UUU to A*A*A* in 5 months?
Scroll to see replies
There isn't that much to learn for A levels, 5 months is a long time and if you put your nose to the grind-wheel and do all the past papers then yes, this is achievable.
However - you will fail the pre-clinical exams at many med schools (particularly those with an exam-intensive divide between pre-clinical academia and the clinical years) if you adopt this approach. I recall working out that in a 1 hour lecture (in essence the A level biology catch up lecture) we covered what took 8 biology lessons. The pace did not let up with subsequent lectures on completely new material. Our first serious exams to cover 3 heavy science modules were 4 months in after the Christmas break. There are no past papers to practice, there are no "typical questions" to learn by rote. Only more material than you have ever had to learn before and it is easy to fall hopelessly behind. (Though you only have to pass eg: 50% rather than excel eg: 80-90% like at A level).
However - you will fail the pre-clinical exams at many med schools (particularly those with an exam-intensive divide between pre-clinical academia and the clinical years) if you adopt this approach. I recall working out that in a 1 hour lecture (in essence the A level biology catch up lecture) we covered what took 8 biology lessons. The pace did not let up with subsequent lectures on completely new material. Our first serious exams to cover 3 heavy science modules were 4 months in after the Christmas break. There are no past papers to practice, there are no "typical questions" to learn by rote. Only more material than you have ever had to learn before and it is easy to fall hopelessly behind. (Though you only have to pass eg: 50% rather than excel eg: 80-90% like at A level).
Original post by Doctor_Roo
There isn't that much to learn for A levels, 5 months is a long time and if you put your nose to the grind-wheel and do all the past papers then yes, this is achievable.
However - you will fail the pre-clinical exams at many med schools (particularly those with an exam-intensive divide between pre-clinical academia and the clinical years) if you adopt this approach. I recall working out that in a 1 hour lecture (in essence the A level biology catch up lecture) we covered what took 8 biology lessons. The pace did not let up with subsequent lectures on completely new material. Our first serious exams to cover 3 heavy science modules were 4 months in after the Christmas break. There are no past papers to practice, there are no "typical questions" to learn by rote. Only more material than you have ever had to learn before and it is easy to fall hopelessly behind. (Though you only have to pass eg: 50% rather than excel eg: 80-90% like at A level).
However - you will fail the pre-clinical exams at many med schools (particularly those with an exam-intensive divide between pre-clinical academia and the clinical years) if you adopt this approach. I recall working out that in a 1 hour lecture (in essence the A level biology catch up lecture) we covered what took 8 biology lessons. The pace did not let up with subsequent lectures on completely new material. Our first serious exams to cover 3 heavy science modules were 4 months in after the Christmas break. There are no past papers to practice, there are no "typical questions" to learn by rote. Only more material than you have ever had to learn before and it is easy to fall hopelessly behind. (Though you only have to pass eg: 50% rather than excel eg: 80-90% like at A level).
Damn, are you at a lecture heavy med school or a PBL one out of interest? So is passing first year basically much much harder than getting 3A*?
Original post by CarysJSLewis
If this is to get into uni, I wouldn't bother. If you're too lazy to study for your A levels, imo you don't deserve uni.
savage
Not sure if it's the same for your exam board/all exam boards but for maths then I believe you need to get an A at AS to be able to qualify for an A*
Even if you achieved 300/300UMS in your A2 modules then you wouldn't get an A* because you need to have an A at AS but you got a B at 237 UMS, so I think it's worth retaking if you're really serious about it.
I'm with MEI OCR so perhaps it's not the same for you, but it might be best to check.
Even if you achieved 300/300UMS in your A2 modules then you wouldn't get an A* because you need to have an A at AS but you got a B at 237 UMS, so I think it's worth retaking if you're really serious about it.
I'm with MEI OCR so perhaps it's not the same for you, but it might be best to check.
Original post by epistasis
Don't need 3A* for uni
i think you're leaving it a bit last minute. I'm doing similar subjects and have been working my socks off for the past month with revision and I'm aiming for abb
Original post by JaredzzC
Not sure if it's the same for your exam board/all exam boards but for maths then I believe you need to get an A at AS to be able to qualify for an A*
Even if you achieved 300/300UMS in your A2 modules then you wouldn't get an A* because you need to have an A at AS but you got a B at 237 UMS, so I think it's worth retaking if you're really serious about it.
I'm with MEI OCR so perhaps it's not the same for you, but it might be best to check.
