Journey to Medical School - Year 11

My name is Lucy and my aim is to go to medical school because I would like to become a doctor (shocker!). This means that I will need to secure the best grades I can in May and June and then again in sixth form as medical schools are very competitive. This is part 1 of my journey there: Year 11.

My personal targets, the grades that will make me smile on the 25th August (3 days after my birthday!) are:
Maths: A*
Chemistry: A*
Biology: A*
Physics: A* (or A but I'll take what I can get!)
English Literature: A*
English Language: A*
History: A*
Music: A
Spanish: A
Philosophy and Ethics: A*
Citizenship: A*

Just comment if you would like to know anymore :smile:

Reply 1

username1863871

OP

13

I have been wanting to start this blog ever since the GYG competition opened but, due to my second set of mocks only finishing on Friday, today is literally the only day I have had free. Due to it now being my February half term and 79 DAYS till my first exam (*shivers*) I am aiming to complete the following tasks by the end of this half term. However, this may change slightly because... my parents are taking me to BARBADOS tomorrow! But back to my aims; after the half term I will show whether I have achieved these or not. On the bright side, I'll get a killer tan whilst completing these goals:
- Create another revision timeline from now until 1st exam and then from 3rd May - 22nd June
- Complete Unit 4 Citizenship coursework
- Reread To Kill a Mockingbird, analysing each chapter and making summaries on each
- Complete The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde revision booklet
- Colour co-ordinate all my revision guides (RAG system)
- Complete notes/posters/audio notes on all red (hard) topics
- To revise paper 2 biology (as this is the paper I find hardest) by completing flashcards and the 2 revision booklets
- Revise paper 2 physics using flashcards, 2 revision booklets (including SUVAT equations) and p6 quizzes on gojimo
- Make a quantitative chemistry revision booklet and complete revision topics of gojimo
- Maths - complete A* maths test and questions on volume/geometry as this is a topic they have used twice in the last section of the edexcel maths papers
- History - revise red topics identified in both booklets and complete revision posters/key individual charts
- Spanish - do a practice listening paper and Spanish flashcards
- Music - revise rhythm by listening to, and comparing, pop music to classical music from the baroque era

I will be posting updates with pictures of my revision as it is completed. Hope everyone is having a good half term so far!

(edited 8 years ago)

Reply 2

Do it Right

5

I LOVE your thread! Cant wait to keep up with your revision journey Lucy :smile:

(also because your my idol ahaha and i aspire to be like you) Also whats the rag (red and green?) system haha

(edited 8 years ago)

Reply 3

username1863871

OP

13

Original post by Do it Right

I LOVE your thread! Cant wait to keep up with your revision journey Lucy :smile:

(also because your my idol ahaha and i aspire to be like you) Also whats the rag (red and green?) system haha

That's so sweet! I hope I'm able to give you some great tips that'll keep me motivated for the next 11 weeks of revision! Sorry for not explaining, RAG is so common in my school that saying the long term sounds weird: red, Amber, greening. It's when you go through your work and decide what parts you found hard and which parts you found easy and some where you've almost got it but need to go over it again to consolidate your learning. Today I managed to do around 10 out of my 15 revision guides and this will help me when revising as I will know which parts to focus on straight away.

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(edited 8 years ago)

Reply 4

WolfTy

6

If you don't mind me asking how are you so smart at physics chemistry and maths I'm atrocious on all of those subjects and fluctuate between B and C grades

Reply 5

username1863871

OP

13

I haven't been able to fully complete my revision timetable or RAGing (which sounds a bit weird I'm not going to lie) my revision guides but I was able to finish my citizenship coursework! As a sneaky treat I'll attach my old revision timetable which isn't as extensive as the one for my latest mocks or the one I have began to draft today and also how the RAG system works on my maths revision guide :smile:

hope you guys are having a nice evening!

