Interview with Adelina Artemov - one of our top ATAR students for 2021

What year did you join St Mark’s?

Year 7 - 2016.

Do you know why your family chose St Mark’s?

It had a relatively high placement in the top 50 ATAR ranking at the time and was within my family’s price range.

What school did you attend prior to St Mark's?

Marmion Primary School.

Do you have any academic achievements you are proud of aside from being a top student within the ATAR stream?

Dux twice, Endeavour Awards, multiple ATAR Subject Excellence Certificates, Academic Growth Awards, Distinctions in National Geography and Mathematics Competitions, achieving a high UCAT.

Did you have any hobbies outside of your studies?

Dancing for ~10 years, mindful colouring, listening to music, piano, work (dance teaching).

How much time per week were you involved in other hobbies?

Dance ranged between 3-10 hours throughout High School. Probably a 1:2 ratio of other hobbies : studying throughout school.

Do you have any achievements you are proud of outside of academics?

Being selected into multiple leadership positions such as Peer Support and House Prefect.

Do you have any advice for students set on high achievement?

I strongly urge any and every expectantly high achieving student to relax the mindset that academics must prevail and put yourself first.

What are the highlight experiences of your time at St Mark’s?

Definitely the Year 12 ball and Graduation.

What have been some of your favourite subjects you have studied whilst at St Mark’s?

Human Biology and English.

What were you ATAR subjects?

English, Math Methods, Human Biology, Chemistry, Economics.

Why did you choose those subjects?

They had engaging syllabi that I could see myself studying without wanting to bang my head against a wall. I also had to consider the difficulty of the subjects as I wanted to avoid nasty scaling and prerequisites for my uni courses..

Was there another subject you wish you could have studied?

Food Science and Technology and Mathematics Applications.

Do you work in a casual job as well and when did you start?

Yes - when I was 14.

Did you follow a study regime in Year 11 and 12?

No. I just studied whenever I felt I needed to go over notes/concepts and before a test – very holistic.

What recommendations can you offer to other students coming through to help them succeed?

Have fun. Schedule breaks.

How do you learn best and remember all the content?

Palm cards and heaps of colour!

Do you have any exam tips?

Start studying early. Catch up on notes, homework etc. during the holidays. Don’t restudy the stuff you already know. I personally printed each syllabus and highlighted every point in a colour-coordinated fashion depending on my level of understanding. (e.g. red = what on earth????, green = i could write an essay on this :b) I would then work on my (red) problem areas.

Did you perform consistently across all of Year 11 and 12? Was this important?

I definitely went downhill in my marks from year 11, but consistency in studying within and between subjects is insanely important. Having a 90% in one subject and 50%’s in the rest will land you a very average ATAR. Play to your weaknesses when you’re studying. Play to your strengths in the exam.

What were some of your biggest distractions to your study?

My phone and generalised anxiety.

How have you been supported at home by your family?

My mum invested in a tutor for my UCAT which paid off. My mum also excused me from household chores while I was studying.

How have your friends supported you?

Helped me out with tough questions and explained concepts I couldn’t grasp on my own.

How have teachers supported you?

Ms Ellam taught me English in a way that just clicked, helping me exceed my own expectations when I achieved a WACE subject award.

Mr Browner always gave good life advice in form and a “breather” from the stress of every other aspect of high school.

Ms Hall was an excellent human bio teacher and provided me with a plethora of academic resources.

Did you feel supported by St Mark's along your ATAR pathway?

Yeah! The overall school environment was usually very comforting when I was struggling.

How have any St Mark’s leaders supported you?

Ms Mlinar was an excellent mentor and I thank her for all the time and effort she put into our cohort and readying us for the real world. She gave me real world advice in countless areas of adulthood and I am eternally grateful for her.

How would you describe your overall experience at St Mark’s?

Dynamic.

How have you celebrated your ATAR success?

I had dinner with my family and have since had the time to meet up with friends and meet new people.

What career goals do you have?

To become a doctor.

Thanks so much Adelina for sharing your insights with our community! We wish you all the very best for a happy and successful future!