How Blaze went from lousy marks to a Band 6 in HSC Physics!

📈 Mark Improvement of 31% in HSC Physics

Blaze learned how to write effective study notes to deepen his knowledge and get a Band 6

🏆 Achieved an ATAR of 95.80

Blaze’s Physics marks helped improve his ATAR and gain him entry into his dream course

🏢 Dream Course B. Architecture at USYD

Blaze’s improvement in Physics helped him receive entry into his dream course

Orange curve
Yellow curve

The Challenge

Blaze wanted to start Year 12 off strong but his plans changed when he received a low Physics mark in his first term. He’d written notes and completed practice questions and so was disheartened to see that his efforts weren’t reflected in his results. Blaze realised this was because he hadn’t actually fully grasped the concepts he was studying. He admits to taking shortcuts when completing calculations and that his notes could’ve been more detailed.

When I first got my marks back, I was really disappointed because I studied really hard but I didn’t study effectively and I think that’s what really lost me marks.

Key Problems

☄️ Blaze was undergoing the new HSC Physics syllabus where a strong understanding of content was needed and there were a lack of resources

👨‍💻 Blaze had a shallow understanding of his Physics content because he was taking shortcuts when studying and completing work mindlessly

😞 Blaze received 60% on his first Physics assessment which he had tried really hard for and this was super demotivating

Our Approach

While Blaze’s initial reaction was to forget about his mark, our Head of Sciences, Adrian reviewed the test with him question by question. This helped him create a strong basis for the next few modules that built upon the contents of his first assessment. When Blaze initially wanted to give up, our CEO Rowan Kunz sat down with him to show him how Blaze still had 80% of his Physics marks to improve upon!

Blaze started using university papers in addition to his textbook to write his notes to make sure he actually understood concepts. This made his study more effective as he was already familiar with the content and practising active recall. Blaze also started to hand in extended responses to ensure he could effectively communicate his understanding and this ultimately made all the difference.

Focus

  • Writing effective study notes
  • Improving assessment marks
  • Motivation
  • Improving extended responses
  • Developing an in-depth understanding of content

Strategies

  • Using active recall 
  • Reviewing past mistakes
  • Seeing the bigger picture 
  • Feedback loop with Adrian
  • Using multiple resources and revising content

Using Active Recall

Reviewing & Correcting Mistakes

Feedback Loop with Adrian

Using Multiple Resources

The Result

Blaze went from a Band 3 to an astonishing Band 6 in HSC Physics – despite scoring low in his first few assessments, consistent study up until the HSC turned his marks around.

Blaze achieved an ATAR of 95.80 and is now studying his dream course at the University of Sydney.

31%

Improvement in HSC Physics

Band 6

Overall result in HSC Physics

97%

Of customers believe our tutors build great rapport

94%

Of customers increased their confidence

Blaze Physics Case Study Graphic

From Art of Smart, Blaze improved his marks by 31%

Adrian was a very motivational teacher, even when I would stuff things up in class or he’d ask me things and I wouldn’t know how to respond, he would always reassure me.

Check Out More Success Stories

Helping high school students thrive since 2009

We know school isn’t just about getting the grades, it’s about staying happy, healthy and answering the difficult question, “What am I going to do with my life when I finish school, and how do I get there?”

AOS Asset - Westpac
AOS Asset - Google
AOS Asset - Local Business
AOS Website Asset 2

Looking for Academic Support?

Discover your personal tutoring program today

AOS Website Asset 1