Breaking βαδ: the journey of a math addict!
MY (HOPEFULLY SUCCESSFUL) JOURNEY TO A* IN MATHS!
Seeing other people's encouraging stories has inspired me to share my own, which is perhaps not as conventional as others! I hope that it helps to motivate a few others as well as myself.
Original A-Levels (2007): BBB (including Maths)
Plan for this summer: sit the following units: C3&4, S1&2, and FP1-FP3.
Next summer: M1-M3, and Economics.
A Levels goal: A*A*A[BB] (Maths, Further Maths, Economics)
Ultimate goal: complete a degree in Maths and Economics.
I should have done better in 2007 really, but I was barely in school due to illness and also depression. Still, I marched onto uni (after a working gap year).
I was all over the place with my course choices, eventually decided I would study languages.
Unfortunately, my depression deepened at uni, and I really struggled! It took me far too long to realise I needed to withdraw, but that is what I eventually did!
What followed was a few years of wandering through various jobs like a lost little puppy. I eventually came across a great career opportunity for me, and grasped it with both hands! I have been in my current job for the past two and a half years, and it has been a great experience so far.
HOWEVER, it interrupted another plan I had! When I joined TSR in 2013, I had a plan to sit Maths and Further Maths A Levels and go onto study Maths at uni. The long term plan was to either go into research or become a teacher, depending on how my undergrad studies would go. I only got as far as sitting C1 and C2, before I focussed on applying for my current job.
It made more sense to go for the job at the time, as it provided a much clearer (and quicker) career path than the degree. HOWEVER, while I am happy I made that choice, I have not been able to shake the desire to pursue the degree!
So, I plan to grow my grades in Maths! I will be sitting 7 A Level Maths exams this June (I would sit 10 but I can't get that much time off work!). Over the summer, I will then work through a book which bridges the gap between A Level and undergraduate Maths. Ultimately, I hope to study Maths (maybe combined with Economics) at uni...but for now, I am focussed on this June!
I have not yet been able to start preparing for the exams, but will be providing updates on my progress when I do!
Really sorry for the long post! I wanted to get across the motives behind my study plans, but ended up giving you my life story!
Anyway, I am so excited about this plan, and hope you enjoy following my progress!Thank you!!!
(edited 8 years ago)
Original post by Mathaddict
...
best of luck with your endeavours, man. it's never too late to start fresh
Original post by aymanzayedmannan
best of luck with your endeavours, man. it's never too late to start fresh
It may sound silly, but encouraging posts like these are a huge help! Thank you
Original post by Mathaddict
It may sound silly, but encouraging posts like these are a huge help! Thank you
Do update regularly. Your story is inspiring
Okay so I may not be starting on Maths revision until March, but in the meantime, I can still post on what is delaying that: revision for accounting exams!
I am sitting two ACA exams on 7th March: "Financial Accounting and Reporting" (FAR) and "Audit and Assurance" (AA).
Prep for these exams first started in December. I can tell you that I stupidly did not pull my weight on study for these for ages due to a severe case of PROCRASTINATION! It is only in the last couple of weeks that I have pulled my socks up.
I was at college last week for an intensive study week, and did mock exams at the end of the week. I walked out of the mocks thinking I got about 15% in FAR, and 45% in AA. These were my actual results:
FAR: 26%
AA: 64%
The pass mark is 55%. The FAR result is terrible of course, but I fully expected it, having not done enough work before it. I am shocked at AA because I have done NOTHING for that module, but clearly blagging can actually produce results on the rare occasion!
Since then I have been working through some practice questions, but it's been slow. I need to pick up the pace, but it's so hard to maintain enough energy to work a full day AND study on top of it!
It doesn't help that I am still wasting precious time procrastinating after work (including loitering on TSR!), so I'm going to change it all tonight!
THE PLAN:
Weekdays: wake up at 6.30am, get into work for 8am, and study for 1.5 hours before work. Then study from 6pm until 10.30pm in the evening. Get a ~7 hour sleep in. Lather, rinse, repeat!
