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Join former HSC Matrix Scholarship Student Landrie as he shares his study tips that scored him a 99.90 ATAR and a top rank in English in NSW.
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Hi, I’m Landrie. I graduated from Sydney Boys with a 99.90 ATAR, and topped the state in English. In this blog, I’ll walk you through how I approached Year 12 with balance, purpose, and a clear plan for ATAR success—plus my top 3 HSC study tips.
Name: Landrie Zuo
School: Sydney Boys High School
ATAR: 99.90
University Course: Commerce and Science at the University of Sydney, majoring in Finance and Mathematics
Going into Year 12, I had set myself three goals. Of course, I wanted to maximise my results in achieving my HSC ATAR goal but I also wanted to plan for university and beyond. It was also important to me to get the most out of my final year of high school.
I wasn’t fixated on a number. Instead, I focused on being deliberate with every assessment, knowing each small step would lead to my broader goals.
The key to achieving these goals was to make sure I managed my time effectively.
I mapped out daily and weekly schedules in 3–4 week blocks to manage the following:
Many people talk about how stressful Year 12 is. The main way I managed it was by making sure I exercised and was prepared in advance.
I made sure I stayed active. Throughout high school, I played tennis and ran cross country and track year-round.
Exercise was a great stress reliever and helped maintain my energy for study.
I also avoided last-minute cramming by learning content early and doing lots of practice. Matrix courses helped with this as they are taught one term ahead. Holiday courses were a great way for me to get ample practice and exposure to the course content a term ahead of school, so I was confident when the school term started.
Like many other students, my days were very packed in Year 11 and 12! What I found worked best was dividing each school day into 5 parts:
With such a busy schedule, I found Matrix’s online classes to be really helpful as they were on demand. I could absorb lessons in small pieces—on the bus, during breaks, or even 15 mins before bed!
Having a set routine helps you stay disciplined and plan how much time you are spending on each subject.
I applied this to content and memorisation-heavy subjects like Economics and History. Active recall was the most efficient method for me to remember theory and concepts – either recalling via reciting or writing.
Rather than spending lots of time writing flashcards, I wrote comprehensive notes based on the syllabus points, commonly asked questions, and examples. Preparing my notes as if they were responses to exam questions helped me formulate my answers in exams faster.
I started exam-style practice in Year 11. This will help you get used to the question types and understand the marking criteria to improve your responses. I would try to emulate an exam environment as closely as possible including setting a timer and practising the pacing of each question.
I think past papers were most useful for my STEM subjects like Maths and Chemistry as they gave me exposure to a wider array of questions.
I think the most stressful part of school is wanting to learn a concept but not having the adequate resources to do so. I attended tutoring to ensure I had all the resources at hand to enhance my learning experience, save time, and most of all stress.
After comparing options, I chose Matrix because they:
A great analogy is: In the Cars movie, Lightning McQueen was fast by himself, but the support of his pit crew helped elevate his performance! Consider tutoring as your pit crew that supports you in your exams.
I experienced a great sense of achievement when I learnt that I topped the state in English. I attribute this ATAR success to a couple of things.
First, I always prioritised English as it was the only compulsory subject.
There’s a common misconception that English is hard to excel in because texts and questions change. But underneath that, it all comes down to writing skills—and those can always be sharpened.
I always looked to improve my ‘toolkit’ of English writing whether it was sentence structure, syntax, rhythm, grammar etc.
I actively worked on building a strong writing toolkit. This included:
Sentence structure
Syntax
Rhythm and flow
Grammar and punctuation
Here’s a good HSC study tip: I encourage other students to pay close attention to the finer details of their writing—how phrases become sentences, sentences form paragraphs, and paragraphs build into cohesive arguments.
Another misconception is that English lacks quality textbooks. The truth is there are more great English resources than any other subject – the books, stories, and articles we read every day. One of the most effective ways I improved my writing was reading and emulating truly exceptional writing from published authors – “How Writing Works” by Roslyn Petelin, was one.
I also found that being able to receive ample feedback made a massive difference towards achieving my HSC ATAR goal. At school, I only received feedback once a term, which wasn’t enough. Matrix helped bridge that gap:
I could send drafts to my Matrix tutor and get detailed feedback within 1–2 weeks.
I could also book 1-on-1 workshops for focused help with any assessment or skill I wanted to improve.
For example, I had a workshop with my Year 11 Chemistry tutor to go through a practical examination where he explained the reasoning behind each of the experiment’s steps, how to interpret the results, and discuss the validity, reliability & accuracy of the experiment.
In Year 12, Matrix hosted a practical day where students could use the actual apparatus and chemicals to run through a titration experiment that is often assessed in Year 12.
Tutoring is often seen as a stressful environment—long hours, constant exams, and lots of homework. This is where I found Matrix to be different.
My experience was that Matrix classes are a two-way relationship. The Matrix teachers were all generous with their time, shared snippets of their hobbies, and made me feel welcome. This made my classes much more enjoyable and the learning environment more engaging.
Matrix classes also dedicate most of the time to teaching theory and content as opposed to conducting quizzes and exams.
This ensured I really understood the concepts and had the tools to practice at home. Then there’s Matrix+ online. Being so flexible, it helped me fit classes into my schedule.
What helped me the most were Matrix’s practice questions and workshops. Each course has a dedicated book of questions.
I found the practice questions, especially for Science subjects, to be varied, syllabus-aligned, and built up in difficulty. By exam time, I’d already encountered the types of questions the markers were likely to ask, and I knew what they were looking for.
The 1-on-1 workshops with tutors are really helpful. Every two weeks, you can book a one-hour session with a tutor (online or in-person). I used these to go over tricky homework, prepare for exams, or refine assignments.
One of the best things about Matrix is how many opportunities it gives you to explore before committing.
You’ll see how early preparation, experienced teachers, and quality resources take the stress out of studying, and help you perform at your best.
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Year 12 is your chance to show what you’ve learned and how far you’ve come. It’s also a time to build friendships, find your strengths, and grow in confidence.
Looking back, I can see that each experience, challenge, relationship and support system played a role in shaping my path forward. My time at Matrix was an integral part of my success, giving me the resources, confidence, and guidance to excel and achieve a 99.90 ATAR Rank.
As you enter your final years of school, I encourage you to make the most of every opportunity and to lean into the support available, whether from teachers, tutors, or friends.
Written by Guest Author
We have regular contributions to our blog from our Tutor Team and high performing Matrix Students. Come back regularly for these guest posts to learn their study hacks and insights!
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