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(edited 8 years ago)

ImageUploadedByStudent Room1455396469.933457.jpg57.8KB

Reply 6

username1863871

OP

13

The green sticky notes are topics I understand in maths for example algebra, trigonometry, sine and cosine rule. The peachy coloured are topics I need to go over, for example quadratics and surds and the bright pink are areas where I need to go over a lot because I really don't get it/haven't been taught it yet like with reciprocal graphs. ImageUploadedByStudent Room1455396636.765359.jpg

ImageUploadedByStudent Room1455396636.765359.jpg

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Reply 7

username1863871

OP

13

Here's my really old (well only from year 10 mocks) revision timetable as I have lent my other timetables to my friends who are adorably unorganised to the extent that I have taught them core and additional science in a lab during lunch a couple of days before their exam. I prefer doing a subject day by day and do longer slots as I am able to concentrate for quite long periods of time, though I do take a 10 minute break every hour or so. However this may not work for you so remember just to prioritise your revision by what works for you not by what people tell you to do. ImageUploadedByStudent Room1455396999.484857.jpg

ImageUploadedByStudent Room1455396999.484857.jpg

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Reply 8

username1863871

OP

13

Original post by TyanaChu

If you don't mind me asking how are you so smart at physics chemistry and maths I'm atrocious on all of those subjects and fluctuate between B and C grades

Well by the use of atrocious I'm going to guess that you're more linguistically gifted? If not, I'm sure there is a subject that you really excel in! I've always been told (don't quote me here I'm not a psychologist) that people are generally academic or creative. So if you're not as good at the sciences it may just be because you're too amazing to follow the crazy rules using your left and right hand to predict current and magnetic field direction (who sits there and takes the time to come up with this stuff?!). But I tutor in maths which allows me to consolidate my learning and I think being good at maths helps me with the maths components in the science subjects. Then I use flashcards which for me are the best thing to help me remember content. Plus when doing revision it's really important to think positively because that way you're going to be more inclined to learn. Treat yourself during revision and think about your aims to remain positive and I'm sure you're going to do great! For help with maths try a website called Hegarty maths and for triple science my go to guy is BBC bitesize but there's one physics website that I'll try and find to help you :smile:

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Reply 9

Do it Right

5

Haha thanks for your extensive reply, thats a great system! As you're my revision guru, haha please may I get your take on revision methods? My school just did this whole thing where they said that reading/writing/condensing notes is a waste of time, and we should just focus on "testing ourselves". What revision methods do you utilise/recommend?

Thanks and I hope you have a great time in sunny Barbados!

Reply 10

username1863871

OP

13

Original post by Do it Right

Haha thanks for your extensive reply, thats a great system! As you're my revision guru, haha please may I get your take on revision methods? My school just did this whole thing where they said that reading/writing/condensing notes is a waste of time, and we should just focus on "testing ourselves". What revision methods do you utilise/recommend?

Thanks and I hope you have a great time in sunny Barbados!

First of all I'm going to quote Robert Downey Jr. : "listen, smile, agree and then do whatever the f*ck you were going to do anyway." I'm basically saying here that everyone is different so no one can tell you what you can and can't do. For me I look at the revision book and condense it down onto flashcards so them in testing myself and writing notes. Then when I don't get a topic I will write a poster and stick them all around my house (literally they're in the toilets, showers, etc.) I recommend this revision book called "How to get 100% at GCSE" which talks you through all types of revision methods 😊

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Reply 11

Do it Right

5

Original post by HouseOfRichman

First of all I'm going to quote Robert Downey Jr. : "listen, smile, agree and then do whatever the f*ck you were going to do anyway." I'm basically saying here that everyone is different so no one can tell you what you can and can't do. For me I look at the revision book and condense it down onto flashcards so them in testing myself and writing notes. Then when I don't get a topic I will write a poster and stick them all around my house (literally they're in the toilets, showers, etc.) I recommend this revision book called "How to get 100% at GCSE" which talks you through all types of revision methods 😊

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Best advice ever!! No way, I have and LOVE that book! I low key got into a huge argument with my teacher because he was banging on how my revision methods were rubbish yet they had completely worked for my mocks....

