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tips for 3A*

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Original post by glebp
A*AAA here. Lost friends, barely went out on weekends. Was it worth it? Yeah it was, got into Warwick

Sacrifice your soul for less than a year, and socialise at a good university, also knowing that your future career prospects will be above average.

What I have done to get those grades:
1) Do every past paper, and read every examiners report to assess how an examiners mind works
2) Did not use notes, only past papers.
3) Evaluating my whole revision process, seeking out where I can save time and make the whole process more efficient, rather than working extremely hard. Done this by revising overlapping content with other subjects, worked wonders and saved an abundance of time.
4) For the A* take interest outside the A Level content. Massively increase your chances of getting an A* grade, albeit it will be difficult as you need to hit the 90% boundry at A2.
5) Diet is important. Avoid low quality, junk food. Also sports improve your well being, which I found as equally important as everything else.
6) Lastly, helping other people improve at your subject is incredibly useful. I found this to be a very significant component to my success. As people throw questions at me, I try to dig deeper and elaborate as much as I can, and this has immenseley improved my answers in my written essays.

Good luck


'Sacrifice your soul' 😪😭
Reply 141
Original post by glebp
A*AAA here. Lost friends, barely went out on weekends. Was it worth it? Yeah it was, got into Warwick

Sacrifice your soul for less than a year, and socialise at a good university, also knowing that your future career prospects will be above average.

What I have done to get those grades:
1) Do every past paper, and read every examiners report to assess how an examiners mind works
2) Did not use notes, only past papers.
3) Evaluating my whole revision process, seeking out where I can save time and make the whole process more efficient, rather than working extremely hard. Done this by revising overlapping content with other subjects, worked wonders and saved an abundance of time.
4) For the A* take interest outside the A Level content. Massively increase your chances of getting an A* grade, albeit it will be difficult as you need to hit the 90% boundry at A2.
5) Diet is important. Avoid low quality, junk food. Also sports improve your well being, which I found as equally important as everything else.
6) Lastly, helping other people improve at your subject is incredibly useful. I found this to be a very significant component to my success. As people throw questions at me, I try to dig deeper and elaborate as much as I can, and this has immenseley improved my answers in my written essays.

Good luck


There's no need to sacrifice your social life for grades.

If you work efficiently you can still see your friends every weekend and during your frees/lunch, etc.
Original post by Chemgawd99
for AS I achieved AAAC in maths, physics, chemistry and further maths respectively. For my A2 year, I will be studying maths, physics and chemistry and retaking AS FM. I hope to get 3A* and an A. Do you have any tips on doing this task, plus are A2's harder than AS?


I need to do the same.
Original post by Chemgawd99
for AS I achieved AAAC in maths, physics, chemistry and further maths respectively. For my A2 year, I will be studying maths, physics and chemistry and retaking AS FM. I hope to get 3A* and an A. Do you have any tips on doing this task, plus are A2's harder than AS?


My tips: for every hour of lessons do one hour of independent study for that subject. Do loads of past papers. Then once you have done the past papers, analyse your mistakes....see where you went wrong. Keep doing the past papers until you get the answers correct. Read up on what you're going to be doing in a lesson before you actually have the lesson. Make notes, flashcards,mind maps.
That's my advice and how I achieved 3 A*s in maths, biology and chemistry A level last year :smile: *
Will Imperial straight reject me if I apply with predicted grades A*AA where as the entry requirements for my course are A*A*A?

Futhermore, If I exceed my predicted on results day is there any way of me going to imperial (If I call up or something). As they do not go through the process of adjustment
Original post by alow
There's no need to sacrifice your social life for grades.

If you work efficiently you can still see your friends every weekend and during your frees/lunch, etc.


I was doing GCSEs while doing A2 level, so my workload was greater than the usual

If you want to go to a top university, such as Oxbridge, LSE, Warwick you are unlikely to have enough time to socialise.

A minority can, but they are usually gifted, as with one girl I know who went to Oxford yet partied like no tomorrow every weekend. 80% of individuals work hard and make sacrifices necessary to go to a top uni
Reply 146
Original post by glebp
I was doing GCSEs while doing A2 level, so my workload was greater than the usual

If you want to go to a top university, such as Oxbridge, LSE, Warwick you are unlikely to have enough time to socialise.

A minority can, but they are usually gifted, as with one girl I know who went to Oxford yet partied like no tomorrow every weekend. 80% of individuals work hard and make sacrifices necessary to go to a top uni


Rubbish.

The vast majority of people I know at Cambridge (including me) still had a great social life while doing A Levels. A Levels do not have enough content that it would be possible to do more than 40ish hours a week without having to do the same things over and over.
Original post by AliceLambert
Thank you, I couldn't have put it better!


