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What's the essential piece of advice you'd give to someone starting their A-levels?

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When doing questions, get them marked! And if you don't get full marks do those questions that you got wrong/only some marks in again. Not only is this good practice but it will also allow you some leniency in the exam to drop a few marks (likely due to the increased pressure) and still get your target grade compared to if you are only scraping it in your homework. And who knows: you might even end up with full UMS in some exams (this is what I did and I ended up with full UMS in 1/3rd of my AS exams this year).
Original post by 04MR17
Do your best to get along with your teachers: you'll be spending a lot of time with them.
Which subjects? If you got grades for AS what were they?


I got 4A's..
I'm taking
Maths (A-level),Further Maths (A-level), Physics (A-level), Computer Science (A-level), Additional Further Maths (AS-level - at the end so i can decide if i have time to learn additional modules) and the EPQ on CompSci
Is this a bad idea ?? :frown:
No maths... just no... i don't care if you got 100% at GCSE just don't do it... don't put yourself through the pain:banghead::banghead::beer:
If you're doing maths. I don't care how good you are at it. I don't care how many exams you got full marks on. DO NOT take D1 as a module unless you know you can write at insane speeds.

Just because the content is easier than M1 and S1, doesn't mean it's easiest to score highly on. What's the point of easier questions if you're made to sit an exam at the end of the year that's nearly impossible to finish in time?

But if you were one of those people who always wrote the most pages in class on your essay based subjects at GCSE, by all means take D1.
Reply 404
MEMORISE MARk SCHEMEs
Just because you did well in GCSE's it won't mean you will find A levels easy
Start revision early
Ask teachers for help
Do every past paper possible
Choose subjects you enjoy
Don't try to do too much at once
Try not to stress too much
Stay organised
- You might think that frees are great. If you want a social life though, do your work during the frees so your weekends are slightly less stress-filled!
- don't call your teachers "miss" or "sir"... it's just a bit weird now
- don't leave your revision notes until a month before the exams. Do them as you go along and it makes revision so much easier!
Original post by Someboady
I got 4A's..
I'm taking
Maths (A-level),Further Maths (A-level), Physics (A-level), Computer Science (A-level), Additional Further Maths (AS-level - at the end so i can decide if i have time to learn additional modules) and the EPQ on CompSci
Is this a bad idea?
Speak to your teachers. See if they think you are capable of doing so. Speak to your Head of Sixth Form/College and discuss whether they think you will manage. If you decide to go with this, then speak to the Head of Sixth Form/College again along with someone like a form tutor to make sure that you have the right support to continue. It's going to be difficult, but it isn't impossible.
Original post by 04MR17
Speak to your teachers. See if they think you are capable of doing so. Speak to your Head of Sixth Form/College and discuss whether they think you will manage. If you decide to go with this, then speak to the Head of Sixth Form/College again along with someone like a form tutor to make sure that you have the right support to continue. It's going to be difficult, but it isn't impossible.


Right.. I'm willing to put the work in I guess. Trying to get into Oxford... won't be too crushed if I don't make it to be honest. But what kind of support can I expect from my college? It's a state comprehensive school and they don't exactly offer the Additional Further Maths so that'll be self-taught... And the CompSci department is practically non-existent. And Physics takes up a LOT of my time
Original post by fionax0
Do NOT take 4 A2s and an EPQ in year 13. No matter how confident you feel after AS, just don't.


Oops lol that was the plan
You have to work hard and revise. It is NOTHING like GCSEs. You have to genuinely revise you butt off because it is one of the most hardest things you will ever do. You have to understand the content really well. Take this from someone who was confident but then recieved really bad results because they didn't start revising as soon as they got the content.
Revise months before an exam and hve a clear set of notes besides class notes. Also, past papers should be done including specimen papers to help you apply your knowledge :smile:
Don't do it D:
Original post by Someboady
Right.. I'm willing to put the work in I guess. Trying to get into Oxford... won't be too crushed if I don't make it to be honest. But what kind of support can I expect from my college? It's a state comprehensive school and they don't exactly offer the Additional Further Maths so that'll be self-taught... And the CompSci department is practically non-existent. And Physics takes up a LOT of my time
If there are any particularly fascist teachers when it comes to deadlines, ask the relevant pastoral person* to send out an E-mail to all your teachers (copying you in) explaining that @Someboady has a lot on their plate this year, they're trying to get into Oxford and sitting x exams this year. Therefore, please be considerate of this workload when setting deadlines and try to be supportive of their ambition.

People have respect for someone with ambition, but who is honest about their needs. If the relevant pastoral person* is not very cooperative or you don't get along, go higher up the food chain until you find someone willing to help.


*ie head of college or something (I don't know) - someone with authority would be good
Don't get complacent, it may seem ok when you start (well compared to what everyone is telling you) but it will get harder so make sure you keep on top of it from the start and do all homework you're given (especially in maths as practice really helps!), which sounds really boring but it's worth it in the long run.
Try your best not to get behind! Catching up on A level work is a pain and difficult if you are ill ask friends or the teacher for a copy of the work or the topic so you can look at it and be ready for the next lesson. Ask teachers for the power points if that's what they use this can be emailed to you and you can read through it in your bed surrounded by tissues. If you do get behind its not the end of the world just try and catch up as much as possible the worst is getting to the end of the years going through the past papers realising you have no idea what this section means because you missed the lesson and didn't catch up.
To avoid really high pressure, present your prep as lower grade level, unless it is contributing to your grades. But secretly practice better during your study hours, then during the exams - go forth with your amazing knowledge that you had secretly studied and memorised with tears and blood!

That way, you would surprised your teacher by instead having predicted grades of D or less - you got passing grade of A*-C.
Reply 417
Best advice I'd give is dont be over confident with your AS exams because that could lead to some serious damage to your career!
Original post by 04MR17
If there are any particularly fascist teachers when it comes to deadlines, ask the relevant pastoral person* to send out an E-mail to all your teachers (copying you in) explaining that @Someboady has a lot on their plate this year, they're trying to get into Oxford and sitting x exams this year. Therefore, please be considerate of this workload when setting deadlines and try to be supportive of their ambition.

People have respect for someone with ambition, but who is honest about their needs. If the relevant pastoral person* is not very cooperative or you don't get along, go higher up the food chain until you find someone willing to help.


*ie head of college or something (I don't know) - someone with authority would be good


Right okay, I love this thank you so much! I will definitely contact my head of sixth form about this. Do you have any general tips about taking A-levels and trying to get straight A*s?
Original post by Someboady
Right okay, I love this thank you so much! I will definitely contact my head of sixth form about this. Do you have any general tips about taking A-levels and trying to get straight A*s?
Past Papers=success. Especially for your subjects.
Otherwise see:
http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=1375172

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