How is University Different from High School?

This article has been written by Lydia McClelland, a VCE French, Music Theory, Literature & VCE English Tutor at Learnmate. If you’re interested in private tutoring from Lydia then please check out her page here.

The transition from high school to university can be really tricky for those who can't remember a life outside of school! From the way students are treated, to the amount of responsibility, and the way classes are delivered – so much is dramatically different from school. So what are the biggest changes to expect?

1. You need to be able to motivate yourself

If you're having trouble motivating yourself to work for school, you may find university even more tough. Professors are more likely to fail you than follow up an assignment you forgot to submit, and there just isn't the same level of support. In some subjects, you can fail if you don't attend enough classes, and teachers don't have to follow up with you if you miss too many classes. This is in part due to class sizes, but the positive side is that teachers expect more of students – you shouldn't be treated like a child any more!

2. Making friends can be harder

Unlike high school, you probably won't be seeing the same people in every class. So get ready to overcome that awkwardness and introduce yourself to the people in your classes, especially when you first start! If that doesn't work out, don't stress, because unis also usually have a multitude of clubs you can join, which is a great way to meet people with similar interests.

3. You have so much more freedom!

Compared to high school, the amount of personal freedom you have in university is remarkable. Not only do you have massive holidays, you are free to come and go whenever, you can sort out your own timetable and classes, and you have the freedom to choose how much effort you put into everything. The aphorism, ‘you get out what you put in' is particularly pertinent in this case.

When making the choice whether to apply to go to university, do take into account your own learning style and whether you think it will suit you. The amount of choice and freedom will suit some, but not others. The choice is yours!

If you loved this article, you will LOVE all of our other articles, such as: How To Structure A Comparative Essay (VCE English Tips), 2U Maths Tips from a Past Student (98 in 2U Maths)! and Chemistry – Oxidation & Reduction explained!

 – LearnMate Tutoring.

LearnMate is Australia’s leading tutoring agency offering private lessons in all HSC, WACE, VCE & SACE subjects including English, maths, science, humanities, foreign languages, and so much more. Our mission is simple: to provide professional, engaging and enthusiastic HSC, WACE, VCE & SACE tutors to students, while also ensuring the student feels empowered and confident during their assessments! Ultimately, our goal is to empower students all over Australia to achieve amazing results and make their dreams come true!

Last Minute Tips for the VCE LOTE Oral Exam

This article has been written by Lydia McClelland, a VCE French, Music Theory, Literature & VCE English Tutor at Learnmate. If you’re interested in private tutoring from Lydia then please check out her page here.

VCE language students all know that one of the biggest stresses is the much-hyped oral exam. In the midst of oral exam season, here are some last minute tips to calm nerves and impress those examiners.

1. Prepare to be surprised

Often students' worst-case scenario is getting thrown a tricky question you weren't expecting, leaving you red-faced and stumbling for words. Make sure you prepare strategies to use up time to allow you to think! This means rehearsing the word for “um” in the language (for example, say ‘あの' or ‘ええと' in Japanese, or ‘euh‘ in French). You should also learn some phrases like, ‘That's a great/interesting question!', and even ‘Would you mind repeating the question?' – even if it's just to buy some time. Asking an examiner to clarify what they mean won't automatically penalise you, as they are often looking to see how you deal with difficult questions. Also, if you get asked a particularly tricky question, take it as a good sign that the examiners think you are a strong student!

2. Remember the examiners are not there to trick you

Very little inspires dread in students as much as the oral exam and the examiners. However, I remember coming out of my LOTE oral and just about all of my classmates had a better experience than they expected! Examiners are usually very friendly, and they'll try to help you do your best. Even though it's played up to be an intimidating situation, it will go better than expected more often than not.

3. Talk more than you want to

If you're asked a question such as, ‘Tell us a bit about your family', give more than the absolute basics! Elaborate on things such as your parents' jobs, and how well you get along with your family. Examiners are impressed the more students can say. You can even prepare in advance some ideas on what you're going to respond to basic questions, to feel more confident.

The oral exam is your chance to show off everything you've worked on throughout schooling.  Ultimately, remember that speaking a second language is never easy – no one is perfect!

If you loved this article, you will LOVE all of our other articles, such as: Last Minute Advice for the VCE English Exam, The Best Way to Reduce Stress in Year 12: It’s Not What You Think! and Time Management in the English Language Exam

 – LearnMate Tutoring.

LearnMate is Australia’s leading tutoring agency offering private lessons in all HSC, WACE, VCE & SACE subjects including English, maths, science, humanities, foreign languages, and so much more. Our mission is simple: to provide professional, engaging and enthusiastic HSC, WACE, VCE & SACE tutors to students, while also ensuring the student feels empowered and confident during their assessments! Ultimately, our goal is to empower students all over Australia to achieve amazing results and make their dreams come true!

Last Minute Advice for the VCE English Exam

This article has been written by Lydia McClelland, a VCE French, Music Theory, Literature & VCE English Tutor at Learnmate. If you’re interested in private tutoring from Lydia then please check out her page here.

With the English exam just around the corner, it's the time of year when everyone realises: I need to get my sh*t together. If you haven't done as much work as you should have this year, here are some tips for you.

1. Read your books

If you haven't already read your English texts, this is essential! Without detailed and specific knowledge of them, and yes, this includes things you can't find on Spark Notes, you are dramatically lowering your results. You need a detailed and comprehensive understanding of these texts.

2. Start planning to example prompts

Instead of writing essay after essay, practice quickly planning dot points for essays from topics and prompts. This will allow you to practice thinking fast on the spot, just as you will need to do in the exam, and it takes far less time than writing out full essays.

3. Read the examiner's report

Read the past English exam examiner's reports, as these are full of helpful advice, telling you exactly what the examiners are looking for. You can also often see some great examples of successful students’ writing, which is always useful. Check these out here.

4. Get some outside help

Get a second set of eyes to check out your essays – their advice might help you see just what you’re missing. Whether it be a parent, sibling, teacher or tutor looking over your work, never feel like you need to do it alone.

5. Make a study plan

Work out exactly what your goals are in the weeks leading up to the exam. It’s all too easy to put things off over and over again, until it’s too late. Set manageable goals every week (e.g. 2 essays a week, or write one paragraph per day), to make sure that you are getting the amount of practice that you need.

If you loved this article, you will LOVE all of our other articles, such as: How To Structure A Comparative Essay (VCE English Tips), 2U Maths Tips from a Past Student (98 in 2U Maths)! and Chemistry – Oxidation & Reduction explained!

 – LearnMate Tutoring.

LearnMate is Australia’s leading tutoring agency offering private lessons in all HSC, WACE, VCE & SACE subjects including English, maths, science, humanities, foreign languages, and so much more. Our mission is simple: to provide professional, engaging and enthusiastic HSC, WACE, VCE & SACE tutors to students, while also ensuring the student feels empowered and confident during their assessments! Ultimately, our goal is to empower students all over Australia to achieve amazing results and make their dreams come true!