What advice would you give to people just starting college?
Starting at a sixth form or college can be a daunting experience, even if it's the same sixth form as your school.
If you've just finished your first year at college or you're even further on, what advice would you give to other people who are just about to start their A levels?
This can be personal, academic, emotional or financial advice for taking that next step in the academic journey!
And if you're a student just about to make the jump from GCSE into college, what are you most anxious about starting?
If you've just finished your first year at college or you're even further on, what advice would you give to other people who are just about to start their A levels?
This can be personal, academic, emotional or financial advice for taking that next step in the academic journey!
And if you're a student just about to make the jump from GCSE into college, what are you most anxious about starting?
(edited 7 years ago)
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What sort of advice would you like us to give, @Fox Corner? That's quite an ambiguous question 
Original post by Leviathan1741
What sort of advice would you like us to give, @Fox Corner? That's quite an ambiguous question
Haha sorry
I mean I know when I went into college I was worried about getting to know people, making friends, how the work would be different to GCSE and things like that. Advice I would give personally is just not to work yourself up about it and be yourself, but it might be good to get different perspectives - especially from people who have just been at college. I start college 7 years ago now!
Original post by Fox Corner
Haha sorry
I mean I know when I went into college I was worried about getting to know people, making friends, how the work would be different to GCSE and things like that. Advice I would give personally is just not to work yourself up about it and be yourself, but it might be good to get different perspectives - especially from people who have just been at college. I start college 7 years ago now!
I mean I know when I went into college I was worried about getting to know people, making friends, how the work would be different to GCSE and things like that. Advice I would give personally is just not to work yourself up about it and be yourself, but it might be good to get different perspectives - especially from people who have just been at college. I start college 7 years ago now!
It's okay haha! I would say the same as you, don't get too worked up about it, because it probably won't be anywhere near as daunting as you might think! Work hard, but don't forget to balance work with relaxation, hobbies etc. I'd also recommend joining any clubs or societies which interest you, as that can increase your chances of finding people with similar interests and becoming friends with them! I left college last year
I'd definitely recommend starting early in terms of working. It's easy to get to exams and realise that you would probably be in a much better position had you been revising right from the start!
That said, make sure you keep your study life and personal life well balanced. It's easy to burn out too early, so don't feel guilty if you need time to relax.
That said, make sure you keep your study life and personal life well balanced. It's easy to burn out too early, so don't feel guilty if you need time to relax.
Original post by Fox Corner
Starting at a sixth form or college can be a daunting experience, even if it's the same sixth form as your school.
If you've just finished your first year at college or you're even further on, what advice would you give to other people who are just about to start their A levels?
This can be personal, academic, emotional or financial advice for taking that next step in the academic journey!
And if you're a student just about to make the jump from GCSE into college, what are you most anxious about starting?
If you've just finished your first year at college or you're even further on, what advice would you give to other people who are just about to start their A levels?
This can be personal, academic, emotional or financial advice for taking that next step in the academic journey!
And if you're a student just about to make the jump from GCSE into college, what are you most anxious about starting?
Here is some advice i would give:
1 You are 2 years away from Uni so don't stress to much about it focus on
your courses,
2.If you are having trouble in a class talk to the tutor they are there to help
this is not school.
3.You do not have to eat in the canteen is there a Subway or Burger king
nearby (or a good Chinese takeaway that's what I did some even have lunch deals).
4. DO NOT take weed on collage grounds (if you are in to that) as if you get
court you will asked to leave.
5. Go to the UCAS Fair this summer it's a good day out and a good time/place to start thinking about uni talk
6 Join a club or so city there are lots more then in school bit not as much as
in uni
7.and lastly have fun.
Original post by New- Emperor
Here is some advice i would give:
1 You are 2 years away from Uni so don't stress to much about it focus on
your courses,
2.If you are having trouble in a class talk to the tutor they are there to help
this is not school.
3.You do not have to eat in the canteen is there a Subway or Burger king
nearby (or a good Chinese takeaway that's what I did some even have lunch deals).
4. DO NOT take weed on collage grounds (if you are in to that) as if you get
court you will asked to leave.
5. Go to the UCAS Fair this summer it's a good day out and a good time/place to start thinking about uni talk
6 Join a club or so city there are lots more then in school bit not as much as
in uni
7.and lastly have fun.
1 You are 2 years away from Uni so don't stress to much about it focus on
your courses,
2.If you are having trouble in a class talk to the tutor they are there to help
this is not school.
3.You do not have to eat in the canteen is there a Subway or Burger king
nearby (or a good Chinese takeaway that's what I did some even have lunch deals).
4. DO NOT take weed on collage grounds (if you are in to that) as if you get
court you will asked to leave.
5. Go to the UCAS Fair this summer it's a good day out and a good time/place to start thinking about uni talk
6 Join a club or so city there are lots more then in school bit not as much as
in uni
7.and lastly have fun.
Just to add to number 4 - I remember one day when they brought surprise police dogs onto the college grounds to do random checks in the smoking area ... scary day. Just be aware of the risk!
