What is the best way to approach AS and A-levels?
This is aimed at responses from Y13 and above, so people currently in Y12 and below can benefit!
People who have retaken all of the units for an A-level are of particular important when giving advice, as the new linear A-levels are essentially the format of someone retaking all of their units in the June of Y13.
- What is the best way to approach these qualifications?
- What is the best way to be confident that you'll achieve the grades you want to achieve?
Share success stories, tips and motivational pep-talks here!
People who have retaken all of the units for an A-level are of particular important when giving advice, as the new linear A-levels are essentially the format of someone retaking all of their units in the June of Y13.
- What is the best way to approach these qualifications?
- What is the best way to be confident that you'll achieve the grades you want to achieve?
Share success stories, tips and motivational pep-talks here!
Original post by Aslii
Revise from Day 1 and make sure you are on top of all homework's, coursework's and you understand EVERY single lesson. Also your Attendance needs to be perfect as this also effects your grade!!!
Would you say attendance affects grades at A-level much more than GCSE?
Original post by Aslii
Revise from Day 1 and make sure you are on top of all homework's, coursework's and you understand EVERY single lesson. Also your Attendance needs to be perfect as this also effects your grade!!!
*affects
Spelling is important too.
Original post by jamestg
Would you say attendance affects grades at A-level much more than GCSE?
Hell yeah. Uni's look at your year 13 attendance.
With caution.
No but seriously, make some excellent notes and practice exam technique a lot. Confidence comes with repeatedly getting the grade you want in past papers. Don't give up on it, they take time and patience. Most people start at U-C grades, then pick it up towards the end when they gain momentum. Don't rely on your teachers! It's up to you to get a good grade. That is all
No but seriously, make some excellent notes and practice exam technique a lot. Confidence comes with repeatedly getting the grade you want in past papers. Don't give up on it, they take time and patience. Most people start at U-C grades, then pick it up towards the end when they gain momentum. Don't rely on your teachers! It's up to you to get a good grade. That is all
Original post by Ezio.
Hell yeah. Uni's look at your year 13 attendance.
Original post by Aslii
Not only will universities look but also if your attendance is bad and you get good grades at AS your school may not let you carry on for A2
Why hasn't my sixth form told me about this?! It's not a problem for me, but it's still fairly important to be aware of something like that either way!
Original post by Laurasaur
With caution.
No but seriously, make some excellent notes and practice exam technique a lot. Confidence comes with repeatedly getting the grade you want in past papers. Don't give up on it, they take time and patience. Most people start at U-C grades, then pick it up towards the end when they gain momentum. Don't rely on your teachers! It's up to you to get a good grade. That is all
No but seriously, make some excellent notes and practice exam technique a lot. Confidence comes with repeatedly getting the grade you want in past papers. Don't give up on it, they take time and patience. Most people start at U-C grades, then pick it up towards the end when they gain momentum. Don't rely on your teachers! It's up to you to get a good grade. That is all
When would you say to start doing past papers? With Y12 we won't be finishing the AS content until April time, and just a month of exam practice won't be as good as it being over time like GCSEs. Could you then say it's crucial to do exam style questions on each topics throughout the year, and then by April the only thing you would have to worry about is pulling the topics together (through normal revision) and time management (through past/specimen papers).
I disagree with specific advice like "revise every day". "Make notes on every single thing".
Those can get you good grades, and for some people they work. But you need to understand from early in the academic year what your optimal study habits are.
A level is much more down to you. You've chosen the subjects you most want to do/go for a career in, so you need to make it personal. It's not like GCSE in that there are no compulsory subjects, and this means you need to spend some time working out the ways you best learn.
The bottom line is if you don't understand something, revise it until you do AND feel comfortable with it. This "time spent learning something" is what differs from person to person. Understand that there is no "set route" to perfect A level grades. At the start of last year, I tried very hard to emulate my peers and revise for long hours each day, but it didn't work for me. That's just not how I learn. So I found out my own revision style (Just a couple of past papers a day) and followed that, while my friends followed theirs.
Here's the cool part. I and my friends both ended up with (most of) the grades we wanted. This just goes to show that it isn't necessary to lock your room for 10 hours a day from September of Year 12. It's down to you and your learning style.