Weekends: study from 9am-9pm (with appropriate breaks in between), aiming to get a good 10 hours in. Do a mock for each module on Sundays!
That's it now! My social life is officially over until these exams are out the way! I know I can achieve passes, and perhaps even a decent mark in AA - just need to put in the work!
I am sitting two ACA exams on 7th March: "Financial Accounting and Reporting" (FAR) and "Audit and Assurance" (AA).
Prep for these exams first started in December. I can tell you that I stupidly did not pull my weight on study for these for ages due to a severe case of PROCRASTINATION! It is only in the last couple of weeks that I have pulled my socks up.
I was at college last week for an intensive study week, and did mock exams at the end of the week. I walked out of the mocks thinking I got about 15% in FAR, and 45% in AA. These were my actual results:
FAR: 26%
AA: 64%
The pass mark is 55%. The FAR result is terrible of course, but I fully expected it, having not done enough work before it. I am shocked at AA because I have done NOTHING for that module, but clearly blagging can actually produce results on the rare occasion!
Since then I have been working through some practice questions, but it's been slow. I need to pick up the pace, but it's so hard to maintain enough energy to work a full day AND study on top of it!
It doesn't help that I am still wasting precious time procrastinating after work (including loitering on TSR!), so I'm going to change it all tonight!
THE PLAN:
Weekdays: wake up at 6.30am, get into work for 8am, and study for 1.5 hours before work. Then study from 6pm until 10.30pm in the evening. Get a ~7 hour sleep in. Lather, rinse, repeat!
Weekends: study from 9am-9pm (with appropriate breaks in between), aiming to get a good 10 hours in. Do a mock for each module on Sundays!
That's it now! My social life is officially over until these exams are out the way! I know I can achieve passes, and perhaps even a decent mark in AA - just need to put in the work!
So, how much have I done since my last post?
BUGGER ALL!
I decided I was way too tired to get anything done on Friday night, so sent myself into a gin-coma instead. I then spent yesterday monged out on the sofa watching the Goldbergs and Dance Moms, before dragging myself out to the Marina and the Diamonds gig, where I was approached by a blonde beauty. I had to inform her she was completely barking up the wrong tree, and that a Marina gig is probably not the best place to try and find a straight guy...
NONE OF THAT WAS WAS THE STUDY I WAS SUPPOSED TO BE GETTING ON WITH THOUGH! I need to sort myself out, and fast!
TODAY: redemption. Attempt at least 5 questions from each module. STARTING NOW!
BUGGER ALL!
I decided I was way too tired to get anything done on Friday night, so sent myself into a gin-coma instead. I then spent yesterday monged out on the sofa watching the Goldbergs and Dance Moms, before dragging myself out to the Marina and the Diamonds gig, where I was approached by a blonde beauty. I had to inform her she was completely barking up the wrong tree, and that a Marina gig is probably not the best place to try and find a straight guy...
NONE OF THAT WAS WAS THE STUDY I WAS SUPPOSED TO BE GETTING ON WITH THOUGH! I need to sort myself out, and fast!
TODAY: redemption. Attempt at least 5 questions from each module. STARTING NOW!
I have been neglecting this thread, but mainly because my mum got pneumonia a couple of weeks ago, which has been a major distraction! I almost deferred these exams, but ended up deciding that I could do enough work to sit them now...will I regret that decision? MAYBE! 
The exams are on MONDAY!
It's FULL ON PANIC MODE time! I have just taken a short break to post this, and will be getting straight back into study!
I have had an intensive revision week at college this week, which has been a HUGE help! Did two more mocks, and got these results:
FAR: 45%
AA: 65%
I'm getting closer to the pass mark on FAR! Considering those exams were on Wednesday as well, I have put in a lot of work since then so feel like I may be able to sneak the pass - MAYBE! AA is pretty much the same as last time, and that is EVEN THOUGH I was in a lazy mood and ended up running out of time, missing out on 20 marks that way...which I will make sure I do NOT do on Monday!
