How Preparation Made the Difference
Toranj’s Path to The Mac.Robertson Girls’ High School
Toranj approached the exam by combining tutoring sessions, practice tests and online resources. Rather than simply studying more, she focused on becoming familiar with the types of tasks she would face and, just as importantly, learning to work within the exam’s strict time limits.
Prepare for Writing, Don’t Just Practise on the Day
Toranj knew that simply knowing the content wouldn’t be enough. The exam demanded speed, accuracy and the ability to think under pressure, so she made timed practice a major part of her preparation.
For English, she would sit down with a 40-minute timer and work through both essay and narrative prompts. She also wrote short stories and memoirs, building up a collection of ideas that she could draw from when faced with an unfamiliar question.
Her preparation was deliberately practical. She even memorised five versatile quotes that she could adapt to different topics.
Maths brought a different challenge — the clock.
Toranj practised tests with 60 questions in 30 minutes, training herself to make quick decisions and keep moving when a question became difficult. She also worked through common question types and puzzles and created formula sheets to help commit important information to memory.
Rather than spending so much time on quadratics and some of the advanced work from her accelerated Maths class, she says she would have focused more on multi-step problem-solving questions.
Pre-Exam Experience
Despite all her preparation, Toranj found herself extremely nervous. She was convinced she would fail every section.
Instead of allowing that feeling to take over, she went back over what she had studied, made sure she got a good night’s sleep, and used grounding breathing exercises to calm herself.
During Exam Experience
Rather than allowing the Maths time limit to intimidate her, she worked through the questions strategically, picking off the ones she could solve quickly before returning to the harder problems.
Her approach was to keep moving, collect the marks she could, and avoid letting a single difficult question derail the rest of the test.
Toranj’s selective school journey wasn’t something she tackled alone. She had already spent several years with InspoTuition, using the classes not only to prepare for challenging exams but also to strengthen her broader academic foundations.
Experience with InspoTuition
For her, the value of tutoring went beyond simply getting ahead.
Over the years, three tutors in particular have made an impression.
Her Science classes with Ghazal stand out because, as Toranj puts it, “She makes the content easy to understand and fun to study!”
Her Maths classes with Parjang have also played an important role, helping her become more comfortable tackling different kinds of problems.
Just as importantly, Toranj remembers the atmosphere. The tutors, Samaneh, Parjang and Ghazal were not only knowledgeable but approachable, creating what she describes as a “super friendly and efficient” environment for learning.
Journey to Success
Now, Toranj is looking forward to starting at Mac.Robertson Girls’ High School and discovering what comes next.
She’s excited about being pushed to do her best and particularly looks forward to the new material she’ll encounter in English and Science. She’s also excited about getting to know Melbourne better on her daily journey to and from school — and, if she gets the chance, finding a spot near the beach for an afternoon of study.
Her achievements aren’t limited to academics, either. Last year, Toranj won a city-wide vocal competition, competing against around 3,000 participants — another example of the determination and commitment she brings to the things she cares about.
The exam may have been the destination, but for Toranj, the real journey was everything that happened before it: learning how to prepare, learning how to manage pressure, and learning to believe in the work she had put in.
Looking back on the journey, Toranj is quick to acknowledge the people who supported her. She credits her parents for encouraging her to work hard and her friends for helping her switch off after the exam, keeping her busy while she waited for the result.
