How to get an A* in A level AQA Chemistry

omggg i need advice on this too

long story short - i am doing a whole chemistry A level (AS and A2) in ONE year, and to get into uni next year i need to get an A*

any advice would be amazingggg !

Hey I just finished an intensive Chemistry A Level this year (on AQA) I got an A
Damn CHEM4, i found it horrific - otherwise I might have had a chance at A*, no matter though- I'm really pleased with what I got.

But you have to do a lot of work towards it out of lessons. LOTS. If you're really determined your effort will pay off. Invest in a good revision guide. (I used CGP not Collins, each to their own I guess ) I really didn't gel with the Nelson Thornes book at times.. Seriously do every question paper you can find, even the older ones (and just omit the questions that aren't applicable).

When you get to the end of chapter do those exam style questions, tedious I know but you need to make sure you understand the content.

If you don't understand, ask for help. Teachers can be a wonderful resource (if they're not dicks...)

Make sure you read and re-write your notes from lessons as soon as you can, so that you reinforce knowledge and its one less job to rush when you come to revise

Find a revision technique that suits you. Cannot stress this enough, there is quite a bit of rote learning especially in A2, with colour changes, conditions and mechanisms etc. I found that flashcards with key points (or mechanisms) helped me tonnes. I also made a huge A3 sized map with all the reaction pathways I could think of - that was useful having it all in one place.

Once you have done most past papers, go back and sit the Exam Style Questions as an Exam or two...

Oh and revise for your ISAs/EMPAs... so many people in my class lost valuable UMS because they didn't take it seriously.

Work, work, work and attend the lessons and you should be fine Try and have some down time too though

Hey I just finished an intensive Chemistry A Level this year (on AQA) I got an A
Damn CHEM4, i found it horrific - otherwise I might have had a chance at A*, no matter though- I'm really pleased with what I got.

But you have to do a lot of work towards it out of lessons. LOTS. If you're really determined your effort will pay off. Invest in a good revision guide. (I used CGP not Collins, each to their own I guess ) I really didn't gel with the Nelson Thornes book at times.. Seriously do every question paper you can find, even the older ones (and just omit the questions that aren't applicable).

When you get to the end of chapter do those exam style questions, tedious I know but you need to make sure you understand the content.

If you don't understand, ask for help. Teachers can be a wonderful resource (if they're not dicks...)

Make sure you read and re-write your notes from lessons as soon as you can, so that you reinforce knowledge and its one less job to rush when you come to revise

Find a revision technique that suits you. Cannot stress this enough, there is quite a bit of rote learning especially in A2, with colour changes, conditions and mechanisms etc. I found that flashcards with key points (or mechanisms) helped me tonnes. I also made a huge A3 sized map with all the reaction pathways I could think of - that was useful having it all in one place.

Once you have done most past papers, go back and sit the Exam Style Questions as an Exam or two...

Oh and revise for your ISAs/EMPAs... so many people in my class lost valuable UMS because they didn't take it seriously.

Work, work, work and attend the lessons and you should be fine Try and have some down time too though

Well done on your A!

thanks for the advice - its nice to hear from someone who's actually gone through the same thing that im gonna do

well done on your A.

If you dont mind me asking what was your AS grade and ums, because i want to know how realistic it would be for me to expect an A after A2.
What are you off to study?

I'm off to study Bsc Nutrition and Dietetics with a Placement Year at the University of Surrey So excited, and glad... offer was conditional on getting an A in Chemistry

Well done for your A in chemistry
I've just started my AS chemistry today..I was thinking about doing nutrition & dietetics in uni!
I just wanted to know what other universities you applied to as there are not a lot of uni's that do the course, also I live in London and would prefer to stay here..

Thanks

Thanks Guys If you need any help, i'll try my best You're more than welcome to drop me a pm any time.
Adrian I got an A overall at AS I think. CHEM1: 80/100, CHEM2: 129/140 and CHEM3X: 48/60 UMS.

I'm off to study Bsc Nutrition and Dietetics with a Placement Year at the University of Surrey So excited, and glad... offer was conditional on getting an A in Chemistry



ISA wise you can never really know what will appear until you get into the room on the day. Mine EMPA in march was a Titration and Halide tests on a supposed weedkiller. So anything you think can be related to these type of experiments will most likely come up. So you'll have to be really hot on mole/concentration calculations. Possibly simple redox equations. You'll probably have a few organic chem questions thrown in for good measure too. (If i think of any more I'll let you know... I can't quite remember what was in my EMPA)

Basically, if you start you revising for your summer exams when it's time to prepare for ISAs you'll feel a lot better when you go into the summer exam period Maybe you didn't do so well because because of nerves/bad day on the exam? Or perhaps look at a more effective way of revising?

How did you deal with the A2 ISAs (bearing in mind that you didnt even have full AS knowledge at the time) ?

also, did you do all your AS and A2 exams in the summer?

No, the way we did it was learn CHEM1 and CHEM2 from September - December and then take these exams in January. Then we did a bit on practicals and started learning CHEM4 and CHEM5 from February - April. We took both the AS and A2 EMPA at like the last possible point we were allowed (which was at the end of April I think). So that I did have AS Knowledge by the time I got to practical exams

Then just spent the rest of the summer term revisiting and revising A2 and any retake stuff we need to go over. It was a hard slog

ohhh :/

im doing AS and A2 at the same time ... like today i had an hour of A2 and then an hour of AS ... its so confusing

Wow, I'm a bit surprised your school/college are doing it like that. Seems even more hardcore I think that learning the AS first is important... lots of basic principles there that ground the A2. No wonder you're confused

im doing a practice ISA in a week for A2

what. the. hell.


gonna try and cram learning the whole AS in a week

Seems strange, BUT it's only a practice Practical is very different to theory.. you have to learn by doing - so that might be why you're starting practices early?

Thanks, That's awesome! Not that I'm biased or anything Yeah there are only a handful of places that offer the course, which cuts down your choices I suppose...

Well I think Kings do Dietetics but I didn't apply there though
I applied to the courses at Chester, Nottingham, Plymouth and Leeds Metropolitan as well as Surrey (obviously )

Also, I think Uni. Coventry and Uni. Hertfordshire run the course too, and they're nearer to London than the likes of Scottish or Welsh Unis... ( I think UWIC and Robert Gordon are the ones that do Dietetics).

Have you done any work experience? If not I'd advise you to start looking for some as you will see if you enjoy/like the profession and it'll look great on your UCAS application! I only got onto some NHS work experience after I'd sent my application and some rejections were based on lack of work experience.
No harm in starting early

Hope you're finding Chemistry okay =]

Edit: http://www.bda.uk.com/careers/courses.html All the courses accredited by the British Dietetic Association and Health Professions Council

trueee..
i dont really know what to expect.. other than the fact that im gonna get pretty confused

hmm I think i'll apply to kings as that's the nearest to where I live..and i'll look into the other places

Nope I've not done any work experience..was hoping to start and it could be part of my 15 hours for the enrichment hours we have to do, i think anyway..lol not too sure about that..

ermm alot of the NHS places around me dont really have a specific department for dietetics! and i doubt there's any point in working in a random department?
I've searched alot of places and I couldnt even find 1 dietician or nutritionist !! not even private ones so i have no idea where I am going to find the work experience..

Thanks sooo much for your help