No worries, Good luck :smile:
Original post by glebp
I was doing GCSEs while doing A2 level, so my workload was greater than the usual

If you want to go to a top university, such as Oxbridge, LSE, Warwick you are unlikely to have enough time to socialise.

A minority can, but they are usually gifted, as with one girl I know who went to Oxford yet partied like no tomorrow every weekend. 80% of individuals work hard and make sacrifices necessary to go to a top uni


I'm thinking or redoing my maths gcse to achieve a better grade how did you manage your alevels and gcses?? How was your workload

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Original post by goal101
I'm thinking or redoing my maths gcse to achieve a better grade how did you manage your alevels and gcses?? How was your workload

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I had a C in English Language and Mathematics GCSE! and I needed AAA at A2 + Maths at A and English at B to get into Warwick. I have got A*AAA and an A in maths and english, all done in one year, mostly self teaching.
Original post by glebp
I had a C in English Language and Mathematics GCSE! and I needed AAA at A2 + Maths at A and English at B to get into Warwick. I have got A*AAA and an A in maths and english, all done in one year, mostly self teaching.


Wow i also achieved grade C in maths and eng language but I was thinking of just doing maths, how did you manage your time when did you start revising for your maths ? What resources did you use and what subjects did you do at alevel
Also welldone on those amazing results

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Original post by goal101
Wow i also achieved grade C in maths and eng language but I was thinking of just doing maths, how did you manage your time when did you start revising for your maths ? What resources did you use and what subjects did you do at alevel
Also welldone on those amazing results

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I started revising Maths in late October. Well, as I said, I mixed the subjects based on priority. So I cleared out things I did not know first, and all the other context I have just looked through. To be honest I had 0 maths knowledge back then. examsolutions is good, and past papers. Consider a tutor also. I have done Economics A*, Business A, Russian A, IT, A and now I am doing maths A level at home for my masters, so far I am enjoying it a lot, as its much more technical and its pure.

The bottom line is that, if you really want something you will get it. I wanted to get into that university so badly, that I felt guilty sleeping. When you get to that point, you can achieve anything.
Original post by glebp
I started revising Maths in late October. Well, as I said, I mixed the subjects based on priority. So I cleared out things I did not know first, and all the other context I have just looked through. To be honest I had 0 maths knowledge back then. examsolutions is good, and past papers. Consider a tutor also. I have done Economics A*, Business A, Russian A, IT, A and now I am doing maths A level at home for my masters, so far I am enjoying it a lot, as its much more technical and its pure.

The bottom line is that, if you really want something you will get it. I wanted to get into that university so badly, that I felt guilty sleeping. When you get to that point, you can achieve anything.


What's your advice for economics?
I can't seem to hit consistent As in my essays.
-Maybe it's just because I'm not an essay person.
Original post by glebp
I started revising Maths in late October. Well, as I said, I mixed the subjects based on priority. So I cleared out things I did not know first, and all the other context I have just looked through. To be honest I had 0 maths knowledge back then. examsolutions is good, and past papers. Consider a tutor also. I have done Economics A*, Business A, Russian A, IT, A and now I am doing maths A level at home for my masters, so far I am enjoying it a lot, as its much more technical and its pure.

The bottom line is that, if you really want something you will get it. I wanted to get into that university so badly, that I felt guilty sleeping. When you get to that point, you can achieve anything.


Wow that's awesome and thankyou for this advise I'm doing Biology sociology and psychology so I hope it all goes well!

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Original post by Maths is Life
What's your advice for economics?
I can't seem to hit consistent As in my essays.
-Maybe it's just because I'm not an essay person.


Inbox me with the question and your answer, from there I can see what you're missing and give you some of my self made material which got some students A's for macro.
Original post by Bluebubbles123

That's my advice and how I achieved 3 A*s in maths, biology and chemistry A level last year :smile: *

What exam board were you on for Maths? Also those results are amazing, congrats.
I live for this thread. Awesome tips.


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Original post by DarkEnergy
What exam board were you on for Maths? Also those results are amazing, congrats.


AQA, and thank you! *
I got ABB at AS, the A in chemistry, and the B in biology. I was one or two marks off an A in Biology, is it worth getting it re-marked?
Original post by Johnny321
I got ABB at AS, the A in chemistry, and the B in biology. I was one or two marks off an A in Biology, is it worth getting it re-marked?


Yeah, I think you should. If you do get those 2 extra marks, that'll give you an A grade which will make your UCAS application look better when it comes to applying to Unis. Also, if your grade does go up, you'll get your money back (The money paid for the retake) and considering that you're 2 marks off that higher grade, you've got a high chance of getting that A grade when your papers are remarked. Best of luck! :smile:

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