.webp)
In this article, I will share what I learned about achieving success in WACE Mathematics Specialist over the course of my 2 years of studying ATAR subjects, as well as through the following 4 years of tutoring experience post-high school that have refined many of these insights.
What score did you achieve?
I achieved a raw score of 97% in my final Mathematics Specialist exam, gaining a Subject Certificate of Excellence (top 0.5% in the state) in the subject.
How would you advise students to organise their notes?
First, it is important to note that success in Specialist is dependent on your mathematical skills, not your mathematical knowledge. Therefore, the best way to get better at Specialist is the practise the skills it tests, rather than memorise the concepts it tests. This seems self-explanatory, but it has large implications for how you should go about your study and note-taking. I have seen many make vast mind maps with tiny text summarising the entirety of the Specialist course. This always struck me as nonsensical, and perhaps in some cases an indication the person wasn’t fully prepared for the exam. I believed notetaking serves you in Specialist only insofar as it reminds you of a general method for problem-solving, and particularly difficult problems. During my exams – because you are able to bring a notes page with you for the calculator-assumed section of any exam – I always brought with me a page with screenshots of difficult problems, not because I needed to memorise them, but because they presented a general method for solving particular types of difficult problems.
What is your advice for SACs and exams?
One of the common pitfalls I have noticed in many students I have tutored in the last 6 years is that they lose marks in their tests and exams due to poor working out. You may get the right answer, but won’t have written working in a clear, concise, and methodologically sound way, and as a result, you will have lost marks. Specialist, which is a course largely characterised by mathematical representations of at times very abstract concepts like three-dimensional vectors, geometry, complex numbers, calculus and statistical inference, requires a certain degree of methodological consistency. It is important that you understand how to go about working out properly. The method you use matters just as much (if not more) as you understand the concepts. Learning the right method is something you can consult your teacher about. Often, different teachers will have slightly different ways of setting out their working. Over time, however, you will come to an appreciation of a coherent, clear and concise method of working out that works for you, and which is consistent with the expected standards of the course.
How did you study? Do you have any resources that you used?
For Specialist, there are generally 4 textbooks students will use: Cambridge, O.T. Lee, Nelson and Sadler. Out of these four, I used three. In order of difficulty: Sadler was the easiest, Nelson was harder, and O.T. Lee was hardest. When practising skills, it is important to complete the easy tasks to build baseline confidence, before moving to more difficult problems that force you to apply your understanding in unfamiliar contexts. Only after I felt confident in completing O.T. Lee questions did I attempt any exams, and when I did attempt exams, I always did them in timed conditions.
Past papers are your best tool for simulating test-taking conditions. Do not waste them by using them as question banks, because you will become familiar with the questions when you try to do them in timed conditions. The element of time pressure tests your emotional regulation skills: when you are stressed in an exam due to time pressure, it is significantly harder to recall your skills. This is because your emotions cloud the activity of your prefrontal cortex, the area of the brain required for decision-making. It is extremely important that you test your ability to solve problems in the time pressure that you will face in the actual exam.
How did you balance study with the rest of your life during Year 12?
While all the above is true and a reflection of my personal experience and learnings, I would like to conclude by saying that your performance in an exam, and in your ATAR – including Mathematics Specialist – does not define your worth. In many ways, ATAR tests your ability to conform to a set of rigid standards and guidelines. It is not a final, conclusive statement on your intelligence and your potential.
Mental and physical health is one of your most important investments for the long term, as well as for sustainable success during your ATAR years. Your ATAR is a marathon, not a sprint, and your preoccupations outside of study are just as important as your studies. Exercise allowed me to feel balanced, improved my fitness, and boosted mental clarity. Listening to music helped calm my nervous system. An active social life with good quality friends can help you feel connected. Like many things in life, finding out what works for you involves an active process of experimentation.
Happy studying :)
