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99.20 ATAR, five STEM subjects. Matrix teacher Nathan’s Year 12 VCE success was powered by curiosity and a smart study strategy.
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With five demanding STEM subjects and a relentless drive to understand how things work, Nathan Truong used smart VCE exam preparation strategies to earn a 99.20 ATAR in Year 12. Read his story to learn how you can do the same!
Table of contents:
Name: Nathan Truong
School: Penleigh and Essendon Grammar
ATAR: 99.20
University: Bachelor of Science, University of Melbourne
Since a young age, I was curious about the world of mathematics and engineering, like how our world operates and all of the principles that govern the universe. So, heading into VCE, I instinctively chose all of the STEM subjects that my school offered. VCE Specialist Maths and Physics were good introductory gateways into the more abstract and theoretical side of Science, and were the most memorable aspects of my high school journey.
Although I did not necessarily have an affinity for Maths and Physics, and often faced hardships, I was always passionate and interested in learning more.
This passion allowed me to do well in school, while curiosity to learn was key to excelling in VCE.
English: 44
Mathematical Methods: 49
Specialist Mathematics: 51
Physics: 47
Chemistry: 44
One of the main skills that I worked heavily to master was problem-solving. The ability to identify, break down and analyse a problem is essential for subjects like Maths, Physics and Chemistry. It’s the most commonly examined skill.
The easiest way to develop and improve your problem solving skills is to always be curious and ask ‘why’.
By questioning every step that you make to solve a problem, you are forced to have greater judgment and understanding of the method and techniques used, rather than reciting what you’re taught in class.
Problem solving allows you to identify and tackle any question, even those that appear to be rather different.
People usually associate reasoning with subjects that involve less analysis, like VCE English or the Humanities. But it’s just as crucial in STEM subjects like Physics and Chemistry.
Statistically, the questions students struggle with are those which focus on logical reasoning and explanations, with worded questions generally having the lowest average marks on VCAA examination reports.
Along with studying to reinforce my understanding of concepts, I also made sure I could articulate this understanding. The best way to develop and improve this skill is through practice. Try to do questions that have a slightly different and unique application of the concepts learnt in class. Practice writing clear and concise responses which align with the mark allocation.
One of the most prominent challenges that many year 11-12 students face is time management, especially for STEM students. Personally, with five content-heavy subjects, I often felt overwhelmed. Here’s how I tackled it:
Get organised: I tracked all key due dates and assessments in a calendar so I had a grasp on the timings and pacing of a subject. I also planned when I would focus on certain subjects throughout the week to keep up to date on the content and workload. That helped me avoid last-minute panic.
Plus, by knowing the days/weeks which contain the most due dates/assessments, you can prepare ahead of time, reducing the need to cram at the last minute.
Cut procrastination: Scrolling my phone “for a minute” often derailed entire study blocks. I kept my phone in another room when studying and took short, planned breaks instead.
Use apps: Create study schedules on calendar or schedule apps for each subject so that you constantly have a task to complete, to prevent any chance of procrastinating.
Even if I didn’t stick to them perfectly, they gave structure to my routine and helped build better habits.
The first thing that all students should focus on when holidays begin is revising the prior term’s content, especially topics they stuggled in. Make sure to look over past assessments and exams, identify areas/topics of struggle, and review them.
Make sure your knowledge of past topics is strong, as later content will only build upon prior knowledge and understanding.
Learning content ahead of time during the holidays is the best way to get an advantage in the next school term. It’s a more effective way to understand and remember concepts.
Matrix students get this advantage automatically. Their courses run one term ahead of the school curriculum, which makes classroom learning feel easier and more familiar.
The best way to improve in English is simple: write practice essays.
Start by doing practice essays regularly. At first, don’t worry about time limits. Focus on building your ideas and refining your writing. Once you’re more confident, switch to timed conditions to improve your pacing. This is essential because the VCE English exam is time-intensive.
Feedback is your best tool. Share your essays with your teacher, get feedback, and then do something with it. Rewrite your work, resubmit, and repeat until your writing improves.
To organise your text analysis, use a 3-column table:
| Scene/Chapter | Quote or Technique | Analysis |
It’s a great way to track evidence and sharpen your arguments.
Maths is less about memorising and more about applying. When doing practice questions, answer questions in more depth and include some justification for the working steps. It may not be necessary in the exam, but it tests your understanding of the concepts, rather than just intuitively following through with the steps.
Whilst Maths isn’t as content-heavy, it is still good to have an organised set of notes to help you in your revision throughout the year.
Write a summary of the content learnt in each class, highlighting/boxing the most important formulas, theorems and rules.
For Physics and Chemistry, the best VCE exam preparation tip is to balance your time between reviewing content and applying it.
Revisit older topics regularly to keep them fresh.
Do practice questions to apply concepts and uncover weak spots.
Strong note-taking is crucial. Make your own summaries after each topic and write them in a way that makes sense to you. Clear, structured notes will make revision easier and help you connect the dots across topics.
Written by Guest Author
We have regular contributions to our blog from our Tutor Team and high performing Matrix Students. Come back regularly for these guest posts to learn their study hacks and insights!
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