Even if you achieved 300/300UMS in your A2 modules then you wouldn't get an A* because you need to have an A at AS but you got a B at 237 UMS, so I think it's worth retaking if you're really serious about it.
I'm with MEI OCR so perhaps it's not the same for you, but it might be best to check.
Nope, for my exam board I don't have to but I'll probably retake anyway to get UMS up
Original post by Hassan2578
i think you're leaving it a bit last minute. I'm doing similar subjects and have been working my socks off for the past month with revision and I'm aiming for abb
Fair enough, why abb? Because lack of time?
yes lack of time and coz of how hard a levels are but its not impossible for you to get aaa you just need to get a move on NOW
Original post by epistasis
Okay so I'm probably not at UUU probably DEE or something but is this possible? Been lazy and yet to start learning stuff let alone revising, taking biology chemistry maths. How much work will i need to put in? First exam just over 5 months away
Well of course it is possible if you change your attitude to revision because clearly no revision isn't working for you. It depend on how good at remembering things you are and obviously how clever/good at these subjects you are, but a grade improvement is definitely possible. What did you get for GCSE for these subjects and how much did you revise for them then?
The first step is to get the CGP guides for the subjects (assuming they still exist???) and read through them all and make notes... that will not take very long but you should do it NOW.
(edited 7 years ago)
Original post by epistasis
Damn, are you at a lecture heavy med school or a PBL one out of interest? So is passing first year basically much much harder than getting 3A*?
I graduated. My med school was predominantly lecture and examination heavy. This may not apply to med schools with less academic focus.
I would say looking back the work I put into A levels was minimal, even lazy (though at the time I felt like a hard worker!) by comparison. I took 4 A levels and would have got A*A*AA (you can tell I'm old because they didn't have A* back when I took A levels).
It's a different kind of hard - less to do with being exceptional, more to do with insane volumes of information. Some of it is conceptual but pre-clinically medicine is more like A level biology on steroids than anything else.
You can't sit back, wait until a few weeks before the exams, do the necessary past papers and then pass with flying colours because you're the cleverest. There is too much to learn.
But you also don't need to know every little thing and produce a near-perfect performance the same way as to get >90% at A level.
I would imagine more pass first year (including resits), then had attained 3A* at A level. But everyone has to learn to work harder or fail. Large numbers fail at least one exam which is a shock to students used to walking out of every single exam with 80% or more.
In a way, med school (and probably university in general - though I wouldn't know personally) is the great equalizer of lazy, clever shits. The will not do as well as less-clever hardworking individuals. The opposite is sort of true of A levels.
(edited 7 years ago)
Original post by MatthewP15
AAA is more realistic but would still require a hell of a lot of effort and grinding
Like 5 hours a day effort?
Original post by epistasis
Damn, which subjects?
Bio, chem, physics & maths (A*s in maths and physics)
Original post by Hassan2578
yes lack of time and coz of how hard a levels are but its not impossible for you to get aaa you just need to get a move on NOW
How so?
If you've learnt the basics already and it hasn't all just gone in one ear and out the other then I don't see why not. Re-learning is always easier just like now we look back on AS work and its just expected to be known at the very least. If you know your concepts for chem&maths (dont do bio so cant speak for it) then just go through past papers as much as you can and go over notes every now and then just to keep yourself up to speed with all the key points, definitions etc.
Original post by epistasis
Okay so I'm probably not at UUU probably DEE or something but is this possible? Been lazy and yet to start learning stuff let alone revising, taking biology chemistry maths. How much work will i need to put in? First exam just over 5 months away
How much do you want it? I came out of college with E,E,E, 2 years later went to Uni and just got a high 1st class honours and my dissertation published in a journal.
Anything is possible, but being at college you are probably young, I was immature at college I just wanted money thought A Levels would be easy like GCSEs.
Now I am being turned down for top jobs because my A Levels are not good enough, top universities that lead to big bucks jobs will not take you with DEE, you will regret not working hard when your older.
Hopefully that inspires you...but yes you can do it, but you have to really do it.
Spend all your spare time revising, reading, ask your teachers for feedback, tell them you want A's and you are going to knuckle down.
Find something strong to keep you motivated! Do you want to be rich? successful? go to a top uni make your family proud and get loads of girls/men whatever you in to lol? nice car? house? AN ENJOYABLE job because believe me some are horrible. Work abroad? If any of these work your arse off now
If you are motivated enough and may have to turn down that friday night sesh and not go out with your friends family for a few months, although may suck now you will have a better quality life.
