The Transition from GCSE to A-Level

Hello everyone,

I'm starting AS in September, and was wondering whether anybody has any tips on how to stay productive but stress-free during the two years of A-Level study.

Thanks.

Reply 1

BR1999

Original post by Sir_Merlin

Hello everyone,

I'm starting AS in September, and was wondering whether anybody has any tips on how to stay productive but stress-free during the two years of A-Level study.

Thanks.

I just finished my AS year :biggrin:

. I really advice you to be organised by getting a diary and stick to one folder system. Also print off the specification and annotate it in class (i did this for 2 of my subjects and in both i got an A). Make brief notes in class and expand on them at home.

Personally i don't recommend you use revision cards or any other method you use at GCSE (If you did), write concise notes and keep writing them until you can annotate the specification from memory. And do at least an extract from a past paper per subject each week :tongue:

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 2

Sir_Merlin

Original post by BR1999

I just finished my AS year :biggrin:

I'll order them on Amazon now :biggrin:

Thanks for the advice!

What subjects did you take for AS?

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 3

HopelessMedic

Just work hard in your lessons/homework and you will be fine. I personally don't think you can do well in A-levels from last minute revision, its more geared towards consistent hard work. Be constantly reading ahead/previous notes and make sure you revise for mocks. Then make one set of revision notes and after that just do past papers.

Reply 4

richpanda

Original post by Sir_Merlin

Hello everyone,

I'm starting AS in September, and was wondering whether anybody has any tips on how to stay productive but stress-free during the two years of A-Level study.

Thanks.

http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=4197729

Reply 5

BR1999

Original post by Sir_Merlin

I'll order them on Amazon now :biggrin:

Thanks for the advice!

What subjects did you take for AS?

Originally I took - (Law, Maths, Fine Art and Business)
1 month later - (Law, Maths, Economics, Business) :biggrin:

Reply 6

Sir_Merlin

Thanks for all the replies - that really helps. :-)

Reply 7

FrenchNerd2

As someone who did mostly essay writing subjects, doing at least an essay every two weeks per subject (or more often if they are only 12 or 15 markers - I had 20 mark essays for History and 35 markers for French which take about 45 minutes to an hour to plan and write) really helps you get in the practice you need. I recommend starting this as early as the first half term (basically, if you've covered all the content you need to write an essay, write it). Your first essays will probably be crap but it's better to start off as crap in October than wait until February (or god forbid April!) to write your first essay and realise it's crap and freak out that you have very little time to both improve drastically and revise the material you need for the essays. Once your essays have been marked, take the feedback that has been given and don't settle because your predicted grade is a C and you got the marks needed for a C, unless you've got full marks on the essay, there are still areas to improve upon (but also, don't expect full mark essays straight away, I sure didn't receive them). If you're doing science/maths, past papers are invaluable (and if you're on one of the new syllabuses for this year, look and see if past papers from the old syllabus match up with content from your current one and try them or do some of the activities in your textbook etc.)

Reply 8

3121

The leap from GCSE to AS level is so much easier than the leap from AS to A2, it's important you build habits and motivation during AS so A2 is much easier. My main advice is to enjoy AS becuase when you finish and look at the A2 content you'll look back and actually love AS. If you're stuck on a topic the best thing to do is watch YouTube videos on it, read revision guides and take it from a guy who got an A from self-teaching economics this way - copying (rewriting & summarising) out of a textbook works miracles. You read it, copy it then make sense of it. My general study pattern was to copy from the textbook, watch a video on it then re read my notes making sure I understand it 100%. For revision you just need some pre made revision cards (making your own takes so long and you tend to focus on what you already know!), revision guides and just use what other people have posted on this site.

Using the specification as a checklist is great and if you want to take your subject to uni I suggest you begin building interests outside the course becuase it'll help you when applying and will energise your knowledge for your courses. But my number one advice will be to remember this, a month after your exam everything will make sense, you'll just somehow realise what you've learnt, I discovered this after GCSE and I realised it's becuase when you relax your brain absorbs information it's like it tidies itself up and organises everything for you, keeping that in mind helped me relax throughout the year and especially when revising, I looked at my notes and stuff as if I had already done my exam so that stress wasn't there. Try it, it's a completely different prospective. Take the traditional approach to studying but add your twist to it, make your study method your own becuase we all learn differently and if you learn how you learn best then you've self-developed to a new level which will get you really far.

Reply 9

Call_me_bo

Original post by Sir_Merlin

Hello everyone,

I'm starting AS in September, and was wondering whether anybody has any tips on how to stay productive but stress-free during the two years of A-Level study.

Thanks.

From personal experience (Sorry if you don't do these subjects but I think this can be applied to quite a few things) I can honestly say (and some may disagree with me) that the jump from IGCSE to AS is difficult to come to terms with. I think A level is a lot of independent study and finding what works for you. You're expected to read your notes and compare with other sources to get the most out of your studies.
The idea for A level is that: You chose your subjects. You like your subjects and that passion will fuel your learning and the effort you put in
I think for AS Level -a subject like Literature for example requires you to engage with the writer and read up and make notes (on themes and context) from the jump. You also need to write out an essay at least once a week. Find past papers on things you've done/ Ask your teacher to give you a few titles of stories which you've recently done. (Also for content subjectstry to keep typed assignments to a minimum as you won't be doing your hand any good and pace is essential)
For Science subjects:
Maths is practice, practice, practice but ONLY after you've really grasped what you're supposed to be doing and understood. Again I recommend that you have at least two maths text books to compare methods etc
Chemistry is really just expansion for the first part. Just sit and listen in class then make your notes at home in your own time. Use tutorials on YouTube and your textbook if you aren't quite sure. Same really with
physics but more practice should be spent on physics questions especially with motion questions and Work/power/energy sections.

A2 is a more comprehensible step up from AS. It's just that extra step further. More independent study (E.g you probably might have to read a higher level article to really understand a concept or Devon an argument) etc... it feels like more pressure because you also have to worry about uni applications and all you want to do is leave high school!

Final comments: Don't psyche yourself out. A level is doable. People pass. Try to enjoy it because it can really be interesting. Just work hard and it should reflect.