Study Tips Needed/Subject Selection (1 Viewer)

[BeepFalcon]

I am currently in year 10 and find myself with a lot of issues when it comes to studying. Do you guys have any advice on how long I should study each day and what a good study routine should look like. I generally find myself studying for 3-4 hours each weekday when it comes to a Maths or Science exam and it hasn't been very beneficial as I usually get between 85%-90% for each exam. Hoping to improve my grades to a 90%-95% standard.

Also, I am interested in pursuing a career in Medicine so could you recommend what subjects I should choose. I am currently thinking about:
-3U Maths
-Advanced English
-Chemistry
-Biology
-Economics
-2 or 1 unit subject

 

[Kolmias]

What do you mean by studying for Maths and Science? Please give more details.

 

[BeepFalcon]

I usually focus a lot more on Maths and Science exams and study as much as I can for them. However, for exams such as English and History, I might not spend as much time.

 

[MouseTop]

In regards to the studying part, since your in Year 10 you really only need to do your homework and some sort of extra work for 30 mins to 1 hour (whether it be writing notes or reading over your class notes or something productive to do with your work). Also, with Maths I find the best way of studying to be homework, doing it on time and doing it as well as I can (no shortcuts, do every question). With other subjects it depends on whether you're an aural learner (talk to someone about your work), visual learner (use flashcard) or rote learner (hell if I know). Also, relax. Don't stress over your tests because that's what messes you up. Tests are just as easy as homework except the element of stress messes people up.

About the subjects...no idea, pick what you like, pick what you'll do good at.

Hope this helped

 

[jjuunnee]

It doesn't matter how long you study for. What matters is how effective your study sessions are.

So like you may say that you study for 3-4 hours but actually you were on facebook at the same time, making your study ineffective (btw I'm not saying that you do that, but that's what most people do including me haha)

Also how do you study? Do you read over the notes you've been taking down throughout the year? Do you rewrite notes? Do you do practise tests? Because if you don't then you should start doing that as your marks will improve.

For your subjects, I think that you've chosen a good range of courses.

 

[Kolmias]

I usually focus a lot more on Maths and Science exams and study as much as I can for them. However, for exams such as English and History, I might not spend as much time.

But what does your typical study session look like?

 

[BeepFalcon]

It doesn't matter how long you study for. What matters is how effective your study sessions are.

So like you may say that you study for 3-4 hours but actually you were on facebook at the same time, making your study ineffective (btw I'm not saying that you do that, but that's what most people do including me haha)

Also how do you study? Do you read over the notes you've been taking down throughout the year? Do you rewrite notes? Do you do practise tests? Because if you don't then you should start doing that as your marks will improve.

For your subjects, I think that you've chosen a good range of courses.

But what does your typical study session look like?

For exam preparation, I rewrite the important notes on the topics being tested. Once that's done, I usually devote my time into remembering my notes for the remainder of the time I have left for the exam. I generally don't do practice exams as I find doing the textbook questions more suitable, but if you know any good websites where I could find good practice exams feel free to tell me.

 

[MouseTop]

For exam preparation, I rewrite the important notes on the topics being tested. Once that's done, I usually devote my time into remembering my notes for the remainder of the time I have left for the exam. I generally don't do practice exams as I find doing the textbook questions more suitable, but if you know any good websites where I could find good practice exams feel free to tell me.

Write notes everyday after you get home. When you're tests are coming up compile all your notes then read them, then read the textbook, then add notes to your originals. Memorising =/= Doing Well. Understanding & Application = Doing Well. Ask questions till you understand how it works (especially Science). Honestly you don't need practice exams for Science in Year 10, textbook and worksheets are fine.

 

[jjuunnee]

yeah going on with mousetop's response, write and memorise notes as you go so you don't have to stress out about memorising a whole chunk of notes at the end just before the test

 

[Dragon9000]

I generally don't do practice exams as I find doing the textbook questions more suitable, but if you know any good websites where I could find good practice exams feel free to tell me.

https://thsconline.github.io/s/landing.html

thsconline has an absolute ton of papers for 10/11/12 maths and all other subjects, as well as on this website. Go to the resources tab -> subject, and you'll find more resources of varying bits and pieces.

 

[sss77s]

Also, I am interested in pursuing a career in Medicine so could you recommend what subjects I should choose. I am currently thinking about:

I think your current subjects are good, I'm also currently in year 10 and am doing pretty much the same subjects as you (minus bio) , and I also want to to Med!! In terms of the extra one or two units you should add on, I think it depends on your interest and ability... although I personally am doing Extension 1 English as my extra one unit. If you are capable at English, maybe you should take on Ext. 1? Then again, there is plenty of other subjects you could take like Modern History, Physics(although taking 3 sciences would be killer!), Business, legal, etc. In terms of med, I don't think there are any pre-requisites, only assumed knowledge (at least at UNSW) for chemistry, but you've already chosen that so apart from chem, your pretty much free to pick whatever you want.

The other subjects you've picked are a good choice as well, Ext 1 math will prepare you well for med, eco gives you analytical skills, etc.

Do you guys have any advice on how long I should study each day and what a good study routine should look like. I generally find myself studying for 3-4 hours each weekday when it comes to a Maths or Science exam

Don't know if I'm one to give advice, as I'm only in year 10, but I do get grades that average around the high 90s.. so take what I say with a grain of salt. What I do is I keep a weekly planner, handwritten notes for every topic in cumulative subjects (not class notes, but summary notes). Of course, I do my homework for math and occasionally practice from other textbooks. For science, year 10 is still very much rote learning, so I tend to handwrite my notes, and pretty much just memorise them (some find this ineffective, but I find that when I memorise, I actually understand the material if that makes sense). My normal study session in the leadup to exams would be around 1.5 hrs per day, due to my busy schedule, but I find that its about how effective your study is, not the quantity...

Hope I helped!

 

[BeepFalcon]

I think your current subjects are good, I'm also currently in year 10 and am doing pretty much the same subjects as you (minus bio) , and I also want to to Med!! In terms of the extra one or two units you should add on, I think it depends on your interest and ability... although I personally am doing Extension 1 English as my extra one unit. If you are capable at English, maybe you should take on Ext. 1? Then again, there is plenty of other subjects you could take like Modern History, Physics(although taking 3 sciences would be killer!), Business, legal, etc. In terms of med, I don't think there are any pre-requisites, only assumed knowledge (at least at UNSW) for chemistry, but you've already chosen that so apart from chem, your pretty much free to pick whatever you want.

The other subjects you've picked are a good choice as well, Ext 1 math will prepare you well for med, eco gives you analytical skills, etc.

Don't know if I'm one to give advice, as I'm only in year 10, but I do get grades that average around the high 90s.. so take what I say with a grain of salt. What I do is I keep a weekly planner, handwritten notes for every topic in cumulative subjects (not class notes, but summary notes). Of course, I do my homework for math and occasionally practice from other textbooks. For science, year 10 is still very much rote learning, so I tend to handwrite my notes, and pretty much just memorise them (some find this ineffective, but I find that when I memorise, I actually understand the material if that makes sense). My normal study session in the leadup to exams would be around 1.5 hrs per day, due to my busy schedule, but I find that its about how effective your study is, not the quantity...

Hope I helped!

Thanks for the advice, I will try to keep it in mind when I study for my exams