Have you just been lazy or do you struggle in anyway?
Strangely I though A Levels are harder than a degree. But for exams use mind maps people use them to learn whole new languages in just a couple of weeks.
You may have done them at school, I have got a 1st in almost every exam doing this. Type out notes so read your college books, put it in your own words, then make short notes even in text language and do a mind map.
For instance for my Financial Managment Degree Exam, I had the answer to every question and topic (2.5hr exam) in just 2 A4 pages, I could revise 48 pages of a book on these 2 pages in about 2 minutes, and just read again and again, also keep writing it out again it helps.
To get high marks as well use lots of references from different sources.
Good luck, YOU CAN ACHIEVE ANYTHING IF YOU WANT TO AND WORK HARD FOR IT AND WANT IT ENOUGH....don't ever let anyone tell you different.
My teachers said I'd get **** grades smashed it at school and I am now more qualified than half of them. good luck
I have a friend who was basically failing everything and getting grades such as Es and Us. She was not particularly "smart"
One day it just clicked in her that she actually wanted something out of her life and after three-four months or so of constant hardwork and perseverance she went onto becoming an A-A* student.
Bear in mind this was GCSEs not A-Levels but i thought it may be helpful (motivation wise)
Like such a drastic change...shows anything is possible if you put your mind to it
One day it just clicked in her that she actually wanted something out of her life and after three-four months or so of constant hardwork and perseverance she went onto becoming an A-A* student.
Bear in mind this was GCSEs not A-Levels but i thought it may be helpful (motivation wise)
Like such a drastic change...shows anything is possible if you put your mind to it
Original post by Doctor_Roo
I graduated. My med school was predominantly lecture and examination heavy. This may not apply to med schools with less academic focus.
I would say looking back the work I put into A levels was minimal, even lazy (though at the time I felt like a hard worker!) by comparison. I took 4 A levels and would have got A*A*AA (you can tell I'm old because they didn't have A* back when I took A levels).
It's a different kind of hard - less to do with being exceptional, more to do with insane volumes of information. Some of it is conceptual but pre-clinically medicine is more like A level biology on steroids than anything else.
You can't sit back, wait until a few weeks before the exams, do the necessary past papers and then pass with flying colours because you're the cleverest. There is too much to learn.
But you also don't need to know every little thing and produce a near-perfect performance the same way as to get >90% at A level.
I would imagine more pass first year (including resits), then had attained 3A* at A level. But everyone has to learn to work harder or fail. Large numbers fail at least one exam which is a shock to students used to walking out of every single exam with 80% or more.
In a way, med school (and probably university in general - though I wouldn't know personally) is the great equalizer of lazy, clever shits. The will not do as well as less-clever hardworking individuals. The opposite is sort of true of A levels.
I would say looking back the work I put into A levels was minimal, even lazy (though at the time I felt like a hard worker!) by comparison. I took 4 A levels and would have got A*A*AA (you can tell I'm old because they didn't have A* back when I took A levels).
It's a different kind of hard - less to do with being exceptional, more to do with insane volumes of information. Some of it is conceptual but pre-clinically medicine is more like A level biology on steroids than anything else.
You can't sit back, wait until a few weeks before the exams, do the necessary past papers and then pass with flying colours because you're the cleverest. There is too much to learn.
But you also don't need to know every little thing and produce a near-perfect performance the same way as to get >90% at A level.
I would imagine more pass first year (including resits), then had attained 3A* at A level. But everyone has to learn to work harder or fail. Large numbers fail at least one exam which is a shock to students used to walking out of every single exam with 80% or more.
In a way, med school (and probably university in general - though I wouldn't know personally) is the great equalizer of lazy, clever shits. The will not do as well as less-clever hardworking individuals. The opposite is sort of true of A levels.
out of curiosity, what med school did you graduate from?
If Zacken can do Further Maths, Maths and Physics in that time period, self teach those subjects and get into Cambridge for probably the most rigorous subject out there then I'm sure you'll be able to!
Although, Zacken is not normal😭
Posted from TSR Mobile
Although, Zacken is not normal😭
Posted from TSR Mobile
Original post by epistasis
Okay so I'm probably not at UUU probably DEE or something but is this possible? Been lazy and yet to start learning stuff let alone revising, taking biology chemistry maths. How much work will i need to put in? First exam just over 5 months away
Short answer (Motivational):
Yes you definitely can by working as though you have a full time job for most students in your case but you surely can though how much work depends on many factors such as your intelligence, resources available and many more.
