Science reasoning: 30 questions in 30 mins
- you don’t actually need to have in depth science knowledge for this, it’s just the application of basic knowledge.
- For example, there was a question where it was a compartment split into 2 parts with a removable barrier and the pressure on either side of the barrier was 120psi so it asked what the overall pressure would be without the barrier.
- Some of these questions were also more like what you would expect in numerical reasoning.
- I’d recommend doing practice ICAS tests to prepare for this as that’s probably the closest thing there is.
- If you do want to study just to be safe this is the basic stuff you should know:
- Physics - light & sound, force
- Chemistry - a basic knowledge of the periodic table, Reactions
- biology - in this case it’s mostly environmental stuff - they seem to like including that.
Mathematics: 60 questions in 30 mins
This is probably the only test you actually need knowledge for.
Try to know the yr 7 and 8 curriculum really well and the year 9 basics (trig and quadratics are really important so be confident)
Stuff to know:
Financial Math - Simple/compound interest, which is the best deal, fractions and decimals.
Algebra - factorising, expanding, simplifying.
Surds and indices - index laws, scientific notation, negative powers.
Simultaneous Equations and inequalities - substitution, elimination, number lines.
Linear relations - distance, midpoint
Quadratics - null factor law, expanding and simplifying rules (really just the basics).
Trigonometry - pythagoras, exact values, SOH-CAH-TOA.
Geometry - basic angles of shapes, parallel and perpendicular lines.
Statistics - averages, median, mean, mode.
Probability - Venn diagrams, tree diagrams, chances of dice/cards.
It’s also more quick calculations rather than finding the rule for a graph etc.
Numerical reasoning: 40 or 50 questions in 30 mins (can’t really remember)
- These are just number patterns but they use relatively large numbers so they’re harder to work with.
- have a good knowledge of basic factors, multiples and all four main operations with large numbers.
- All in all this one was really easy so don’t stress.
- Do ICAS tests to practice these.
Science writing 1: 30 mins
-The first one is just a ‘science essay’.
- A lot of people ask about the structure and format of this but it’s just the normal essay structure (intro, 3 main body paragraphs and a conclusion)
- In the intro, briefly introduce the issue, explain why it is an issue and outline your points.
- in the main body paragraphs, use as much as the info possible to support your points and add in some additional stuff (I talked about how we end up eating the micro beads through food chains and webs)
- In the conclusion, summarise everything and make a final statement on how the issue could be solved.
- you get a page of information, diagrams, statistics etc. to help you write about the topic. Try to include as much of this information as you can.
- The topic I got this year was about micro bead pollution in marine environments.
- Along with the topic and info page, they give you dot points about what to write - try to use these as the subtopics for your individual paragraphs. E.g. what are some ways this issue could be solved by both individual people and larger companies/government? In what ways is the issue leaving lasting effects on the environment? etc.
- To practice just be fluent at writing and make sure you mentally prepare before starting - it’s better if you write well but don’t finish than finish but write a bad essay.
Science writing 2: Same as science writing 1.
- This one is part of a prac report. This year we had to write a discussion and aim. This might not seem like a lot but if you write it properly it should take the full time.
- An important thing to remember that I know a lot of the people I talked to didn’t do is to structure you’re discussion properly - it has different points so make new paragraphs for discussing different parts of the prac.
- In case you haven’t learned to form your own discussion these are the basics:
- point out the difference in the results when the independent variable was changed and explain the scientific reasoning behind it. This can be done in two small paragraphs or one big one.
- Explain errors, how they may have occurred and how to prevent them in the future ( they will usually purposely put an error in the results so make sure to check)
- There are also dot points to include for this one. E.g. how can the results apply in real life? What does this tell us about heat conductivity? For this, try to provide examples to support your answer.
- The final thing that is important but not too important is the variables. Discuss them in a paragraph and say why the controlled variables had to be controlled. Leave this for last because it’s probably the least important part (I forgot it and was still fine).
- They give you the results to an experiment - the topic I got was about the effects different temperatures have on hyacinth bulbs. I knew absolutely nothing about this but it gives you some background info and the results so it was still good.
- Is recommend briefly revising the prac structure so that you are confident and have one less thing to worry about.
- Have a look at pracs that come with discussion questions to see how they relate to the experiment and then practice coming up with your own before looking - this isn’t really something you can get wrong but a lot of people freeze up on it. If your school uses the oxford textbooks there are some in the back otherwise you should be able to find some online.
That’s really all there is to the test. A piece of advice: if you don’t know how to work out a question immediately, skip it and come back at the end, leave nothing blank (guess if you need to) and estimate answers and pick the closest option rather than wasting time working them out.
You don’t necessarily have to study or go to tutoring (most people said tutoring wasn’t worth it). I didn’t study at all but still got in. I don’t know my specific results get but I’ll update when they send them out - I got superiors in NR, SR and both science writings and a HA in maths.
This year 1000 people applied and 500 got an interview.
For the interview:
I’m not sure if this is always the case but I had to write a CV (someone let me know from previous years)
There were 4 questions to answer with paragraphs:
- What is your proudest achievement in the last 3 years?
- Who do you most look up to and why?
- If you could invite 4 people from any time period to a dinner, who would you invite and why?
- What is the biggest ‘life lesson’ you have learnt and how did you learn it?
- don’t be boring with these. E.g. don’t pick Albert Einstein or Isaac Newton etc. to bring to you dinner or as your role models. I chose Beethoven, Galileo, Cleopatra and someone from 4000 CE but still linked it all in to my life ambitions and what I was interested in.
- They do ask for yr 8 semester 2 and yr 9 semester 1 reports so try to make sure they’re as good as possible.
- Try to do some sort of leadership, sport and music as they want well rounded people and it’ll be leaving a huge section out if you can’t.
- Bring in interesting certificates - first place at a sport, a language award etc.
- I didn’t have any science awards... at all so instead I wrote about how I’d rather participate in experiences rather than competitions to actually learn more (lectures, synchrotron, open days etc.)
As for the 1 on 1 interview itself, there are 2 interviewers. These were the questions I got:
- Pick a word and explain what you think of when hearing that word between science/scientist and invention/discovery?
- If you could be prime minister and could do one thing in science/energy/technology/environment what would you do and what would you aim to achieve in 4 years?
- What is your proudest achievement?
- What future studies/careers are you considering?
- How have you dealt with remote learning? (You probably won’t get this one)
- How do you balance study and other commitments? Strategies.
- Any questions? ASK AS MUCH AS YOU POSSIBLY CAN ABOUT ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING.
The most useful piece of advice I could give you is be unique, think through your answers before answering and say something you think only you would be able to say. E.g. I didn’t actually pick a proudest achievement, I just talked about how I was proud of participating in so many opportunities to make the most of my life.
Be friendly - say hello and smile, it goes a long way.
The interviews are where the competition gets tough (only 200 of 500 people get in) so make sure you communicate how enthusiastic and passionate you are through your answers as they won’t directly ask.
Good luck for applying! I wish you all the best!
ANYNN
P.S. I copied this from an older post but couldn't find any for yr 11 here: https://archive.atarnotes.com/forum/index.php?topic=192649.0
JMSS accepts only 30 students in Year 11 each year.
This is a 2022 post for 2023 applying students.
