This year 70,000 students in Year 12 are expected to sit more than 110 exams across the state, with the scores from the exams forming 50 per cent of their final school mark for each course.

At Queanbeyan High School 25 Year 12 students and 50 Year 11 students will participate in more than 20 different examinations.

Principal John Clark said senior students had the choice of 33 subjects for the HSC, with 54 options over a two year cycle.

``Students only study three subjects each year and complete the HSC examinations in these three subjects,'' he said.

``This allows for a wider variety of courses to run, means there is less stress leading up to the examinations and that students can devote more study time to each subject as they only have three to study for.''

Mr Clark said the students were generally finding the HSC easy to handle, but it was only the first week.

``I think the clue for the HSC nowadays, which is very different to what it used to be, is that it's very easy to answer all the questions the mark you get is based on how well you answer those questions. So the exam itself is not as stressful as it used to be,'' he said.

Mr Clark had a few pieces of advice for students undertaking their exams.

``[They need to] make sure they've had something to eat before the exam and to make sure that they have completed their final preparations in terms of study,'' he said.