How to come back from terrible Trials marks

So… you’re starting to get Trials marks back and you didn’t do that well? Maybe you’re super disappointed? Shame 😕. It doesn’t happen to everyone, but it’s not uncommon to feel pretty rough when you didn’t go nearly as well as you thought you should. Well, sh** happen 🤷‍♀️, but we’re going to help you get back on track and make sure your ATAR and final subject marks are safe and sound.

1. Cheer up

First things first, Trials are over. You got through them and ticked that box which means that you have something to be proud of and there also isn’t anything that you can do about bad marks. So basically: cheer up.

It’s easy to get devastated by bad Trials results as you feel like you’ve ruined your HSC before you even sat the official exams but we can promise you that isn’t the case. Like, have a dramatic moment if you need it but then move on and focus on improving for the HSC 👌. Yes, Trials will affect your rank but only so much and the things that matter - your ATAR and final subject marks - are all super dependent on your HSC exams.

To quote a renowned motivational expert, Troy Bolton, you’ve got to get your head in the game.

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2. Work with your peers

Okay, we got the motivational spiel out of the way so let’s get down to the practical stuff. If you are really worried about your ATAR after getting these results back then it’s time to get smart about how you can make the most out of your HSC exams to climb back up that ladder.

One of the biggest steps you can take is to start working really effectively with your classmates. Firstly, if you talk to the peers with the top marks then you can pick their brains and find out whether they have a different study strategy, a great set of notes or a deep understanding of the subject they can explain to you. A lot of the time, it’s easier for a student who has just learned the course to explain it to you in a way that will just ‘click’.

Secondly, talk to the guys who also didn’t do that well (or maybe even did worse 😬). The more you work together to improve your HSC exam results, the safer you will be individually. See, your assessment marks (50% of your total subject) can be seriously affected by how well your school does in that subject in the HSC exams. We repeat: the better your whole cohort does, the less damage your Trials marks will do so yeah, get on that.

3. Prioritise your weaker subjects

This is pretty standard advice for us by now but it’s entirely possible that you only had a few subjects with rubbish marks and the other ones were pretty much okay. That happens 🙃. Basically, if you want to come back from those marks then really focus on those weaker subjects and bring them up onto the level of your strong subjects.

If your Trials marks have caused your rank to slip in a few subjects, then it’s extra important that you do your absolute best in the HSC exams. See, consistency is key for a great ATAR and while it’s pretty tempting to spend more time with the subjects that make you feel good, you’ve got to share that love around. Luckily the weaker the subject, the more feedback you have from your teachers and there’s more room to improve. Don’t throw away those exams you get back. Sit down with your teacher (or a smart cookie in your class 🍪) and go through your exam answers so you know exactly where you went wrong and how to improve.

4. Fine tune your study habits

If you’re disappointed with Trials results then hey, at least you have some mistakes to learn from now. See, no matter how hard life feels right now, you still have those HSC exams which are your best (and only…) opportunity to come back. As well as paying attention to the feedback on your exams, tune into your study experience and you will be able to improve your study for HSC:

• If you felt like you didn’t have enough time to study everything, get a nice study timetable going to manage your time.
• If you came across things in the exam you didn’t expect to be there, then spend some time making sure your study is more syllabus based. Have notes and a solid understanding for each syllabus point!
• If you couldn’t remember any of your study in the exam, then you probably weren’t engaging with your study. Ditch reading the same textbook over and over again and switch it up with some creative study methods like watching our killer videos or playing with flashcards.
• If you got poor marks for not answering the question right, you probably know your content but not how to apply it properly. Start visiting those past papers and make sure they get marked!
• If you felt prepared beforehand and the pressure and stress of Trials just threw you off, then learn how to manage nerves in an exam.

Remember

Trials marks aren’t the end of the world. Like, they’re not even the end of your HSC so you’ll be fine. Have some fun to get over those negative thoughts, regroup and then make a game plan to make sure those Trials don’t impact your final marks too much. Stay positive, work with your class, prioritise your weaker subjects and learn from your study experience as much from the exams themselves. You’ll be sweet👌.