I'm getting 40%-50% in past papers.

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Can't seem to get anything done.

My first exam's on the 10th, I haven't done much for any of my subject and every time I sit down to revise my concentration goes straight out the window. There's so much to memorise for biology and chemistry, I never seem to use the right equations for physics and I have no idea what I'm doing in maths.

I knew I should have started earlier but nooooo I assumed it's be like GCSE except just a little bit more work a few days before the exam.

Shesh, talk about wakeup call.

What I have revised for Chemistry I can do in the past papers but the majority of the question seem to be on Fuels and I was away quite a lot during those topics in class so I have very little idea of what's going on. I also keep getting all of the formulas mixed up. I've got about 2/3 of the module left to do.

I've still got about 3/4 of biology left, I pretty much know the basics for everything except immunology, the heart and the lungs. It's all them little details that I can't seem to drill in. I'm also very bad at 'How science works'.

Maths is my last exam and for GCSE I got an A by doing about 20 past papers the night before the exam but or A-level that doesn't seem to be working. I'm never sure what I'm supposed to be doing for each of the questions unless it states it in the question. e.g Use simultaneous equations to...

Physics is my last exam so I've been neglecting it but it's only really a week after my first exam. I think I'll be okay with this provided I just memorise the syllabus

General studies, well, yeah...

I've tried to do the whole 45 minutes and then a 15 minute break but that break ends up turning into 'well I'll just watch an episode of misfits and then I'll get back to revision' and I also spend a significant amount of time just staring into space when I'm meant to be revising.

In the past papers I'm doing I'm getting 40-50% at the moment which is E/D, since there are less than 10 marks between the grades above that I'm wondering if I can improve my 20-30 marks in the 2 weeks I have left?

Any advice on revising, motivating myself or subject specific tips?

Anybody feel like smugly point out that I should have started earlier so I wouldn't have been in this position?

TLDR: Can I improve by 20-30 marks in 2 weeks?

(edited 13 years ago)

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Reply 1

HKSR

Bro If u want real advice, just sit in your room ALL day and revise hard.
Dont mean to be harsh, but its the only way your gonna get out of this situation.
Also get hold of the specification for each exam your gonna have and make sure u cover the points on there first when revising.

Reply 2

HKSR

Ow yeh and btw you have EVERY chance of improving. Try going to the libary to revise rather than staying at home as at the libary you dont have lots of distractions (like misfits)

Reply 3

angrydanmarin

What do you expect people to say other than: revise harder/more and you should have done it earlyer? Not tyring to be a smart arse..but that's all i can imagine people saying.

Remember, theres always resits and teachers to ask if your struggling. Always go in with an attitude that 'you can do it and you will do it'

Reply 4

LukeNunn

Well instead of procrastinating by wondering wether you can achieve 20-30 marks extra, revise like youve never revised before and find out.

If you dont manage it.. you retake the exam in july.. no biggy... if you pass it then youve passed it.

Just manage your time efficenently .. i.e.. instead of staying up for ages watching films, go to bed and get up earlier and start revising :smile:

Good luck!

Reply 5

WildStallion94

im exactly like that. with bio im just going through every chapter in the textbook coz that has everything i need to know...like writing it out. chems pretty much the same. for chem theres alot of calculations as well...so im just googling worksheets and practicing questions. maths im proper struggling with so im going back to the textbook and doing all questions on chapters i dont get/im not getting marks on on the papers...and then yeah, doing past papers...dunno if that helps but its kinda raising my grades....

Reply 6

16ARTER

Just keep on going over past papers

Reply 7

LukeNunn

Incase this helps...
Im doing chemistry a2 atm, and for exam revision I just look up past exam papers on the internet (put in google june08/chm1 etc.. changing the date for different mocks, like jan09/chm1 for example.)
Then for the first 3 or 4 attempts of exam papers do it with your notes handy so you can look back, and check the answers with the mark sceme.. then once you're getting 80% plus start doing a few without notes and see how you do :smile:

This way, you're learning exam technique aswell as information for your exams... Good luck wee lasseeh :smile:

Reply 8

LifeIsGood

1) Get rid of distractions
2) Improve your mindset - more positive thinking!
3) Just get on with it

Once you start revising, you get drawn into it till you get tired i.e. when your concentration levels drop - that's when you should stop and take a break

Reply 9

Femto

Good advice has already been given so I don't think i'll chip in any useful information.

If it's any consolation however, I don't know anything about fuels either since our other half of teaching for Chemistry is so dire...

Reply 10

mehhhw/e

Try a study buddy - maybe you need someone to sit with and revise

Reply 11

ollienbert

Original post by Caprisun!

****************

Can't seem to get anything done.

Shesh, talk about wakeup call.

Any advice on revising, motivating myself or subject specific tips?

Anybody feel like smugly point out that I should have started earlier so I wouldn't have been in this position?

TLDR: Can I improve by 20-30 marks in 2 weeks?

Yes I am sure that you can improve by 20-30 marks, but only if you stay away from internet forums and the tv - no facebook or Msn chat :angry:

. I would say to switch off the internet, but you prob need to keep using it for your past papers and looking up info. The 45:15 minute work rest was surely suggested by someone who planned their revision 3 months in advance. You need to do more like 90 mins work to 15 mins food break.

Go on give it your best shot - and come back with your results in the spring and let us all congratulate you.

Reply 12

TheHeart

I'm having the same problem with the same subjects - however I do Psychology not Physics. I'm going to start going library from Friday :smile:

Reply 13

LukeNunn

Original post by Femto

What are you stuck with, mate?
I can see if i can explain it better if you like

Reply 14

StrawberryKoi

CALM DOWN! Those negative thoughts are not gonna help you. Just remember that you can re-take your Jan exams in the summer, so I suggest you concentrate on revising for ONE subject right now, preferably the one you have last. Just get a good grade in that so you don't have to do it again in the summer. But stay calm and you'll do well. :hugs:

Reply 15

Manitude

Is that 40-50% raw marks, or have you done the correct scaling for UMS?
If it's the first one then you might want to investigate UMS scaling for the papers you've done, it may well be that 40-50% is a B.

Reply 16

username511256

Original post by Manitude

I'm not sure what you mean,
If I get 33/60 I'll:

100/60 = 1.6
1.6x33=55
therefore I got 55%. I don't know if that's raw or UMS...
I'm not sure if that's right it's just what our teachers told us to do.

Reply 17

Femto

Original post by Caprisun!

That'd be correct assuming you've got the UMS mark right (As far as I know Maths is 100, whereas Physics is something like 120).

Reply 18

username511256

Original post by Femto

That'd be correct assuming you've got the UMS mark right (As far as I know Maths is 100, whereas Physics is something like 120).

Sometimes I find it hard to believe how stupid I am. I've just been using 100 for all of them so some of them are now higher and some lower.

Reply 19

Manitude

Original post by Caprisun!

That's a very odd way of calculating a percentage but that is the raw mark.

Just so you know, the 'usual' way of doing a percentage is taking what you got, divide it by the total mark then multiply by 100.
What you teacher told you to do isn't wrong, it's just "different" to how I've always been taught it through the years.