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Which book?

Hey guys,

I have a question


I am doing maths, further maths, physics and economics. I am doing the Edexcel exam board A levels.

I have bought the nancy wall revision guide for Edexcel and cgp revision and practice guides for the rest. Are these books ok? I want to do my A-levels in one year. Are these ok to achieve A stars?


Thank you.



What else do you think I need to do? To achieve A stars?
Reply 1
Do every practice question, and exam paper you can find, the more you expose yourself to different question styles the better it will be for you.
Go over you knowledge more than once. For instance, if you have been learning a topic from physics in sections like from monday - friday , then on saturday or sunday, test yourself on the whole topic, this will reinforce what you learnt.
Understand the context and try to apply it to different situations, don't paraphrase it.
Go over mark scheme answers!
Good Luck and Work Hard :smile:
Reply 2
Original post by MrsSasuNaru
Do every practice question, and exam paper you can find, the more you expose yourself to different question styles the better it will be for you.
Go over you knowledge more than once. For instance, if you have been learning a topic from physics in sections like from monday - friday , then on saturday or sunday, test yourself on the whole topic, this will reinforce what you learnt.
Understand the context and try to apply it to different situations, don't paraphrase it.
Go over mark scheme answers!
Good Luck and Work Hard :smile:


Thanks but are the books ok?
Reply 3
Original post by saboor 123
Thanks but are the books ok?


Yes the cgp books are good and so is the other.
Reply 4
Original post by MrsSasuNaru
Yes the cgp books are good and so is the other.


Woulod I get an a star like this? And do I have enough time? I am sitting my exams in June. Next year. When should I start and how many hours should I study every day? I am homeschooled. And am 14 years old. Just finished my 12 gcses
Reply 5
Wow, so 14 with 12 GCSE's, you've been working hard, well done to you.
Personally, I wasn't homeschooled, but in Sixth form, I did waste my frees with my friends which was a bad decision on my behalf as I could've used that to study my weak topics, but this was what the smartest kid in my school would do.
Have a healthy and good breakfast.
Start studying at 8:30 and spend 2 hours doing a subject.
Take a half an hour break, and then spend 2 hours doing your 2nd subject.
Lunch break (40 mins) and 2 more hours studying your 3rd subject.
This would mean that you have been studying from 8:30 - 3:00. so 6 hours which is a lot. The reason for 2 hours focus and then break is because research has shown that our brain/mind loses interest in something (in this case a subject) when it studies it for more than 2 hours (actually it 90 mins but oh well).

Then around 5:00 pm start studying again but this time revise what you did in the morning. For instance, if you had done Maths in the morning spend 15-30 mins going over what you learnt, so that you can remember it. Research has shown that when you consistently go over something its more likely to stay in your long term memory, which is what you want since you want to do your Alevels in 11 year.
SO you would be done by 7:00pm and after that you can have the rest of the night to your self (preferably, go to bed by 10).

If you carry out this routine or an effective routine of your own, then kid you can do it. If you can do 12 GCSE's at 14 y/o then you can definitely do your Alevels in a year. Believe in your self, and work hard. Remain motivated, and consistent, don't give up half way, ask help when you're struggling and take good care of your health, exercise daily, go out for walks, don't waste your time, you can also give a weekend day to yourself as a reward.
Do you have an exam centre to sit the exams? Particularly physics - you have to do a whole set of required practicals and it isn't easy to find a centre that will accommodate you. Have a look here - http://he-exams.wikia.com/wiki/Science_A-levels Although you can still take the paper without the practicals most universities want to see the practical endorsement has been passed, plus you will need the practical experience to answer exam questions.

I would also say that you need more than revision guides to self-study without lessons or a tutor. The exam board website has endorsed resources (usually textbooks) but it might be worth checking to see if the answers are available - often they are only available in expensive teachers' guides. Check on the publishers page. Sometimes they will release the answers to you if you email and explain you are self teaching.

CGP do actual textbooks for maths - they do a student book and a text book and I'm not sure what the difference is but if you go onto their website they have samples to look at. They will give more explanation than just a revision guide

Don't just rely on going to a book shop to find textbooks - you really need to look online, and will probably find more than one publisher produces them

It is also worth looking for you tube videos and other resources to help as well as relying on books
Reply 7
Original post by MrsSasuNaru
Wow, so 14 with 12 GCSE's, you've been working hard, well done to you.
Personally, I wasn't homeschooled, but in Sixth form, I did waste my frees with my friends which was a bad decision on my behalf as I could've used that to study my weak topics, but this was what the smartest kid in my school would do.
Have a healthy and good breakfast.
Start studying at 8:30 and spend 2 hours doing a subject.
Take a half an hour break, and then spend 2 hours doing your 2nd subject.
Lunch break (40 mins) and 2 more hours studying your 3rd subject.
This would mean that you have been studying from 8:30 - 3:00. so 6 hours which is a lot. The reason for 2 hours focus and then break is because research has shown that our brain/mind loses interest in something (in this case a subject) when it studies it for more than 2 hours (actually it 90 mins but oh well).

