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Decent AS grades within 2 months?

So ive literally got 8 weeks left until my first AS exam. I study chemistry biology, maths and geography and im so ashamed of how i havent taken my AS seriously, we had mocks 2 weeks ago and i got D E U U.
i knew i was going to mess up my exams with basically no revision and im wondering if im able to achieve atleast Cs or Bs.
Plus i dont know how i should revise for them, is it worth making notes or should i just jump straight into past papers and questions?
Tips on each subject maybe?
Original post by LauraKuz
So ive literally got 8 weeks left until my first AS exam. I study chemistry biology, maths and geography and im so ashamed of how i havent taken my AS seriously, we had mocks 2 weeks ago and i got D E U U.
i knew i was going to mess up my exams with basically no revision and im wondering if im able to achieve atleast Cs or Bs.
Plus i dont know how i should revise for them, is it worth making notes or should i just jump straight into past papers and questions?
Tips on each subject maybe?


Yes, it's pass possible! However, you need to be very disciplined. Laziness is not an option now. I'd recommend 6 hour revision sessions after school and 12 hour sessions daily this coming Easter. I'm going to tell you what I'd do or have been doing for those subjects.

Maths:

•

Watch videos by topic on ExamSolutions. Literally, you don't have to do anything. I'd recommend you start off with Indices & Surds, so watch all the videos in the indices & surds playlist (You can up the speed to 2). Now open your C1 textbook you probably got from school and solve all the questions in the mixed exercise.

•

Repeat this for every topic. Once you have, start solving past papers.

Chemistry & Biology:

•

I don't think you have enough time to make a full deck of notes, for both of these subjects. So, I'd recommend you just read and reread topics and then answer textbook questions and something you're not understanding watch videos on Youtube or KhanAcademy!

I didn't even do Geography at GCSE, so I don't think I'm qualified enough to give advice on that subject. This is very possible, but you need to be serious about what you want!
(edited 8 years ago)
Reply 2
Avatar for ombtom
ombtom
17
Original post by LauraKuz
So ive literally got 8 weeks left until my first AS exam. I study chemistry biology, maths and geography and im so ashamed of how i havent taken my AS seriously, we had mocks 2 weeks ago and i got D E U U.
i knew i was going to mess up my exams with basically no revision and im wondering if im able to achieve atleast Cs or Bs.
Plus i dont know how i should revise for them, is it worth making notes or should i just jump straight into past papers and questions?
Tips on each subject maybe?


For AS-level maths I only did questions from past papers. If you struggle with a type of question, find a relevant practise exercise and do questions until it's one of your strongest topics. Don't waste time doing easy questions.

For AS-level geography try to learn a few facts for each case study/topic; don't try to learn "all the facts". Making mind maps for each topic really helped me. Edexcel Geography has very helpful examiner reports; make sure you read them after doing a past paper.
Reply 3
Avatar for LauraKuz
LauraKuz
OP
4
Original post by LelouchViRuge
Yes, it's pass possible! However, you need to be very disciplined. Laziness is not an option now. I'd recommend 6 hour revision sessions after school and 12 hour sessions daily this coming Easter. I'm going to tell you what I'd do or have been doing for those subjects.

Maths:

•

Watch videos by topic on ExamSolutions. Literally, you don't have to do anything. I'd recommend you start off with Indices & Surds, so watch all the videos in the indices & surds playlist (You can up the speed to 2). Now open your C1 textbook you probably got from school and solve all the questions in the mixed exercise.

•

Repeat this for every topic. Once you have, start solving past papers.

Chemistry & Biology:

•

I don't think you have enough time to make a full deck of notes, for both of these subjects. So, I'd recommend you just read and reread topics and then answer textbook questions and something you're not understanding watch videos on Youtube or KhanAcademy!

I didn't even do Geography at GCSE, so I don't think I'm qualified enough to give advice on that subject. This is very possible, but you need to be serious about what you want!


I think i know what ill do for geography and maths in general, and since ive got 8 weeks, i was thinking, maybe 1 week for each subject in terms of revision. so ill have 4 weeks of just practising and re caping.
Im most worried about biololgy and chemistry since i know i can improve quickly within maths and geography. do you think id be able to revise the whole of chemistry within a week? by just making small notes for each topic and rehearsing information each day before i start doing questions properly?
And what do you study currently?
Reply 4
Avatar for LauraKuz
LauraKuz
OP
4
Original post by ombtom
For AS-level maths I only did questions from past papers. If you struggle with a type of question, find a relevant practise exercise and do questions until it's one of your strongest topics. Don't waste time doing easy questions.

For AS-level geography try to learn a few facts for each case study/topic; don't try to learn "all the facts". Making mind maps for each topic really helped me. Edexcel Geography has very helpful examiner reports; make sure you read them after doing a past paper.


Ahh thanks, for geography, i do edexcel aswell, im quite solid with what i need to know for unit 1 but for unit 2, i do crowded coasts and unequal spaces, i know the fieldwork and research for both but idk what other information im meant to know for unit 2 in general apart from the fieldwork and research
Original post by LauraKuz
So ive literally got 8 weeks left until my first AS exam. I study chemistry biology, maths and geography and im so ashamed of how i havent taken my AS seriously, we had mocks 2 weeks ago and i got D E U U.
i knew i was going to mess up my exams with basically no revision and im wondering if im able to achieve atleast Cs or Bs.
Plus i dont know how i should revise for them, is it worth making notes or should i just jump straight into past papers and questions?
Tips on each subject maybe?


