A level BIO CHEM & MATHSstudents (year 12&13) pls help a fellow new student out!

Hey there I’m starting year 12 this September

I feel like I’ve forgotten all of my gcse content for bio chem and maths! Should I bother revisiting and trying to learn and memorise the content again or is there no point since some students told me this is covered at as level?

My main question is, would my time be better spent elsewhere (since I am applying to medicine, i can use this time to research more about the field of medicine, do extracurriculars and supercurriculars etc) ?

Please help thank you! If I should go over gcse content care to list the most prominent topics?

Reply 1

MKaur18

21

Original post by saranghoe

Hey there I’m starting year 12 this September

I feel like I’ve forgotten all of my gcse content for bio chem and maths! Should I bother revisiting and trying to learn and memorise the content again or is there no point since some students told me this is covered at as level?

My main question is, would my time be better spent elsewhere (since I am applying to medicine, i can use this time to research more about the field of medicine, do extracurriculars and supercurriculars etc) ?

Please help thank you! If I should go over gcse content care to list the most prominent topics?

Ensure that you have the basics as these are your foundation for A level. There are step up books available which I advise doing - such as, this:https://amzn.to/2Y3wizq

(edited 3 years ago)

Reply 2

username5304322

20

Original post by saranghoe

I feel like I’ve forgotten all of my gcse content for bio chem and maths! Should I bother revisiting and trying to learn and memorise the content again or is there no point since some students told me this is covered at as level?

For Biology, I'd suggest looking over cell structures and organelles to begin with. You may also want to recap topics such as mitosis & meiosis, pedigree diagrams and transport methods e.g. diffusion & osmosis.

The GCSE course is really a foundation for some topics throughout A-Level.

(edited 3 years ago)

get ready for hell 🤩

Original post by dxnixl

get ready for hell 🤩

I agree with Beanos ^

Reply 5

username5064508

16

Original post by AM.TSR

For Biology, I'd suggest looking over cell structures and organelles to begin with. You may also want to recap topics such as mitosis & meiosis, pedigree diagrams and transport methods e.g. diffusion & osmosis.

The GCSE course is really a foundation for some topics throughout A-Level.

I second this advice, but also make sure that you haven't forgotten all of your maths. Quadratics are a good basic topic to make sure you're okay with.

If you're applying for medicine, maybe look into applying for some medicine work experience during the half term, christmas holidays, etc. Failing that, pick up a few medicine-related books to read alongside your studies. These can be mentioned in your personal statement, they're better than nothing.

Reply 6

dxnixl

18

Original post by AM.TSR

I agree with Beanos ^

but seriously, I do Bio, Chem and Maths and right now I’m crying 🤩

Reply 7

username5304322

20

Original post by dxnixl

but seriously, I do Bio, Chem and Maths and right now I’m crying 🤩

Luckily I'm finished with A-Levels

Reply 8

dettydettypig

13

Original post by saranghoe

Hey there I’m starting year 12 this September

I feel like I’ve forgotten all of my gcse content for bio chem and maths! Should I bother revisiting and trying to learn and memorise the content again or is there no point since some students told me this is covered at as level?

My main question is, would my time be better spent elsewhere (since I am applying to medicine, i can use this time to research more about the field of medicine, do extracurriculars and supercurriculars etc) ?

Please help thank you! If I should go over gcse content care to list the most prominent topics?

You sound very similar to me. I planned on doing revision of GCSE content just before year 12 started, but I didn't in the end. It turns out that GCSE has barely any of the detail that you see at a-level so I think it would have been pointless anyway. Whenever I start a new topic we seem to re-cover the basics from GCSE then build up on that. Chemistry is mostly new stuff anyway so it won't help much with that. maths changes quite a lot but I studied add maths in years 10 and 11 which helped TONS because the first half of year 12 was the same content as add maths ---> if you want my advice, you be better of trying to get a head start on maths by getting your head around add maths concepts because it will make maths much easier so you can focus on your other subjects.

Reply 9

Raptor Jesus

20

Original post by AM.TSR

Luckily I'm finished with A-Levels

xScreen-Shot-2018-11-07-at-11.19.42-AM.png.pagespeed.ic.zJY2efZpYm.jpg

im just to start :frown:

Reply 10

username5304322

20

Not when you haven't got a clue what your results are gonna be :s-smilie:

Reply 11

username5304322

20

Original post by Raptor Jesus

im just to start :frown:

Reply 12

CelinaBrown

12

Original post by saranghoe

Hey there I’m starting year 12 this September

I feel like I’ve forgotten all of my gcse content for bio chem and maths! Should I bother revisiting and trying to learn and memorise the content again or is there no point since some students told me this is covered at as level?

My main question is, would my time be better spent elsewhere (since I am applying to medicine, i can use this time to research more about the field of medicine, do extracurriculars and supercurriculars etc) ?

Please help thank you! If I should go over gcse content care to list the most prominent topics?

If you don't feel as confident as you feel you should be with GCSE content then there is no problem with going back and revising. It would be better of knowing it and spending time than going into A-Levels just like that. Leave extra-curricular activities if you have time or research in your free time. Prioritize what you already know or what you did know, keep revising but don't burn your self out xxx

Reply 13

dettydettypig

13

Original post by AM.TSR

Not when you haven't got a clue what your results are gonna be :s-smilie:

it's not worse than getting your predicted grades based off a term and a half of school when most of it is you failing because a-levels are so much harder than GCSE's at first. also I don't have any end of year exams to improve my predicted so basically I may not get the grades I want so I can't do what I want to do at uni :/

Reply 14

Raptor Jesus

20

Original post by AM.TSR

yes i like this image that just says image and is unviewable :biggrin:

Reply 15

username5304322

20

Original post by dettydettypig

it's not worse than getting your predicted grades based off a term and a half of school when most of it is you failing because a-levels are so much harder than GCSE's at first. also I don't have any end of year exams to improve my predicted so basically I may not get the grades I want so I can't do what I want to do at uni :/

Most universities tend to be holistic when viewing applications though. Usually, A-Level students really start to grind out revision in the last few months of Year 13 but that's not there to be shown this year.

Reply 16

Muttley79

20

Original post by saranghoe

Hey there I’m starting year 12 this September

I feel like I’ve forgotten all of my gcse content for bio chem and maths! Should I bother revisiting and trying to learn and memorise the content again or is there no point since some students told me this is covered at as level?

My main question is, would my time be better spent elsewhere (since I am applying to medicine, i can use this time to research more about the field of medicine, do extracurriculars and supercurriculars etc) ?

Please help thank you! If I should go over gcse content care to list the most prominent topics?