Long answer (Practical):
Firstly, it depends on your academic ability but it seems as though you can given your AS results or not, as anyone made it to be able to chose to do those A-levels has the potential to ace it no matter what. Secondly, it requires a true dedication if you want to obtain those grades.
Therefore, I will give you what worked for me when I was in similar situations and it can be done in less than that time but you must be willing to follow through for each module or then no, I cannot say that you will achieve those results. However, you seem to have that drive that will at least kick start your journey to those A stars by just making a TSR account in order to ask for if it is possible. Again, it is difficult but doable though others say it is not unless your gifted but do not listen to that because many I know, with myself included, prove such people wrong.
Note that, obviously, you have to adapt a few steps for subjects differ greatly and for the subjects you do differ from most of mine so not everything will be applicable. Nevertheless, read everything for the fundamental concepts that attend these steps will get you those grades. In fact, I can almost guarantee you that if you truly follow each step to the point you will get 3 A*s for sure and it is common sense to me so it really does amaze me how so many never do these things.
On the other hand, albeit this is doable, this is hard work and far higher work than the average student can handle so I really do need to emphasize the point but then again A*A*A* is exceptionally above what the average student achieves.
The steps to get an A* :
Step 1) Improve yourself:
Some general tips for productivity and being better overall is necessary for what will follow or this will all feel impossible and will be impossible without this so sub list here:
a) Sleep well, Eat well and stay fit - try to adopt a sport but ensure that it wont get you addicted such as gym instead of football for many but if you can, you can (Sleep is such a prominent issue for many students its a joke so get 8 hours its more important than 7 hours with a more revision)
b)Learn how to study, which is easier said then done so dedicate one week to this. Trust me this will save so much time in the long term.
(the mark of a good student is not in on who knows what to study it, by how to study it - from someone important I forgot :P)
c) Figure out where you find it best to revise (Library and living roof for me with headphones course as my family will say hey if im chilling to long or off task and show my hard work off really
)d) Figure out what ways you find it best to revise and note take - Thomas Frankly (Sub) did a great video on it (Outline method works 4 me)
e) Figure out what types of break for you - but ensure it is a break and not a distraction and you can tell if it is if it is taking your mind away from revision after your break is done (I like long revision sessions matched by slightly less yet still long breaks so if I do 2 hours I will play a game for an hour or slightly more if I am close to ending but be strict to actually end)
f) Get organized because your day to day schedule will get very busy using many apps (but 4 me it was My Study Life and more improtantly Habitica - especially cuz I cannot stick to a revision plan for the life of me)
Now the educational content section...
Step 2) Get hold of the specification (Do it ASAP)
Simple. So important it is a point of its own. Besides that, not much commentary here so do it quick.
That should not have been too hard. Now prepare yourself...
Step 3) Cover it all in detail (100% the hardest but most tied-crucial step as it include many stages) by:
a) Read and using appropriate books (I recommend those that are CGP and whatever your college/sixth form provides)
b) Watch videos (Don't know about the other subjects but for maths was Hegarty Maths and Exam solutions)
c) Practice exam questions
d) Create a glossary
Do not brush over or miss out a single thing at all.
Once more, this is the 'hard work' step that I never liked but got to do because it does take away from your social life and requires real mental toughness for someone like me who used to struggle to do one pomodoro a day. For you specifically, I recommend a chapter a day for maths so that within 30 days give or take a few days for different books have different amounts of chapters or whatever have you.
Clearly, this stage will take many hours of your day everyday but do not measure your work in terms of hours per subject but rather topics covered. Thus, you need to total the amount that must be learnt and plan accordingly as well as realistically.
Hence, as an extension from point (1f) I created a simple yet effective spreadsheet that shows me how each chapter or topics I need to cover and what I have touched, covered and mastered through colour coding. Moreover, I have an overview sheet as the homepage to enable quick inspection in table format of my progress, which displays percentage of the course covered and exactly how much more work must be done from the sum of the custom ranking I adopted for work done from 0, 0.5, 1 representing my understanding. If you want screen shot examples I could post a few.
Then take a week or two for a break and chill. Have real fun. By that time, most ppl wont but most ppl won't get the grades you will ;D Again, have real fun to refuel yourself; you're about to do the boring part.
