Yes!  The skills and strategies apply to all year levels from 7-HSC, and you can start applying them at any stage – the earlier the better – to build towards your best results.

You can read it in one go, or in stages depending on your needs.

No, it’s recommended as a comprehensive reference resource, so you can read it fully once and then refer to relevant sections multiple times through high school as needed to build, refresh, or refine your skills.

Yes, the skills and strategies in this study guide are easy to implement immediately at any stage, and if you apply them diligently, they should help you.

Yes, we tell you what to do and also how to do it, including detailed step-by-step guidelines and concrete examples and templates (where possible).

Yes and no – reading the book passively without applying and practising the skills and strategies will not automatically improve your grades, but if you make the effort to apply and practise the skills and strategies, it will help you to work smarter to get stronger results.

The workload may not decrease, but if you follow the recommendations, applying and practising the skills and strategies in the study guide, it should help you increase your productivity & efficiency, keeping you focused on the most valuable, highest yield work activities, which will save you time and generate stronger results.

Absolutely yes.  The principles, guidelines, tips and strategies in this study guide do not depend on subject or curriculum knowledge. They are broad strategies and techniques that anyone can learn.  Even if you don’t understand the specific content, or have not read the setwork, this guide will equip you with the tools to easily spot whether a question has been properly answered, whether the marking criteria have been met, whether a study plan is efficient, and many other aspects.  This guide is as much for parents as students, enabling you to give valuable feedback and guidance to help your children achieve their best results.

While there are references specific to NSW, the majority of skills and strategies in this guide would be applicable to students anywhere.  They rely on universally accepted principles and methods.

No.  This study guide does not claim or try to teach subject content.  The skills and strategies are independent of specific subjects and do not rely on subject knowledge.  Where specific subjects have been mentioned, this is for the sole purpose of illustrating a process or point.

No.  The skills and strategies are relevant and appropriate for students at selective, comprehensive and independent high schools.   They are applicable to all students who aspire to academic success.

Most other study guides have a narrow focus – concentrating on specific subject content, specific year groups, or exam revision.  We are different because we have a broad focus covering skills and strategies for the whole of high school, across subjects and year groups. While we also include aspects of exam preparation and revision, the skills and strategies go far beyond this to provide a framework for holistic academic success.

Good question!  The skills and strategies in our study guide are evidence-based and have been tried-and-tested, used by many top achievers (throughout high school and in the HSC).  They are also based on established principles and frameworks and draw on research and the work of experts.