I think the most important thing for high-aspirations students is to learn how to learn. A-levels are such a massive leap in understanding compared to GCSEs that A/B grades are near impossible to achieve without incredible work ethic, meaning reading a little ahead (about two weeks) and really focusing on the toughest parts of the A-level until it becomes easier than second-nature.
The internet is such a rich resource, it's important to take as much advantage as possible. YouTube channels dedicated to teaching A-level Mathematics, Physics, Economics, English, Psychology, Biology, etc are available and is usually completely free.
Effective learning/revision involves a) attention - strong focus during lectures, b) encoding - turning short term memories into long term memories by using techniques like elaborative interrogation (embrace your inner five year old with a lot of "why" questions), using analogies to break down concepts, distributed practice with past paper questions, and teaching someone else (which forces someone to simplify rather than regurgitate), c) retrieval - exam technique, quickly deciphering what information is available and what the exam question wants you to do with it in the most time-effective way to achieve all the marks.
It takes something in the order of 50-150 hours of practice (exam papers) on any module to achieve mastery.
The internet is such a rich resource, it's important to take as much advantage as possible. YouTube channels dedicated to teaching A-level Mathematics, Physics, Economics, English, Psychology, Biology, etc are available and is usually completely free.
Effective learning/revision involves a) attention - strong focus during lectures, b) encoding - turning short term memories into long term memories by using techniques like elaborative interrogation (embrace your inner five year old with a lot of "why" questions), using analogies to break down concepts, distributed practice with past paper questions, and teaching someone else (which forces someone to simplify rather than regurgitate), c) retrieval - exam technique, quickly deciphering what information is available and what the exam question wants you to do with it in the most time-effective way to achieve all the marks.
It takes something in the order of 50-150 hours of practice (exam papers) on any module to achieve mastery.
I've just finished my last year of Sixth Form, here is my advice and the things I learnt:
1. Don't over-work yourself during the summer between GCSEs and starting Sixth Form. You won't get a summer as long and as free as this one again for 2 years, so enjoy yourself.
If you want to do some work, good advice would be to (a) complete any induction material your college has sent you and (b) familiarise yourself with the structure of each A level you're taking (modulus etc).
2. Starting A levels: At first, in my experience anyway, they seemed absolutely impossible. But do remember that you're only doing 4 or 5 of them, compared to 10 subjects at GCSE. By the time your exams come you should be a lot more experienced.
3. Revising: I didn't start properly revising until the start of the Easter holidays. A very good tip is to get all your notes made as you go along the year, reviewing them at half terms and in the Christmas holidays. At GCSE my exercise books were in such a mess, so I had to spend the first half of Easter writing up notes. That was valuable revision time wasted.
4. Making Friends: This will seem hard at first, but the usual advice applies: be yourself, don't be afraid to put yourself out there, and keep trying. Its invaluable preparation for university. You don't have to be the most popular person in the year, just aim to have a few friends who you get on well with.
5. University: During your Lower Sixth year, you should be mainly focusing on your exams. But this year is where you should start to think about where you want to go, and which course to go for. When exams are over, start going to open days and visiting places (most universities have open days around late June). You can easily visit a place out of open day, just go to reception and ask for a campus map. You should create your UCAS account (the website through which all applications are handled) after your lower 6th exams. Write your personal statement over the summer holiday then.
1. Don't over-work yourself during the summer between GCSEs and starting Sixth Form. You won't get a summer as long and as free as this one again for 2 years, so enjoy yourself.
If you want to do some work, good advice would be to (a) complete any induction material your college has sent you and (b) familiarise yourself with the structure of each A level you're taking (modulus etc).
2. Starting A levels: At first, in my experience anyway, they seemed absolutely impossible. But do remember that you're only doing 4 or 5 of them, compared to 10 subjects at GCSE. By the time your exams come you should be a lot more experienced.
3. Revising: I didn't start properly revising until the start of the Easter holidays. A very good tip is to get all your notes made as you go along the year, reviewing them at half terms and in the Christmas holidays. At GCSE my exercise books were in such a mess, so I had to spend the first half of Easter writing up notes. That was valuable revision time wasted.
4. Making Friends: This will seem hard at first, but the usual advice applies: be yourself, don't be afraid to put yourself out there, and keep trying. Its invaluable preparation for university. You don't have to be the most popular person in the year, just aim to have a few friends who you get on well with.
5. University: During your Lower Sixth year, you should be mainly focusing on your exams. But this year is where you should start to think about where you want to go, and which course to go for. When exams are over, start going to open days and visiting places (most universities have open days around late June). You can easily visit a place out of open day, just go to reception and ask for a campus map. You should create your UCAS account (the website through which all applications are handled) after your lower 6th exams. Write your personal statement over the summer holiday then.
Original post by Fox Corner
Starting at a sixth form or college can be a daunting experience, even if it's the same sixth form as your school.
If you've just finished your first year at college or you're even further on, what advice would you give to other people who are just about to start their A levels?