Step 4) Cover it all again and improve (Aim to finish within a week; this is not as long or demanding as you might expect)
a) Redo notes
b) Update your glossary
c) Revisit troublesome and key questions/topics/ideas and so on
This step is almost relaxing compared to its predecessor and is good way to ease in to the state after that break. Furthermore, step 3 is here is to embed all the knowledge you have gained into your soul as well as to double check you have covered everything in detail. In addition, it is quite fun for some reason. Possibly since you feel as though you are now smart or that you finally finished what you think was unthinkable.
Take a week off for the next step..
5) Sharpen you exam technique and familiarize your self with the exam (this was the the step that rivals step 2 in importance)
a) Do all past/specimen/practice papers in exam conditions (4 real like honestly time yourself in a silent area with nothing but the equipment and assume the accompanying conditions)
b) Do all Solomon papers
c) Mark harshly after each paper (If you can get a good grade with harsh examiner you know you can get a better score with a normal or lenient one)
WAIT! After step 3 you are probably thinking I never want to work this hard again but do not fear. Why? This is not harder at all and it will probably go like this...
Once you do the first exam with a bit of an awkward struggle knowing you know everything that you will be tested on. Market it and it will be a weird of feeling happy and a bit disheartening that after all your hard work you improved but not as much as you desired as a result of all these silly mistakes or lack of familiarity with exams.
Second exam comes around and you do not get fooled by the same traps and start to spot the repeated layout and how much time to spend on it. Mark it and see results increase or decrease by a bit but then you pick up from those mistakes.
Third exam done and you fly through it easily and you now understand the layout and start to spot patterns. Mark it and you see improvements that will drive you to want to do more - or in other words after this point you will not see this as a task but fun because the grade increasing is addictive reward for all that you have done.
10th exam or so and you breeze through the paper expecting certain topics and predicting the questions as well as how it will be marked. This will be the first exam that you are marking with the mark scheme and just ticking and ticking until you reach the end of the mark scheme and realize you got 74/75 or 98/100 and so on. Now, your hooked and excited to do each paper than dreading it.
A couple of papers later and you finally get that 100% and you are so ecstatic and overwhelmed with proud joy that you show everyone in your house, your neighbors, the shop keepers at your local corner shop and then you realize your at that point you dreamed of.
However, once you reach that stage, it is dangerous place for your ego. Subsequently, you have to do the rest of the papers and do not worry if you do a bit worse after wards for exams vary in difficulty and mistakes do happen but just learn from them. (Count for your subjects but for maths doing 2 a day with space for 4 more exams for other subjects you should be done within a month with some float)
Then take two weeks break again because step 4 can be a bit annoying but still reassuring as you will see.
Step 6) Repeat step 5:
a) Do all papers twice and aim to better yourself in each one by aiming for 100%
b) Do all papers thrice and aim to better yourself in each one by getting 100%
c) Do some exams from other exam boards if you want
d) Do those crazy papers if you really want
By now, you already know you will get nothing less than an A grade but you are trying to get an A* so you do not stop eating papers until a day before exam and moments before the exam just look back at what you have from step 4 and chill.
Told you it was a long answer but it follow it right and I promise you the A*s
Spoiler
(edited 6 years ago)
Quick Reply
Related discussions
- I failed my AS this year and I don't know what to do...
- Oxford MSc Evidence-based Social Intervention and Policy Evaluation
- From UUU to AAA in A level Maths, Further Maths and Physics in a month
- Arabic GCSE's 2023
- LSE Anthropology and Law Applicants 2021
- GCSEs
- How to get into Westminster 16+ as a girl?
- AS Chem Question
- h
- AS Organic Chem Question
- Will I convert this big4 internship?
- 2022 OCR A-Level geography papers/questions
- Is UUU to AAA possible in a month?
- A level pure maths question
- is this a good a level combination, business biology chemistry
- how to cope with post-a-levels stress?
- gcse geography as a private candidate/self teacher
- 17 years old not allowed to use phone
- Access courses
- Medway 2022
Latest
Trending
Last reply 4 days ago
Edexcel A Level Politics Paper 1 (9PL0 01) - 21st May 2024 [Exam Chat]Trending
Last reply 4 days ago
Edexcel A Level Politics Paper 1 (9PL0 01) - 21st May 2024 [Exam Chat]