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Reply 12

crosbycasey56

12

Original post by HouseOfRichman

My name is Lucy and my aim is to go to medical school because I would like to become a doctor (shocker!). This means that I will need to secure the best grades I can in May and June and then again in sixth form as medical schools are very competitive. This is part 1 of my journey there: Year 11.

My personal targets, the grades that will make me smile on the 25th August (3 days after my birthday!) are:
Maths: A*
Chemistry: A*
Biology: A*
Physics: A* (or A but I'll take what I can get!)
English Literature: A*
English Language: A*
History: A*
Music: A
Spanish: A
Philosophy and Ethics: A*
Citizenship: A*

Just comment if you would like to know anymore :smile:

Do you have any tips on how to get an A or A* in English language and literature?

Reply 13

Edosawr

13

Good luck!! We're going for similar grades! :smile:

Reply 14

username1863871

OP

13

Sorry for the last post, it's only 8:45 here! Today during my flight I completed a revision booklet on nazi Germany though I wasn't able to finish it all because a) it's 40 pages and b) I watched the good dinosaur on the plane and I have no regrets. Tomorrow I'm going to be completing this booklet along with one for medicine through time and making notes these topics. I will be posting (as much as I can) on revision but I don't want to bore you with the unvaried structure of my revision (mainly testing with notes on harder topics) because I'm on holiday. Have good days!

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Reply 15

username1863871

OP

13

Original post by crosbycasey56

Do you have any tips on how to get an A or A* in English language and literature?

Here are my top tips:
- mention the authors name: "Harper Lee is able to create tension in this extract by..."
- analyse the quote in more detail: "using the term '****** nest.' The word 'nest' is able to create tension as Scout begins to understand the way white people are supposed to treat black people and the reader becomes apprehensive as they begin to understand that Tom Robinson may not win the trial."
- refer to the theme: "This links to the theme of racism in the novel because the reader, having heard the responses to Tom's sympathy to Mayella, understands that the white people of Maycomb truly believe they are better than black people."
- reinforce with supporting quotes: "Thjs is reinforced when Harper Lee sets the scene when describing that the black people live next to the "town dump." The word "dump" suggests that black people are as worthless as trash (hence the term 'black trash' in the novel) and could even suggest that the black people themselves are the trash of Maycomb, and this explains their treatment by white people."
- conclude each point by referring to the point you made at the beginning of the paragraph and/or the question: "Therefore, Lee is able to create tension through the use of degrading adjectives and metaphors that explain the obsolete views of the majority of white people in Maycomb and why people have become nothing more than 'black trash.'"

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Reply 16

crosbycasey56

12

Original post by HouseOfRichman

Here are my top tips:
- mention the authors name: "Harper Lee is able to create tension in this extract by..."
- analyse the quote in more detail: "using the term '****** nest.' The word 'nest' is able to create tension as Scout begins to understand the way white people are supposed to treat black people and the reader becomes apprehensive as they begin to understand that Tom Robinson may not win the trial."
- refer to the theme: "This links to the theme of racism in the novel because the reader, having heard the responses to Tom's sympathy to Mayella, understands that the white people of Maycomb truly believe they are better than black people."
- reinforce with supporting quotes: "Thjs is reinforced when Harper Lee sets the scene when describing that the black people live next to the "town dump." The word "dump" suggests that black people are as worthless as trash (hence the term 'black trash' in the novel) and could even suggest that the black people themselves are the trash of Maycomb, and this explains their treatment by white people."
- conclude each point by referring to the point you made at the beginning of the paragraph and/or the question: "Therefore, Lee is able to create tension through the use of degrading adjectives and metaphors that explain the obsolete views of the majority of white people in Maycomb and why people have become nothing more than 'black trash.'"

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Thank you very much :smile:

Reply 17

eli.ora

1