SACE Stage 2 Economics exam-day guide
SACE Stage 2 Economics · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Photo identification
Bring the ID your school or exam venue requires for admission to the room. The exact accepted forms are set by the provider, so confirm with the provider which documents are valid before exam day and keep it in your bag the night before.
Admission slip or exam timetable confirmation
Carry whatever enrolment or timetable confirmation your school issues. Requirements vary between venues; if you are unsure what is needed, confirm with the provider rather than assuming.
Approved calculator
Check the model against the calculator policy for SACE Stage 2 Economics and confirm with the provider or your teacher whether your calculator is permitted. Practise the functions you rely on (percentages, growth rates, index numbers) beforehand.
Spare pens, pencils, eraser, sharpener
Bring at least two black or blue pens and a pencil for any diagrams or tables. Do not rely on borrowing equipment in the room.
Ruler and graph paper if permitted
Economics answers often benefit from neatly drawn, labelled diagrams such as supply and demand or cost curves. Confirm with the provider whether graph paper and rulers may be brought into the room.
Clear pencil case or pouch
Many venues require stationery to be visible in a clear container. If your venue's rules are unclear, confirm with the provider.
Water bottle and small snack for before the exam
Stay hydrated and eat something before entering; check whether drinks are allowed at your desk, as rules differ between venues.
Analogue watch or clock awareness
Phones are usually not permitted in the exam room. Bring a simple watch if allowed, and confirm with the provider whether watches of any kind are restricted.
Review command words and the formula or concept list
Know what 'explain', 'analyse', 'evaluate' and 'discuss' require. Have key relationships in mind, such as the effect of interest rate changes on consumption and investment, or how tariffs affect domestic price, quantity and welfare.
Prepare a one-page summary of key models
Condense the core diagrams and chains of reasoning you will use: demand and supply shifts, elasticity, market failure and government intervention, macroeconomic policy transmission, and exchange rate movements. Rewrite it from memory rather than rereading notes.
Plan your transport and arrival time
Know the start time, room and route, and aim to arrive with time to spare. If the venue's arrival rules are unclear, confirm with the provider.
Sleep and a calm routine
Avoid a late-night cram. A rested candidate writes clearer analysis and evaluates more convincingly than a tired one.
Plan the day
Finish active revision rather than rereading. Work through past-style questions under timed conditions and mark them against the assessment criteria, focusing on where your reasoning was incomplete rather than on the final answer alone. Identify two or three weak topics, such as elasticity applications or the effects of expansionary fiscal policy, and rebuild them from first principles. Confirm with the provider any details you are unsure about, including permitted equipment, ID and start time.
Practise full written responses with diagrams. For each response, check that you defined terms, applied them to the scenario given, and reached a judgement where the question asked for one. Build a short list of common errors, such as shifting a supply curve when demand changed, confusing a movement along a curve with a shift, or forgetting to label axes. Redo the questions you previously got wrong.
Do a light review of your one-page summary of models and definitions. Check your equipment, ID and admission documents, and pack them in one place. Confirm your transport plan and the venue. Stop studying early enough to sleep well; avoid learning new content at this stage.
Eat a proper breakfast and arrive early. Do a brief skim of your summary sheet only, without attempting new problems. Once seated, read the instructions and check the structure of the paper, including the number of questions, marks per question and any choice of questions.
Read the whole paper or section before writing, note the marks available for each question and allocate time roughly in proportion to marks. Start with a question you can answer confidently to settle your nerves, and leave space to return to harder parts.
For each extended response, define key terms, use a clearly labelled diagram where it helps, explain the chain of reasoning step by step, and evaluate where the question invites it. Use the scenario data rather than generic theory. Watch the clock at the halfway point and adjust your pace so every question receives some attention.
Check that every question has been attempted, that diagrams are labelled and referred to in the text, and that units and figures are sensible. Correct obvious errors in definitions or direction of change rather than adding new material.
Rules to check
Bring only equipment the provider permits. If you are unsure whether an item such as a calculator model, watch or notes is allowed, confirm with the provider before the exam rather than risking a breach of the rules.
Carry the identification your venue requires and be ready to show it on entry. Accepted forms of ID differ between venues, so confirm with the provider in advance.
Follow all instructions from supervisors about seating, timing and materials. If you need to leave the room, raise your hand and wait for a supervisor; do not leave without permission.
Breaks and access arrangements are set by the provider. If you have a documented need for extra time, a rest break or a separate room, confirm with the provider well before exam day.
Do not communicate with other candidates once you enter the room, and do not take any examination material out of the room unless a supervisor explicitly permits it.
Show working and reasoning in extended answers. Marks in Economics are typically awarded for accurate definitions, correct application to the given scenario, sound economic reasoning and justified evaluation, not merely for a stated conclusion.
Use diagrams as evidence. Label axes, curves and any shifts, and refer to the diagram in your written explanation so the marker can see how it supports your argument.
If you believe there is an error in the paper or a problem with your equipment, tell a supervisor immediately; do not attempt to resolve it yourself or rely on another candidate.