Can you imagine balancing two major works with the rest of your HSC subjects? It may sound rather stressful and intense, but it is possible!
Pathfinder alumni, Kira, managed to balance all of this successfully and ended up walking away with a 95 ATAR plus two early entry offers! So, we sat down and had a chat with her to find out just how she did it.
Let’s get started!
How Kira Balanced Two Year 12 Major Works
How Kira Stayed On Top of Her Trials Deadlines
What Kira Learnt from Falling Behind During Trials
Kira’s Year 12 Guide to Studying Smart
Kira’s Biggest Takeaways From the Year 12 Pathfinder Program
How Kira Got Her Early Entry Offers
Advice for Year 12 Students Considering the Pathfinder Program
How Kira Balanced Two Year 12 Major Works
A lot of blood, sweat and tears goes into a major work. Now, imagine doubling that effort!
Kira had two major works in Year 12: one for History Extension, the other Society and Culture. She also had the regular HSC exam schedule for Spanish Beginners, Advanced English and Standard Math — so, there was a lot on her plate!
Her secret? Pick what you love to do. So, if that means two major works, then go for it.
“The fact that I picked topics that I was really interested in, really passionate about, helped me feel motivated to want to research and stay on top of it and to do my best work,” Kira tells us.
Planning and breaking big tasks down into smaller, more achievable tasks was also something that really helped her balance the two major works.
How Kira Stayed On Top of Her Major Works
It’s easy to lose track of when everything is due, especially if you have five or more subjects.
The trick is to plan backwards: Kira would work out when she wanted to have the task finished.
From there, she would then make a really long list with every single thing she had to do in order to get the task finished. She also added a date for each part, which meant she was able to keep track of her progress.
Note: It was important for Kira to always stay a little bit ahead. The trick is to be very detailed in breaking each task down and do it step-by-step. There’s no better feeling than being able to tick off a completed step!
Kira hung up her checklist on the wall, so it was always in sight.
“I ended up submitting my major work to my teacher about two weeks before the actual due date, which was really good because that meant I had that time to really cut down on the words, I was way over…” she says.
Planning ahead meant there was no big rush at the end and Kira was happy with what she handed in throughout Year 12.
How Did the Major Works Fit In With Trials?
Kira submitted her two major works a week or two before Trials. So, it was a really intense time for her because she didn’t have a break in between.
After handing in her major works, she had to continue with trial preparation and then just straight into the actual trials themselves.
However, Kira said the timing of handing in major works and studying for trials really threw her off.
“I dedicated all my time to finishing these major works, getting them polished, I’d been really throwing myself into that and then to have trials in the mix with only like a week or two, to actually study for the subjects, was a bit of a shock,” she says.
What Kira Learnt from Falling Behind During Trials
As she was so focused on her major work, consistent work for the other subjects got a bit left behind.
“Having never done a block of exams like that it came as a real shock to the system, so I think I didn’t manage it as well as I could have, but at the end of the day, that was a really good lesson for me,” Kira says.
Although Kira didn’t perform as well as she wanted to, it made her realise what she needed to do in preparation for the HSC.
“I kind of needed that sort of shock of not doing as well as I had previously been doing to sort of get me back on track for HSC, and realise, I’ve done these exams before, now I know what to expect for the actual HSC, so I think, in the end, it really helped me,” she says.
Advice for Students Balancing Year 12 Major Works and Trials
“I think the main thing for major works is to stay on top of them and to be ahead is a really good idea, because then you can get those done, and you can allocate separate blocks of time to study for the contents of the exams,” Kira explains.
Kira also mentions that it’s important to remember “trials aren’t the be all end all”.
“You can bounce back, and you know, those setbacks can be overcome, and they can be useful to learn from,” she says.
Tip: Don’t give up after a bad Trials mark — pick yourself up, learn from your mistakes and look ahead!
Kira’s Year 12 Guide to Studying Smart
Kira’s advice for Year 12 study: know what works for you!
