Top Study Tips From Matrix Tutors

• Plan your time effectively by timetabling your exam preparation so that you have a good mix of study and downtime. This will allow you to set reasonable expectations of the weeks to come and will result in less stress due to the lack of procrastination.
• Always refer back to the syllabus and dot-points when studying for your HSC exams. At the end of the day, the examinations are assessing the syllabus outcomes and dot-points so being very familiar with both goes a long way in performing well. This can be done by making your own notes which reference the syllabus dot-points.
• Study what you don’t know. There’s no point spending hours doing practice questions or reading notes for topics that you’re already knowledgeable at. Instead, invest your time into the areas that you struggle with. If you’re great with 95% of the HSC Chemistry content, study for the other 5%.

Joseph is the Science Team Leader at Matrix. He is a 2009 Epping Boys High School graduate currently studying a Bachelor of Law/Applied Finance at Macquarie University. Joseph is actually a former Matrix student!

• Focus 100% on the task at hand so that you can reward yourself with a break when you finish.
• Balance your physical health. You need healthy food, exercise and enough sleep for your brain to function properly!
• Practice, practice and more practice!

Daniel is a Senior Maths Tutor at Matrix. He is a 2013 Sydney Boys High School graduate currently studying a Bachelor of Medical Science at the University of New South Wales. Daniel previously undertook a volunteer program in South Africa!

• Set a goal for yourself. Know what you are aiming for, know what you want to do – it’s much easier to aim to get into a course than it is to try and get a number (ie. ATAR)!
• Remember that the HSC is not a measure of your intelligence but rather the amount of effort you are willing to put in to achieve your goals. Don’t worry, the hard work will pay off at the end of the marathon.
• Don’t let yourself get complacent

Racheal Hua is a Senior Maths Tutor at Matrix. She is a 2013 Burwood Girls High School graduate currently studying a Bachelor of Commerce/Science at the University of Sydney.

• Prioritise the most important areas, and know the basics back-to-front before spending extra time on more specific points.
• Keep your study plan realistic. If you aren’t keeping to your study plan. You should change it to something you can follow.
• Most importantly, do your homework on time. It will definitely pay off. If there are questions you can’t do, don’t give up, and ask for help.

Daniel is a Senior Maths Tutor at Matrix. He is a 2011 North Sydney Boys High School graduate currently studying a Bachelor of Electrical Engineering/Commerce at the University of New South Wales. Daniel completed a student exchange program at the USA in 2014!

• Adjust your studies to your learning style. For example, I am a visual learner and using flashcards was an effective method for me to memorise quotes for English and formulas for Maths.
• Time management is essential – there are lots of great calendar apps out there for your smartphone. You can use these to timetable your study plan for your subjects and tasks.
• Motivate yourself by rewarding yourself after you have met your goals. The goals can be small, such as an hour of study followed by 10 minutes on social media.

Amy is the Senior English Tutor at Matrix. She is a 2011 Girraween High School graduate currently studying a Bachelor of Commerce/Arts at the University of Sydney. Amy was high school captain, and has a cat and a new puppy!