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Getting an A* in history at a level

Hello historians, I desperately need an A* in history to get into university this year, but I've never struggled with any subject more in my life! Does anyone have any revision tips/advice on how to get there?

Thanks!
Rachel :h:

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Reply 1
which exam board?
Reply 2
Oh sorry, I forgot to mention yes it's AQA and the paper is Britain, the State and the People 1918-1964
What did you get at AS?
Reply 4
I got an A
Reply 5
I only have an C/B in AS :frown:. I need to get an A in History!
Reply 6
I am also doing AQA and I am predicted an A*.
My course is the making of modern Britain 1951-2008

My exam is going to be two 45 mark essay questions, is that the same with yours?
I'm doing edexcel AS level, remembering quotes is the hard part because I need to prepare for any question that might come up,
I think writing plans to essay questions is more helpful and efficient than writing a whole essay.
You get your points down, and your structure, also it makes you think of all the event and how they link which is ultimately what you need to do.
Reply 8
Yes, exactly the same. And we have two detail questions with one breadth question to choose from.
Original post by Rachelclamp
I got an A


Nice. I'm doing AS now. Any tips on how to get an A?
I'm doing AQA too, but our paper is Triumph of Elizabeth: Britain from 1547-1603.
Original post by Rachelclamp
Oh sorry, I forgot to mention yes it's AQA and the paper is Britain, the State and the People 1918-1964


I'm doing the same paper as you. I need an A but I'm really struggling!


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I did a different exam board but I got an A* in History last year. I was Edexcel.
The way I revised history was I read through the book, or just used summary sheets provided to me by my teacher. I hated writing notes. Rather than writing essays (which would take so much time) I just looked at past exam questions and prepared essay plans.
This way I knew what vague themes I could use depending on what question came up (obviously if allowed by the sources given). I'd really pay attention to essay structure, as that can make or break your essay, regardless of whether you all the facts.
So to summarise; I read/highlighted summary sheets/the book. I made essay plans on questions that have come up, and possible questions we had to do for homework. I made sure I knew the essay structure for each question, and how to answer the question.
Any more questions, just ask/pm me.
Reply 13
Original post by chelseafan
Nice. I'm doing AS now. Any tips on how to get an A?


I simply used mark schemes of past papers to see what kind of things the examiners were looking for. Look at the examiners reports too, see what people are doing wrong and how you can make sure you get it right.

I also attempted loads of questions in timed conditions, and I made little revision cards for the dates/names/statistics. I tried to fit at least 5 bits of specific detail in every answer I wrote.

That's pretty much it!
Reply 14
Original post by Anna.Karenina
I'm doing the same paper as you. I need an A but I'm really struggling!


This was posted from The Student Room's iPhone/iPad App


This paper is a nightmare! Have you done any past questions or anything yet? And has your teacher got any idea what will come up?
I am aiming for the A* and have achieved this in the A2 CW and the mock. I got 96% at AS.

The biggest tip i could give is to learn statistics, as many as possible. Learning how many cows were killed in Soviet Russia during a certain year may not be very exciting, but it is exciting for examiners. If you can back up your points with really well selcted factual information you will mark yourself out as being a A/A* student. (at least this is a big part of edexcel marks)

The other thing is to do a timeline of your course. Do it on a word document then you can go and edit it etc. Include date, event and significance.

Close to the exam do brief plans and think about info you could put into your answer for every past exam paper.

If you have the time do all the essays that have been set, especially if you are makred on "mastery of essay writing" like we are on edexcel. Make sure you have a clear structure with a balenced arguament

This is what I do (Edexcel), if you out the work in you will be fine. Edexcel reccomends 5 hours a week private study for History.

:smile:
Reply 16
Original post by Nandos94
I did a different exam board but I got an A* in History last year. I was Edexcel.
The way I revised history was I read through the book, or just used summary sheets provided to me by my teacher. I hated writing notes. Rather than writing essays (which would take so much time) I just looked at past exam questions and prepared essay plans.
This way I knew what vague themes I could use depending on what question came up (obviously if allowed by the sources given). I'd really pay attention to essay structure, as that can make or break your essay, regardless of whether you all the facts.
So to summarise; I read/highlighted summary sheets/the book. I made essay plans on questions that have come up, and possible questions we had to do for homework. I made sure I knew the essay structure for each question, and how to answer the question.
Any more questions, just ask/pm me.


Just out of interest what topic did you do for your A2 exam. i'm doing A2 edexcel History and my A2 EXAM IS ON FRANCE 1786-1830 there's 4 topics on : Causes of the French revolution, Reign of Terror,Napoleon and Borboun restoration and Historiography A and B. I'm in process of making my revision notes but in terms of essays i hate writing answers for all the essays so would essay grids do? also did you sue mnemonics and stuff
Original post by chelseafan
Nice. I'm doing AS now. Any tips on how to get an A?


I re-sat my AS in January and got an A, but the first time I took it I got a very low E! All you need to do is make sure that you're answering the question, for example my question this January was something like 'Why did the Pretenders fail to take the crown from the Tudors?' so all you really needed to answer was why they failed, what stopped them, and nothing else. I know it sounds like it's common sense, but I feel that a lot of people start going off track and talking about everything they know about the Pretenders (or whatever) instead of actually answering the question and making sure that each point was relevant. So January I just made sure that I didn't get side-tracked.

My teacher also told us that the exam boards like it when you connect each reason, so at the end of each paragraph, some kind of sentence should connect to your next point. Oh, and be as concise as possible!
Original post by Rachelclamp
This paper is a nightmare! Have you done any past questions or anything yet? And has your teacher got any idea what will come up?


I find the topic really interesting (having a politician boyfriend helps :tongue:), but I find it so bitty, and really hard to translate knowledge into essays. I've done two so far, with an average of 38/48. I've asked - they've got no idea.

What university do you need the grades for, if you don't mind me asking? :smile:


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Reply 19
Original post by Anna.Karenina
I find the topic really interesting (having a politician boyfriend helps :tongue:), but I find it so bitty, and really hard to translate knowledge into essays. I've done two so far, with an average of 38/48. I've asked - they've got no idea.

What university do you need the grades for, if you don't mind me asking? :smile:


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Oh that is helpful haha!
Yeah I find that too, I'm doing a bit of wider reading around the subject and watching a few documentaries and I do find the topic interesting but I have the same issue with essays, it just doesn't translate.

And I need it for Cambridge, Jesus College

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