This can be personal, academic, emotional or financial advice for taking that next step in the academic journey!
And if you're a student just about to make the jump from GCSE into college, what are you most anxious about starting?
If you've just finished your first year at college or you're even further on, what advice would you give to other people who are just about to start their A levels?
This can be personal, academic, emotional or financial advice for taking that next step in the academic journey!
And if you're a student just about to make the jump from GCSE into college, what are you most anxious about starting?
Tip: type up your notes instead of handwriting them. Its much quicker
Original post by jaffacakes101
Tip: type up your notes instead of handwriting them. Its much quicker
I would actually argue the opposite, the use of computers to type up notes tends to be worse for your learning than if it had been simply handwritten. In scientific literature, a theory argues that it's based on the amount of cognitive load (mental effort) when writing the notes that counts, not necessarily the content quoted ad verbatim.
It's really useful to have a dictaphone if one has slow or otherwise poor handwriting skills for whatever reason. The most advantageous place to use computers is when word processing coursework or searching the internet for learning materials or during exams if you have a SpLD.
Original post by Rather_Cynical
I would actually argue the opposite, the use of computers to type up notes tends to be worse for your learning than if it had been simply handwritten. In scientific literature, a theory argues that it's based on the amount of cognitive load (mental effort) when writing the notes that counts, not necessarily the content quoted ad verbatim.
It's really useful to have a dictaphone if one has slow or otherwise poor handwriting skills for whatever reason. The most advantageous place to use computers is when word processing coursework or searching the internet for learning materials or during exams if you have a SpLD.
It's really useful to have a dictaphone if one has slow or otherwise poor handwriting skills for whatever reason. The most advantageous place to use computers is when word processing coursework or searching the internet for learning materials or during exams if you have a SpLD.
I see your point, I used to have the same view. However I have practiced both methods (handwriting notes and typing up notes) and find that the latter works best for me. This isn't my only method of revision though I also say my revision notes aloud and multiple times, which really helps drill information into my brain.
Original post by jaffacakes101
I see your point, I used to have the same view. However I have practiced both methods (handwriting notes and typing up notes) and find that the latter works best for me. This isn't my only method of revision though I also say my revision notes aloud and multiple times, which really helps drill information into my brain.
I think it really depends on the person, the most common method I've seen is a lot like typing up a transcript which is what I'm referring to (it's more or less mechanical and doesn't involve thinking about what's being said). I happen to be a touch-typist, so I feel it would be less helpful for me because I don't have to strain myself as much.
If you're referring back to the notes and simplifying the language or providing explanations for yourself, then typing up notes can be incredibly helpful.
Original post by Rather_Cynical
I think it really depends on the person, the most common method I've seen is a lot like typing up a transcript which is what I'm referring to (it's more or less mechanical and doesn't involve thinking about what's being said). I happen to be a touch-typist, so I feel it would be less helpful for me because I don't have to strain myself as much.
If you're referring back to the notes and simplifying the language or providing explanations for yourself, then typing up notes can be incredibly helpful.
If you're referring back to the notes and simplifying the language or providing explanations for yourself, then typing up notes can be incredibly helpful.
I agree
work consistently throughout the year
Original post by Fox Corner
Starting at a sixth form or college can be a daunting experience, even if it's the same sixth form as your school.
If you've just finished your first year at college or you're even further on, what advice would you give to other people who are just about to start their A levels?
This can be personal, academic, emotional or financial advice for taking that next step in the academic journey!
And if you're a student just about to make the jump from GCSE into college, what are you most anxious about starting?
If you've just finished your first year at college or you're even further on, what advice would you give to other people who are just about to start their A levels?
This can be personal, academic, emotional or financial advice for taking that next step in the academic journey!
And if you're a student just about to make the jump from GCSE into college, what are you most anxious about starting?
I think it largely depends on where you live and how your school works, but basically I live in a small city with around three term exams every year.
> When you get an invite to hangout, accept it! *Provided that you have done whatever you need to do
>If you're in the middle of exams week, try not to go out as much. I find revising using colorful highlighters and little doodles here and there to be very useful!
>Take a nap if you need to. During my Alevels, as soon as I had lunch I would plant face-first onto my bed xD Then, I'll work my arse off during the night--- but this depends on you, not everyone is the same x)
> JOIN AS MUCH VOLUNTEERING ACTIVITIES AS YOU CAN. Grab a friend, or go solo! All these certs will add up when you attend interviews later on---whether it's for a scholarship/university application.
> Try to take online quizzes here and there to see what career path is available to you. Sometimes we only know doctor, lawyer, teacher, but irl there are so many different jobs that may pay well too! So keep an open mind and do as much research as you can.
> Go to University fairs. No matter where you live, there would be fairs once in a while, and collecting prospectuses and asking pointless questions are fun too HAHAHA
> One thing I wished I have done was save up on money
I never knew I needed a DSLR camera in my life until this year, and I wished I didn't spend as much money on buying presents 
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