“The most important thing for me is to learn that you’ve got to find what works best for you,” she says.
“There are a lot of people out there that can plan, maybe two months in advance, three months in advance, write out this amazing plan and stick to it… but you need to know what works for you because that is something I tried, and I just ended up never being able to stick to it,” she explains.
What worked for Kira was having a weekly breakdown where she broke down what she had to do for each subject into smaller chunks.
“That really helped me to stay on top but also to be able to map out what exactly I was going to do and tick it off at the end of the day, so you get that satisfaction,” she says.
For Kira, it was also helpful to keep the big picture in mind!
“It’s really important to remember that they [major works] do end they, and then you have all that time afterwards, and it makes HSC seem so much easier once you’ve got them out of the way, and you’re like, great, now I have all this extra time I can dedicate to other subjects, so it kind of sets you up well mentally,” she adds.
#1: Manage Your Stress
“As much as you might feel stressed about it, taking time for yourself to do things that aren’t related to school is really essential,” Kira tells us.
Spending time with friends, exercising, or even just taking a break to relax is important for your well-being!
Otherwise, you will burn out — as we keep repeating like a broken record, the HSC is a marathon, not a sprint. You’ve got to pace yourself. And don’t feel guilty for taking the time to do something you enjoy!
#2: Stay Consistent
Everyone experiences a point in time when it’s a real struggle to stay consistent.
However, consistency is essential in Year 12.
“There are a lot of assessments that start really early on in Year 12, and you think, the first one doesn’t really matter, but I think taking every single assessment as seriously as possible, and just working hard, chipping away at it, really helps,” Kira tells us.
For content-heavy subjects like English, Kira said the key is being consistent.
“As soon as you finish that assessment, just try to get a little bit ahead on what your next module might look like, even if it’s just, reading the blurb of the book, or reading the module description just to get a little bit of an idea really helps you keep on track,” she explained.
The best way to stay consistent is to know what’s coming! Here’s everything to expect in Term 1 of Year 12 before it gets ahead of you.
Kira’s Biggest Takeaways From the Year 12 Pathfinder Program
How Kira’s Year 12 Pathfinder Mentor Supported Her
Kira said Melanie, her Pathfinder Mentor helped her think beyond just Year 12. She provided guidance on health and wellbeing as well as uni.
“I think the main thing she was really good for was just a sense of support, and honestly, just a really good chat,” Kira tells us.
“We both have really similar interests, Melanie actually went to my school and did the same subjects, so we had a really good rapport, and it was really nice just to get that check-in,” she adds.
Kira said that Melanie often asked her about her sleep, nutrition and how she was going with exercise, which is very important during Year 12.
“Having that focus that wasn’t just on school, and a bit longer term, really helped sort of guide my path,” she says.
Best Tip from Melanie
“The most important thing she said to me that really helped me was when she said, you’re fine. I have no issues, you’re doing well, you’ll be fine, and I was like, oh, that’s really nice to hear,” Kira explains to us.
“Because you get to that point where you’re so stressed, you see what everyone else is doing, you get really worried, but just to hear her say no, you’re fine, you’ve got this was a really nice moment that did stick with me,” she added.
Additionally, Melanie predicted that ATAR Kira would get a 95 ATAR! That’s impressive!!
How Kira Got Her Early Entry Offers
Kira received two early entry offers from Macquarie University — one for Psychology and one for Social Sciences.
Getting two early entry offers made Kira feel less stressed about her future.
“It just meant that you had that sort of security, knowing that, if something went wrong, you still had that offer, so it was really nice to have that as a fallback,” she says.
However, Kira still wanted to get the highest ATAR possible!
Want to smash your early entry application? Check out our guide here!
Advice for Writing Early Application Applications
“I would say to them that everyone has strengths, and they all have something interesting about them,” Kira says.
She said it’s a good idea to brainstorm everything you’ve achieved, no matter how small or big!