I do bio and geog too

For biology, find a ticklist online and see the stuff you really really don't know and wouldn't be able to blab your way into a few marks. Memorise mark schemes, watch videos, just try to learn as much as possible.

For geog however, it's slightly easier.

Geogrpahy is very logical in the sense of when faced with an exam question if you think to yourself how you'd deal with this, it's probably the answer. Get a revision guide, learn the case studies and ONLY go over stuff you don't know (definitions, how hurricanes are formed, plate boundaries, etc- stuff you either know or don't)

My mocks were BDUU (geog, german, bio and chem but I've dropped chem now)

We're in this together fam
Reply 6
Avatar for ombtom
ombtom
17
Original post by LauraKuz
Ahh thanks, for geography, i do edexcel aswell, im quite solid with what i need to know for unit 1 but for unit 2, i do crowded coasts and unequal spaces, i know the fieldwork and research for both but idk what other information im meant to know for unit 2 in general apart from the fieldwork and research


I did crowded coasts too. It felt like quite an empty unit, especially compared to unit 1 (which unit 3 is now ridiculing). This site has some useful resources:
https://geographyalevelslc.wordpress.com/as-unit-2-crowded-coasts/
Lol im in A2 and got UUU for mock whilst being predicted A*A*A*. Two/Three months is more than ample time for even me. I'm now at BCC in my recent mocks however
Reply 8
Avatar for LauraKuz
LauraKuz
OP
4
Original post by ImagineCats
I do bio and geog too

For biology, find a ticklist online and see the stuff you really really don't know and wouldn't be able to blab your way into a few marks. Memorise mark schemes, watch videos, just try to learn as much as possible.

For geog however, it's slightly easier.

Geogrpahy is very logical in the sense of when faced with an exam question if you think to yourself how you'd deal with this, it's probably the answer. Get a revision guide, learn the case studies and ONLY go over stuff you don't know (definitions, how hurricanes are formed, plate boundaries, etc- stuff you either know or don't)

My mocks were BDUU (geog, german, bio and chem but I've dropped chem now)

We're in this together fam


I like the ticklist idea, how comes you dropped chem, in my sixthform, they make us drop the subjct we did the worst in before when starting a2 and i really want to keep chem even though its my most difficult, but i have faith, we can survive this xD
Original post by LauraKuz
I think i know what ill do for geography and maths in general, and since ive got 8 weeks, i was thinking, maybe 1 week for each subject in terms of revision. so ill have 4 weeks of just practising and re caping.
Im most worried about biololgy and chemistry since i know i can improve quickly within maths and geography. do you think id be able to revise the whole of chemistry within a week? by just making small notes for each topic and rehearsing information each day before i start doing questions properly?
And what do you study currently?


I'm currently studying Maths, Further Maths, Computer Science & Physics.

@Dooderman I think he covered the entire Chemistry A level in 1 week, so hopefully he'll be able to give you advice for AS.

Personally, I'd do questions after finishing each topic whilst making sure to memorise the notes. We will all learn differently, what you may find easy I may not.

You need to find out for yourself, so get to it.
Reply 10
Avatar for LauraKuz
LauraKuz
OP
4
Original post by ombtom
I did crowded coasts too. It felt like quite an empty unit, especially compared to unit 1 (which unit 3 is now ridiculing). This site has some useful resources:
https://geographyalevelslc.wordpress.com/as-unit-2-crowded-coasts/


ahh thanks, the site looks useful. Making my revision life that bit more easier
Original post by GeologyMaths
Lol im in A2 and got UUU for mock whilst being predicted A*A*A*. Two/Three months is more than ample time for even me. I'm now at BCC in my recent mocks however


This made me laugh, but that's totally me aswell.

haha
Reply 12
Avatar for LauraKuz
LauraKuz
OP
4
Original post by GeologyMaths
Lol im in A2 and got UUU for mock whilst being predicted A*A*A*. Two/Three months is more than ample time for even me. I'm now at BCC in my recent mocks however


thats a major improvemet, damn, well good luck and i guess that means i still have time
Original post by LelouchViRuge
This made me laugh, but that's totally me aswell.

haha


:smile:
Reply 14
Avatar for LauraKuz
LauraKuz
OP
4
Original post by LelouchViRuge
I'm currently studying Maths, Further Maths, Computer Science & Physics.

@Dooderman I think he covered the entire Chemistry A level in 1 week, so hopefully he'll be able to give you advice for AS.

Personally, I'd do questions after finishing each topic whilst making sure to memorise the notes. We will all learn differently, what you may find easy I may not.

You need to find out for yourself, so get to it.


Might do that then, questions after going through a topic. But thank you with the help, feel quite reassured after all this
Original post by LauraKuz
I like the ticklist idea, how comes you dropped chem, in my sixthform, they make us drop the subjct we did the worst in before when starting a2 and i really want to keep chem even though its my most difficult, but i have faith, we can survive this xD


My school is extra conscious of there "100% A-C" idea per department, so I can focus now on german geog and bio but I'm sitting AS chem next year. Bio and chem are reformed subjects (OCR A) so they're meant to be taught over 2 years and all exams are meant to be sat at the end of year 13
Reply 16
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LauraKuz
OP
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Original post by ImagineCats
My school is extra conscious of there "100% A-C" idea per department, so I can focus now on german geog and bio but I'm sitting AS chem next year. Bio and chem are reformed subjects (OCR A) so they're meant to be taught over 2 years and all exams are meant to be sat at the end of year 13


Ah okay, we have a new spec for aqa and we also sit the exams at the end of the 2 years, but good luck

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