Also, take classwork and homework more seriously. Stop flicking to the back of the maths textbook to copy some answers you think you would have got. Stop trying to find last year's exam papers online just so you can impress your parents and teachers with your mocks. That's probably the stupidest thing a surprisingly large group of people do. It should go without saying. Mocks should be for no one but you to find your weaknesses. If you think by looking up the answers you'll not get shouted at by your subject teacher, you're the loser here. It's better to fail the first mocks (Which (surprise!) don't actually count for anything when you apply to uni) than wing it in the final exams.
Feel free to drop a message on my profile if you'd like any more advice. Good luck.. And also enjoy yourself
A levels can be a lot of fun if you picked the right subjects that you truly are passionate about!
Those can get you good grades, and for some people they work. But you need to understand from early in the academic year what your optimal study habits are.
A level is much more down to you. You've chosen the subjects you most want to do/go for a career in, so you need to make it personal. It's not like GCSE in that there are no compulsory subjects, and this means you need to spend some time working out the ways you best learn.
The bottom line is if you don't understand something, revise it until you do AND feel comfortable with it. This "time spent learning something" is what differs from person to person. Understand that there is no "set route" to perfect A level grades. At the start of last year, I tried very hard to emulate my peers and revise for long hours each day, but it didn't work for me. That's just not how I learn. So I found out my own revision style (Just a couple of past papers a day) and followed that, while my friends followed theirs.
Here's the cool part. I and my friends both ended up with (most of) the grades we wanted. This just goes to show that it isn't necessary to lock your room for 10 hours a day from September of Year 12. It's down to you and your learning style.
Also, take classwork and homework more seriously. Stop flicking to the back of the maths textbook to copy some answers you think you would have got. Stop trying to find last year's exam papers online just so you can impress your parents and teachers with your mocks. That's probably the stupidest thing a surprisingly large group of people do. It should go without saying. Mocks should be for no one but you to find your weaknesses. If you think by looking up the answers you'll not get shouted at by your subject teacher, you're the loser here. It's better to fail the first mocks (Which (surprise!) don't actually count for anything when you apply to uni) than wing it in the final exams.
Feel free to drop a message on my profile if you'd like any more advice. Good luck.. And also enjoy yourself
A levels can be a lot of fun if you picked the right subjects that you truly are passionate about!Original post by jamestg
When would you say to start doing past papers? With Y12 we won't be finishing the AS content until April time, and just a month of exam practice won't be as good as it being over time like GCSEs. Could you then say it's crucial to do exam style questions on each topics throughout the year, and then by April the only thing you would have to worry about is pulling the topics together (through normal revision) and time management (through past/specimen papers).
Do questions by topic throughout the year, but once you've finished a unit, do the past papers for the whole unit. You seem to know what you're doing though
Quick Reply
Related discussions
- A-level Spanish Photocard
- how to go from a grade5/6 in maths to a grade 7 in a month for gcses. please help
- AQA A Level Psychology Paper 2 (7182/2) - 22nd May 2024 [Exam Chat]
- how to revise ?
- Any advice and tips
- Sixth form stationary
- 4 A levels for maths
- good chat up line
- how can i feel more confident about my NEAs / coursework ?
- Help with revision for the next 4 days. Urgent!
- Please I am a handsome guy but I can't get girls I'm very shy to approach them
- A Level Chemistry revision techniques
- Most convenient way to get another GCSE?
- Edexcel A Level Further Mathematics Paper 3C (9FM0 3C) - 7th June 2024 [Exam Chat]
- A level Sociology. Is it worth it?
- Law Express, Concentrate or Nutshells?
- I feel like an absolute dumbass
- Any tips for an interview?
- how do I get from an eight to a nine?
- Blog yr 13 :))))
Latest
Trending
Last reply 1 day ago
Edexcel A Level Politics Paper 1 (9PL0 01) - 21st May 2024 [Exam Chat]A-levels
10
Trending
Last reply 1 day ago
Edexcel A Level Politics Paper 1 (9PL0 01) - 21st May 2024 [Exam Chat]A-levels
10