So I have a number of practice questions to cover off tonight from both textbooks, and then tomorrow and Sunday will be dedicated to as many mocks as I can physically do, focussing more on FAR.
I CAN DO THIS!
...okay back to work I go!
The exams are on MONDAY!
It's FULL ON PANIC MODE time! I have just taken a short break to post this, and will be getting straight back into study!
I have had an intensive revision week at college this week, which has been a HUGE help! Did two more mocks, and got these results:
FAR: 45%
AA: 65%
I'm getting closer to the pass mark on FAR! Considering those exams were on Wednesday as well, I have put in a lot of work since then so feel like I may be able to sneak the pass - MAYBE! AA is pretty much the same as last time, and that is EVEN THOUGH I was in a lazy mood and ended up running out of time, missing out on 20 marks that way...which I will make sure I do NOT do on Monday!
So I have a number of practice questions to cover off tonight from both textbooks, and then tomorrow and Sunday will be dedicated to as many mocks as I can physically do, focussing more on FAR.
I CAN DO THIS!
...okay back to work I go!
Hey there @Mathaddict
Hope your mum is recovering?
Hope your exam on Monday was ok!
Hope your mum is recovering?
Hope your exam on Monday was ok!
Original post by Tank Girl
Aww thank you!
The great news is that my mum is mostly better now
As for the exams? Well I definitely felt better about them than the mocks, but it was still time-pressured and I didn't manage to cover everything...I am hoping I did enough, but will not know until April 15th so will try to forget about them until then!
I also got to enjoy a much needed post-exams trip to Berlin which was so much fun! Such a great city!
Now that I'm back, I can focus on my Maths journey! Yay
Day one
My maths journey starts now! I have already set out a plan, which starts today. I will be mostly using examsolutions.net to help me (that guy is a saint), as it is all broken down quite nicely there.
Even though I am not sitting C1 and C2 (already have them in the bank from a few years back), I need to start from scratch...it has been a few years since I looked at Maths after all! My plan for this week is to therefore try and whizz through all the C1 content, in this order (sections as per examsolutions):
15-Mar C1 Prior knowledge
16-Mar C1 Algebra and functions 1 (Indices-Factorising)
17-Mar C1 Algebra and functions 2 (Completing square-Inequalities)
18-Mar C1 Sketching curves
19-Mar C1 Sequences and series + Coordinate geometry
20-Mar C1 Differentiation + Integration
That means tonight I will get through all the "prior knowledge" videos which recap GCSE concepts. Starting nnnnnnnnnnnnnow!
My maths journey starts now! I have already set out a plan, which starts today. I will be mostly using examsolutions.net to help me (that guy is a saint), as it is all broken down quite nicely there.
Even though I am not sitting C1 and C2 (already have them in the bank from a few years back), I need to start from scratch...it has been a few years since I looked at Maths after all! My plan for this week is to therefore try and whizz through all the C1 content, in this order (sections as per examsolutions):
15-Mar C1 Prior knowledge
16-Mar C1 Algebra and functions 1 (Indices-Factorising)
17-Mar C1 Algebra and functions 2 (Completing square-Inequalities)
18-Mar C1 Sketching curves
19-Mar C1 Sequences and series + Coordinate geometry
20-Mar C1 Differentiation + Integration
That means tonight I will get through all the "prior knowledge" videos which recap GCSE concepts. Starting nnnnnnnnnnnnnow!
(edited 8 years ago)
Original post by A$aprocky
Wait so if you're training as an accountant, why bother with a degree?
Fair question to ask, and I'd be wondering the same to be honest!
Essentially, I know this is not the career path I want. However, I have invested so much time in the accounting qualification so far, that I may as well finish it. It would also be a chance for me to prove to myself that I can see something through, and give me a huge confidence boost.
The degree is therefore not to try and make advances in my current career; it is the chance for me to pursue something I enjoy.
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