Then around 5:00 pm start studying again but this time revise what you did in the morning. For instance, if you had done Maths in the morning spend 15-30 mins going over what you learnt, so that you can remember it. Research has shown that when you consistently go over something its more likely to stay in your long term memory, which is what you want since you want to do your Alevels in 11 year.
SO you would be done by 7:00pm and after that you can have the rest of the night to your self (preferably, go to bed by 10).

If you carry out this routine or an effective routine of your own, then kid you can do it. If you can do 12 GCSE's at 14 y/o then you can definitely do your Alevels in a year. Believe in your self, and work hard. Remain motivated, and consistent, don't give up half way, ask help when you're struggling and take good care of your health, exercise daily, go out for walks, don't waste your time, you can also give a weekend day to yourself as a reward.


I am 14 now and waiting for my results. Thanks a lot for the ideas and motivation. Really appreciate it. Thanks a lot.
Reply 8
Original post by 2childmum
Do you have an exam centre to sit the exams? Particularly physics - you have to do a whole set of required practicals and it isn't easy to find a centre that will accommodate you. Have a look here - http://he-exams.wikia.com/wiki/Science_A-levels Although you can still take the paper without the practicals most universities want to see the practical endorsement has been passed, plus you will need the practical experience to answer exam questions.

I would also say that you need more than revision guides to self-study without lessons or a tutor. The exam board website has endorsed resources (usually textbooks) but it might be worth checking to see if the answers are available - often they are only available in expensive teachers' guides. Check on the publishers page. Sometimes they will release the answers to you if you email and explain you are self teaching.

CGP do actual textbooks for maths - they do a student book and a text book and I'm not sure what the difference is but if you go onto their website they have samples to look at. They will give more explanation than just a revision guide

Don't just rely on going to a book shop to find textbooks - you really need to look online, and will probably find more than one publisher produces them

It is also worth looking for you tube videos and other resources to help as well as relying on books


I do have a centre who can do the written exams and I have tutors for each subject. Can you give me the links to the youtube videos or the channels? Thanks a lot. Really appreciate it.
The written paper isn’t the problem - it’s the practical endorsement. Not many centres offer it and it can cost a lot. There is more information about it on the link I sent you



As for resources - you could try the following, but I dont’ know how good they are. Be aware that the A level maths ones may still be arranged according to the old specifiaction . Not all of these are specific to A level - you might have to search around a bit to find what you need



http://www.physicstutoronline.co.uk/alevelphysics



http://www.schoolphysics.co.uk/age16-19/



https://www.youtube.com/user/benaryder/playlists



https://www.youtube.com/user/bozemanbiology/playlists



https://www.mathedup.co.uk/a-level-takeaways/



https://www.youtube.com/user/HEGARTYMATHS/playlists



http://mei.org.uk/fmsp



https://www.examsolutions.net/a-level-maths/edexcel/

And also - why, if you are so young, are you planning on trying to get through 4 A levels in a year? What are your future plans? if you want to go to uni at 18 to study any of these A level subject you will be much better off leaving them until closer to the time you actually go to uni, as they will be concerned that your subject knowledge is out of date. Maths in particular can be a problem - some unis aren't keen for students to even take a gap year between A level maths and a maths or maths related degree.
Original post by 2childmum
The written paper isn’t the problem - it’s the practical endorsement. Not many centres offer it and it can cost a lot. There is more information about it on the link I sent you



As for resources - you could try the following, but I dont’ know how good they are. Be aware that the A level maths ones may still be arranged according to the old specifiaction . Not all of these are specific to A level - you might have to search around a bit to find what you need



http://www.physicstutoronline.co.uk/alevelphysics



http://www.schoolphysics.co.uk/age16-19/



https://www.youtube.com/user/benaryder/playlists



https://www.youtube.com/user/bozemanbiology/playlists



https://www.mathedup.co.uk/a-level-takeaways/



https://www.youtube.com/user/HEGARTYMATHS/playlists



http://mei.org.uk/fmsp



https://www.examsolutions.net/a-level-maths/edexcel/

And also - why, if you are so young, are you planning on trying to get through 4 A levels in a year? What are your future plans? if you want to go to uni at 18 to study any of these A level subject you will be much better off leaving them until closer to the time you actually go to uni, as they will be concerned that your subject knowledge is out of date. Maths in particular can be a problem - some unis aren't keen for students to even take a gap year between A level maths and a maths or maths related degree.


Thanks for replying. I would like to do it asap cause I want to get into uni asap. I know people who got into uni when they were really young.
i think you would really miss out socially going so young - there is so much more to uni than just studying.
Original post by 2childmum
i think you would really miss out socially going so young - there is so much more to uni than just studying.


HMMMM
Can someone name me a good university for nuclear physics? A uni with the best ranking please Thanks.

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