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How did I mess up??? (AS Level)

I revised ridiculous amounts and once I felt satisfied enough with my knowledge on each subject (Maths, Biology, Physics and Chemistry) I made sure to do atleast 40 past papers on each subject, as well as revising further. I was getting As, Bs, minimum Cs on bad days but never Ds, I was so confident by the time I was going to do my exams, I ended up with B in Biology, C in chemistry, C in Physics and a D in maths, all this I did with tutors. I'm currently doing A2 now, with repeating my AS subjects aswell, am I seriously just dumb?
I felt like the exams in summer 2016 were very differently formatted from previous years, but still, am I just really reaaaally dumb?

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Original post by Jivanshh
I revised ridiculous amounts and once I felt satisfied enough with my knowledge on each subject (Maths, Biology, Physics and Chemistry) I made sure to do atleast 40 past papers on each subject, as well as revising further. I was getting As, Bs, minimum Cs on bad days but never Ds, I was so confident by the time I was going to do my exams, I ended up with B in Biology, C in chemistry, C in Physics and a D in maths, all this I did with tutors. I'm currently doing A2 now, with repeating my AS subjects aswell, am I seriously just dumb?
I felt like the exams in summer 2016 were very differently formatted from previous years, but still, am I just really reaaaally dumb?


Sounds like you revise inefficiently? how are you currently revising?
Reply 2
Original post by Jivanshh
I revised ridiculous amounts and once I felt satisfied enough with my knowledge on each subject (Maths, Biology, Physics and Chemistry) I made sure to do atleast 40 past papers on each subject, as well as revising further. I was getting As, Bs, minimum Cs on bad days but never Ds, I was so confident by the time I was going to do my exams, I ended up with B in Biology, C in chemistry, C in Physics and a D in maths, all this I did with tutors. I'm currently doing A2 now, with repeating my AS subjects aswell, am I seriously just dumb?
I felt like the exams in summer 2016 were very differently formatted from previous years, but still, am I just really reaaaally dumb?


theres a thing called over-revising, I know people that did so much revision in geography and they struggled in the exam leaving them no time to answer an essay question
Question:

Did you actually get your teachers to mark all those past papers you did? Or did you just do them then go 'Yep! I'm epic at Maths now! c:'
I've finished my A-levels. And here's my experience:
Do the recent past papers will be enough ie 5-6 years. It's not necessary to do that many. The aim of doing past papers is to grasp the style of how questions are asked. Write down questions that you felt difficult when you encountered them! Revise with your notes. Review those questions again before exam.


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Reply 5
Perhaps it was an anxiety problem. I get very nervous during exams, unlike at home when I'm doing past papers.
I don't know how on earth you even found 40 past papers but that is overkill. The main aim for past papers is to spot trends in the exam or mark scheme. But these change over time and if you are going back too far you won't pick up on recent ones. Did you always do the papers within the time limit? If you don't always force yourself to do that in an exam you may struggle with timing
Reply 7
My teachers were getting annoyed by the amount I gave them to mark, and Minimum I'de get on really hard or bad ones, rarely, was C
Probably inefficient revision? Are you doing dumb things while revising like listening to music?
Reply 9
Original post by CHEM AND BIO TIME!
Sounds like you revise inefficiently? how are you currently revising?


I made notes from classes, revision books and online notes, memorized them until they became indented in my head, and once I finished revising, and I knew I had sufficient knowledge to do past papers, I did loads of past papers, to the point where some questions I knew what they were asking, just looking at the first few words (obviously I read carefully in the exam)

Another problem that I faced in the exams but not during revision was that I was barely finishing some papers, especially maths.

I generally have always struggled with it but I intended to make it my strength
Reply 10
Original post by SuperHuman98
Probably inefficient revision? Are you doing dumb things while revising like listening to music?


I can't concentrate if I listen to music so no
Reply 11
Original post by SuperHuman98
Probably inefficient revision? Are you doing dumb things while revising like listening to music?


Listening to music can be effective; that is how I revise. I listen to certain songs while revising certain topics, and when I sing them in my head in an exam I can remember what I have learnt. But it is a skill that takes years to develop. :colondollar:

Anyway, totally off topic.

Original post by Jivanshh
My teachers were getting annoyed by the amount I gave them to mark, and Minimum I'de get on really hard or bad ones, rarely, was C


Sounds like ineffective studying imo. And perhaps overkill with the past papers. Do you have a good exam technique?
Original post by patrick_horro
theres a thing called over-revising,


There's a thing called fiction as well. You can revise more than you need to but you cannot over-revise. You either know the material or you do not.
Original post by Jivanshh
I can't concentrate if I listen to music so no


In your previous post you said you were memorising for chemistry, you need to make sure you understand things otherwise you will make silly mistakes
Original post by Airmed
Listening to music can be effective; that is how I revise. I listen to certain songs while revising certain topics, and when I sing them in my head in an exam I can remember what I have learnt. But it is a skill that takes years to develop. :colondollar:

Anyway, totally off topic.



Sounds like ineffective studying imo. And perhaps overkill with the past papers. Do you have a good exam technique?


Oh ok, for me classical can work help me concentrate, but for some reason last year I would listen to all sorts including rap,hip hop etc was not a good idea xD
Reply 15
Original post by SuperHuman98
Oh ok, for me classical can work help me concentrate, but for some reason last year I would listen to all sorts including rap,hip hop etc was not a good idea xD


:laugh: I can do it with all kinds of music, it's like a blessing in a disguise, only way I got through my only uni exam last year.
Reply 16
Original post by Airmed
Listening to music can be effective; that is how I revise. I listen to certain songs while revising certain topics, and when I sing them in my head in an exam I can remember what I have learnt. But it is a skill that takes years to develop. :colondollar:

Anyway, totally off topic.



Sounds like ineffective studying imo. And perhaps overkill with the past papers. Do you have a good exam technique?


I really don't know what you mean by that, I never struggled at all with IGCSEs and no its not me getting cocky thinking I can do what I did with IGCSEs with bare minimum work, I worked alot, and I felt confident by the time my exams were starting
Reply 17
Original post by SuperHuman98
Oh ok, for me classical can work help me concentrate, but for some reason last year I would listen to all sorts including rap,hip hop etc was not a good idea xD


I just remembered my unit 3 for all sciences were really good, As and Bs, for them I did listen to music because they were very easy for me, but like you, classical music
Reply 18
Well hopefully I'll scrape 5 Bs and get into foundation at Nottingham, that is if they even let me in since they only have 60 open places.
(edited 7 years ago)
My son listens to the most awful selection of music. However, he achieved 4 x A grade at AS and he did Spanish AS & A2 at the same time & achieved A*. He does work very hard but he has time out - he plays football in goal, sees friends. The brain can only take so much!


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