LEETON shire students will busily spend the weekend preparing for one of the biggest tests of their young lives.
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Higher School Certificate exams commence on Monday with English the first cab off the rank.
Leeton High School principal Greg Horton had some final words of advice for his outgoing year 12 students.
"My advice is to prepare well and to try to relax as much as possible," Mr Horton said.
"I think they will do well.
"Those that have put in the hard work will be fine."
The most popular courses as part of this year's HSC include biology, business studies and mathematics.
More than 34,000 students across the state are enrolled in at least one science subject, while more than 23,000 have undertaken a Vocational Education and Training course.
Yanco Agricultural High School prinicpal Daryl Finch said 54 students were sitting this year's exams.
"If they work hard and to their potential they will be fine," Mr Finch said.
"We have some very talented students here and we have high hopes of them doing very well.
"I know they have all been studying hard.
"One of the advantages of YAHS is you have your teachers on tap all of the time."
The HSC written exams will be held over 18 days and will finish on November 5.
To receive an HSC, students must have completed the equivalent of two years of prescribed study and satisfactorily completed assessments and external examinations.
LHS students Sally Boardman and Nick Ronfeldt were nervous about the upcoming exams, explaining there was a lot of pressure surrounding the HSC.
"The teachers have been really good," Sally said.
"I think most of us are looking forward to it being over."
Both Sally and Nick were hoping to use their ATAR marks to get into university courses.
Nick was aiming to study agricultural science, while Sally has her hopes set on a medical science course.
St Francis College principal Brenda King said her students were well prepared.
"As a year group I'm expecting them to do very well," she said.
"They've done all the hard work and will be well rewarded I would think.
"As a year group they have been a wonderful group of kids."
