foundations of your knowledge of the course. Yes, you will need to memorise quotes and facts and equations for the exam, but the greater challenge is knowing how to use them.
Follow the VCE® Exam course outline carefully for each of your subjects. It summarises everything that can be examined in just a couple of key dot points. These are the main concepts covered in your course. For aptitude-style exams, reviewing the
UCAT exam format serves a similar purpose by helping you understand the sections, timing and question types before you begin focused practice.
Develop a solid memory for the information and concepts you do need to know
Rather than reading your notes over and over again, find different ways to encode them effectively into memory. Write them, read them out loud, draw them in diagrams and flowcharts, teach them to your friends and family. This activates a number of different brain areas which, when used altogether, give you a more lasting memory of content and help you recall information during a pressure situation like an exam.
Ask for help
Teachers, textbooks, notes, lectures, and even other students are excellent resources for study. Every student should aim to know and understand their entire course with confidence before they sit the exam. Clarify any doubts beforehand. Students preparing for medicine entry can also supplement their school resources with
free UCAT resources to build familiarity with the test alongside their Year 12 study.
Practising for the exam
Feedback
Particularly for non-MCQ subjects, feedback is really the only marker you have for your own performance before the exam. While essay marking is subjective, a second opinion on your work can point out flaws that you hadn’t noticed before. Remember, even a few minor changes can turn an average essay into a good one.
Learn definitions, ideas and equations with examples
VCE® Exam exams test more than just a student’s ability to regurgitate memorised information. They generally ask students to apply their knowledge, and the easiest way to do this is through examples. For example, examiners know that plugging in numbers into a formula is not difficult. Maths and science exams with extended response questions aim to make you interpret the information given using all the skills you have learnt throughout the year.
Focus on improvement, not repetition.
When it comes to study, remember that more is not necessarily better. When making a plan of what to revise at home, it is a good idea to have some topics that you need to cover, rather that setting the number of hours you want to study. If you have a clear idea of what you want to achieve with your revision, then you will naturally try to find the most effective and efficient way to get the work done. For students applying to medicine, it is also worth understanding how your
UCAT score may contribute to selection so that your exam preparation remains focused on the outcomes that matter.
