At four-years-old, Tristan began teaching himself high-school mathematics. When Tristan turned nine, he stumbled across the Cambridge International Examinations and decided to take the IGCSE Mathematics Exam; he reached a perfect score of A+.

By age 11, Tristan had completed his Mathematics A Levels with an A+, and he felt confident enough to finish his other A Levels and start his tertiary studies at the University of Auckland.

By age 13 he was enrolled as a full-time undergraduate.

Tristan, at age 13, greatly improved his chance of successfully gaining univeristy admission by accelerating his learning. It could work for you too!

Accelerating beyond the classroom requires hard work and a lot of passion! If you wish to drive your learning further, you should aim to do four things: commit to your routine, explore everything, take control of your own destiny, and challenge yourself.

Here are five more tips from Tristan, the 13-year-old secondary school graduate.

1.“Construct and stand by your self-directed learning plan”

If you wish to accelerate your education, you must be willing to put in the extra time to study beyond the standard school hours. Make sure you’ve constructed an effective and efficient self-directed learning plan and commit to it. It’s important to manage your time efficiently to make the most of your education and excel both inside and outside the classroom.

2. “Find an examination board which allows private candidates”

Sitting exams is an important aspect of accelerating your learning. In order to sit an exam at an accelerated level, you must first find an examination board that allows private candidates. As a school student you are often provided with all the necessary resources for exam preparation, however, as a private candidate, you are required to do your own research. Be sure you are thoroughly prepared before you register.

3. “Practice by doing past papers”

For the same reasons, before sitting any accelerated examinations, firstly, sit some past papers as practice. There is no secret that completing practice papers will confirm the current level you are performing at with the subject. Thinking ahead, you’ll give yourself every opportunity to succeed on the final examination. Ideally when sitting practice papers it’s a good idea to recreate an exam-like situation; for example, give yourself the same amount of time to complete the examination as you will in the real exam and try to do the exam in a place with little to no distractions.

4. "Talk to people who have sat exams previously and learn from them"

If you do find yourself looking to sit an examination as a private candidate, it’s a good idea to talk to someone who has sat that exam before, preferably someone who performed well. This allows you the chance to navigate around all the nuances and intricacies that make that particular exam difficult.

5. “Explore everything”

When accelerating your learning, you aren’t limited by any curriculum or classroom structure, so, why limit yourself to subject matter?

If you find something you enjoy, explore it and don’t stop until you’re satisfied!

There’s always new and interesting facts to discover about any subject, whether it be included on the national curriculum or not. Try it out and if you like it, keep going; and if you don’t, move on.

You’re in charge of your academic journey, take control and challenge yourself!

While it’s important to apply some academic pressure on yourself to ensure you’re performing at your best, if you’re trying to learn under stressful circumstances it can take away from the fun and passion you have for your favourite subjects.

Often, it’s the subject/s you enjoy the most that are the one’s you excel at, so, make sure the subjects you’re studying align with your interests and your passions, and accelerating will become easier and easier.

Final Thoughts

Accelerating is not for everyone, and how far and fast you progress can depend on your goals. If you follow the above steps, you’ll give yourself every opportunity to reach beyond your highest expectations and increase you chance of gaining admission into your dream university.

For more hints, tips and insights from Tristan Pang about accelerating your learning visit the Crimson Hub by clicking here