“I think the most daunting part for a lot of students is they look at that application, and they go, I don’t have anything to say,” ” Kira explains, “but I think really taking that moment to reflect and think, I do have some achievements, and they don’t have to be limited to school.”
What Kira Learned From the Opportunity Intensive
“I think it was really useful just to think of university in a bit of a different light as an investment and as something that you want to have a personal connection with,” Kira said.
Kira also learned about how to apply for early entry. The application process can be challenging because you’ve got to somehow stand out by writing about yourself, your achievements, and your interests.
Plus, you’ve got to think about what to write and how to write.
“Just having that workshop was so good for just thinking, oh, I have more achievements than I think,” she says.
Advice for Year 12 Students Considering the Pathfinder Program
One simple answer: Just go for it!
“I think the Pathfinder program was really good for sort of reframing university and life after school,” she tells us.
“Having that long-term plan through the Pathfinder program, and also the sense of support through the mentors, is really useful for keeping you on track and motivated and feeling a bit more comfortable with life after school,” she adds.
Which Workshops Stood Out the Most For Kira?
Kira really enjoyed the End-of-Year intensive on alternative pathways and resume building.
Kira learned that short and sweet is the key to a fantastic resume!
“I’d been submitting the same resume everywhere, thinking it was great and having that sort of reframing and constructing it again, I was like, wow, so that was really useful and helped me,” she said.
She also finally got to meet the people she had been working with on zoom the whole year in person!
Kira’s Favourite part About the Year 12 Pathfinder Program
Kira’s favourite part was the last intensive! Why?
Kira felt motivated from “getting to meet everyone and getting to all work together and sort of brainstorm and the sense of support, it became like a little Art of Smart community”
“Towards the end, everyone was still messaging each other, wanting to meet up, and it was really nice to have that connection with like-minded students,” she adds.
Would Kira Do Anything Different in Year 12?
“I think there are some subjects I would have worked harder in consistently throughout the year,” Kira says.
“Working consistently in the subject areas I was weaker in, even though I didn’t like them, I think was something I would have done, and there are some subjects I probably wouldn’t have picked, but sticking out them was useful,” she adds.
Kira’s Final Words of Advice for Year 12
“Work hard, work consistently and have fun because Year 12 is a really good year of your life,” Kira tells us.
“I know a lot of people say it’s really stressful but at the end of the day, the friendships you make, and you know the last connection you have with your school is really important,” she adds.
And That’s It!
Get ahead on those major works, so you have enough time to prep for trials and make sure you map out when everything is due!
If you’re thinking about joining the Pathfinder Program, don’t hesitate to get in touch to find out more. Not only will you get academic support, but also support to help you plan your future after school.
Check out more of our HSC resources here:
- How James Went From a Band 2 to a Band 6 in HSC Maths Advanced
- How Azhar Boosted Her Motivation and Bounced Back During Year 12
- The Ultimate HSC English Literary Techniques Cheat Sheet
- How to Write a Study Checklist for HSC Standard Maths Using the Syllabus
- How to Effectively Memorise Quotes for HSC English
- How to Write a Band 6 Discursive Writing Piece for HSC English Module C
Looking for some extra help with your studies?
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We offer tutoring and mentoring for Years K-12 in a variety of subjects, with personalised lessons conducted one-on-one in your home or at one of our state of the art campuses in Hornsby or the Hills — we can help you if you’re looking for tutoring in Rouse Hill!
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Tanna Nankivell is a Senior Content Writer at Art of Smart Education and is currently in Germany completing a year of study for her double degree in Communications (Journalism) and Bachelor of Arts (International Studies). She has had articles published on Central News – the UTS Journalism Lab and wrote a feature piece for Time Out Sydney during her internship. Tanna has a love for travel and the great outdoors, you’ll either find her on the snowfields or in the ocean, teaching aqua aerobics or creating short films.
