How to Score a Band 6 in QCE/QCAA Specialist Maths?

Many students consider specialist maths as the “hardest subject ever”, but I prefer to think of it as the BEST subject ever. Let me break it down for you in this blog.

Should I study Specialist Maths?

For those of you in year 10 and are considering taking Specialist Maths as one of your senior subjects, there are some big considerations to be made:

1. Why are you Choosing Specialist Maths?

First and foremost, the advice I was given by both teachers and tutors at KIS Academics was to make sure you have a reason for taking every subject that you choose. The best reason to take Specialist Maths is:

• You’ve enjoyed maths throughout high school, and that you want to continue to develop your maths skills

If you enjoy maths like I do, then Specialist Maths may just be your favourite subject (shocking but true).

2. Are there benefits to doing Specialist Maths?

SPEC may be hard work, but there are perks you can enjoy too:

• Specialist Maths has been in the top 3 highest scaling subjects for the first two years of the ATAR course in Queensland, and this is likely to continue.
• Most courses at most Universities will give you 2 ATAR adjustment factors for passing Specialist Maths.
• If you genuinely enjoy math, you learn so much from this subject.

The scaling perks are sweet, but I have to reiterate that if maths isn’t something you enjoy, then I would not recommend taking the subject. I’ve seen people both drop the subject halfway through year 12 and play catch up on everything else, and people attempt to stick it out, and not get what they expected.

If you do enjoy math but are not scoring well, you can get additional support by getting a tutor! As a tutor from KIS Academics, I always look forward to helping students.

What Can you Expect when you take Specialist Maths?

In short, here is what you can expect:

• A lot of work
• A lot of topics

As I mentioned, Specialist Maths is a lot of work. There will be times that you might wanna rip your hair out (been there), but seeing the fruits of your labour will make it your favourite subject, just like it was for me.

1. Why are there so many topics?

Specialist Maths has a lot of different topics, which is great!!! It keeps it interesting, and they all build on each other.

In year 11 you’ll get introduced to Combinatorics (basis for probability), Vectors, Mathematical Proofs, Complex Numbers, Trigonometry, and Matrices. These topics serve as a great base for the year 12 topics, (and a headstart on some y12 methods and physics topics).

Come Year 12, you’ll tie vectors and matrices together, and see their power. You’ll do some more work on complex numbers and Mathematical Induction, before getting thrown in the deep end in unit 4.

Unit 4 Spec would easily have been the most valuable unit of study for me in year 12, as you’ll do everything you need for methods calc in maybe the first 2 weeks, and then move on to some really interesting further techniques and applications. If you have a decent Calculus base, this will be some of the most rewarding work you do all year, with the added bonus that every time you study for spec, you’re also studying for methods! Please don't not study methods, but you’ll see what I mean when you get there.

2. What can I use to study for Specialist Maths?

Given that Specialist Maths is known to be difficult, there are many resources available to help you get the grades you want:

• QCAA Syllabus
• External notes
• Specialist Maths tutoring

There are some resources such as ATAR Notes which some people swear by, but I wouldn’t give ATAR Notes a blanket recommendation for everyone as it does come at a cost and obviously everyone has their own study methods.

Which is why I would recommend getting a private tutor who can alter their teaching methods to suit the students' specific needs. If you're looking for a Specialist Maths tutor, KIS Academics has many available tutors:

Any Study Tips for Specialist Maths?

1. Clear your Assignments on a Weekly Basis

Depending on your teacher and the textbook your school uses, each week you’ll likely move onto a slightly different/ new topic. Often you’ll do each exercise in a chapter each time you have a lesson.

If you’re busy through the week like I was, you might not always be able to finish a 20 question exercise each afternoon before your lesson the next morning. So I used to set myself the goal of being up to date by the end of each week. I wasn’t a perfect student; sometimes you fall behind and it is fine as long as you catch up.

It is a super specific short term goal that is easy to measure and easy to hold yourself accountable to!

2. Study in a Group

There is always time for personal study at home, so when the opportunity comes to put your heads together in a group, take it! I found this worked best when we had a small group of about 4-5 people and we were studying Complex Familiar and Complex Unfamiliar questions.

If one of your mates sees a question in a slightly different light, they might be able to trigger a thought in your head, which when you tell the group might lead someone else to solve the question. Suddenly there's a new style of question that when it comes up in an exam you’ll be able to nail. It feels like much less of a grind when you’re in a group!

3. Ask Hundreds of Questions

If you’re in class and you don’t understand what the teacher said, ask. If you’re studying with your friends and they say something, ask what they mean. If you're at home and you see a question that gets you absolutely stumped, take it to your trusted KIS Academics tutor who will be more than happy to help.

There is absolutely no stupid questions in Specialist Maths, and the more you can expand your mental bank of questions, the more likely you are to nail that last question on the test.

4. Practise how you Play

To use a classic sporting reference, practise how you play.

When you’re in study mode for internal or external exams, sit down in a quiet place with no music, no phone, no chewy, no diffuser, no pets, and just do a practice test. Simulate exam conditions, and you’ll thank yourself for how comfortable you feel in the real external.

The most valuable skill to have in Specialist Maths, and even methods, is to be able to see a question that you have no idea how to approach, relish in your confusion, try a few different methods, and finally nail it. As your teachers should tell you, the CU questions aren’t the bulk, so it’s also good to practise skipping questions when you’re spending too much time on them, doing the questions you can, and coming back for another crack at the end.

Conclusion

Here’s the thing, Specialist Maths can be the hardest subject, but it is also the best. I’m not trying to scare anyone away from taking it; it was my favourite subject, so if you’re willing to commit time and effort to the subject, I couldn’t recommend it more highly. It scales like there's no tomorrow, it’s super rewarding, it's a huge flex, and it’ll make you feel like you can achieve anything 🚀

If you require any additional support to achieve your academic goals, why not get a tutor from KIS Academics?

FAQs

Written by KIS Academics Tutor for QCE Specialist Maths Ned Woodgate. Ned is currently studying a Bachelor of Medicine/ Bachelor of surgery at JCU and is well on his way to becoming a doctor. You can view Ned's profile here and request him as a tutor.

Want personalised study guidance to help drastically improve your marks? A private tutor can make the biggest difference!