how do get 4 A's in AS levels

Maths and physics mostly past papers. Maths my entire revision was just that and attending some workshops when my exams were near, I read my textbook very little coming up to the exams, got 98 and 92 UMS in C1 and M1 though 77 in C2. Physics you will probably need to read your textbook, also attend workshops. Those are the two subjects I did from yours.

@york_wbu I was quoted here, but what for? I'm curious. What was said in the now presumably deleted post?

Can you estimate how many past papers you did? And what if we don't understand something in there do we just look at the mark scheme and write it down and repeat the answer or what? Thanks

I tried to quote your post from similar thread. It didn't work, so I deleted it.

The thread:
http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=3586451

(i'll keep it short); so i've just started my a levels in september, doing maths, physics, chemistry and business studies. anyone that has done similar subjects or generally to anyone who has achived 4 A's at AS level, how should i work to get these grades, what did you to? eg, from september up to the exams, thanks!

Feel free to quote me again.
Do you want me to do it then anyway?

These are tips for biology and chemistry.
Biology
Make notes, learn, do questions, use questions to rewrite notes so you're learning the correct stuff. (P.S. Do all the questions you can, to include anything possibly relevant, better the earlier, so you're learning the correct stuff the earliest. With application of knowledge, you don't need to necessarily learn it, unless you think you definitely won't all of get it in the exam.)

After you've learnt something,make sure to revisit it; I mean it. I'll tell you this story from experience, I got an A at BIO1 past paper in January, so I presumed I'd remember it, so I revisited it really late. I never revisited it earlier, because I never realised I forgot so much stuff. Luckily short-term memory can be a blessing.

Do past paper questions for biology; honestly, they cover everything the best.
So write your final notes off the past papers, golden rule.
Make sure you also confer with your teachers about what you need to know.

Chemistry
Luckily most things in chemistry complement each other.
Some things, you'll learn, just take a while to fully comprehend.
I'd say chemistry is far easier than biology in terms of workload.

Ionisation energies, they require some time to fully comprehend, like when you learn later about a thing called electronegativities (don't be daunted, very easy) you solidify your understanding of ionisation energies more. You get a better understanding for how the size of the atom relates, for example.
With mass spectrometry, I'd say to just see a mark scheme answer on it, as although it's long, it's very logical, but this includes all the info needed. (I might upload my own notes for you.)

Chemical calculations can be summarised up into about 5 calculations, very basic algebra is needed here.
Do you know how to use triangles for equations with 3 variables?

So imagine the equation n = m/M


Now, this triangle can work for so many equations (all equations with only 3 variables.)
To work out n, simply cover n then look at it; it's m/M,
for m, it's n x M,
for M, it's m/n.

Only one thing can ever go at the top, so if you know the equation (any with 3 variables), you can instantly configure the triangle.
Sorry if this stuff seems very basic to you, but many people can have trouble with it.

Onto another equation, n=c x v, where would these go?
.Hess's law, now this confused me greatly at first (perhaps I wasn't paying enough attention, I don't know). Once you get it fully, you get it, but getting there... I just didn't get it when a teacher was explaining it to me (though I don't think it was the teacher's fault; sometimes it just happens.) I saw other things online explaining it to me, but when I saw a specific one, it was like the person who made it thought exactly like me, and I got it instantly.

Need to do some questions to make sure you get into the habit of not doing silly mistakes, if that makes any sense.

I'll upload my own notes for this, probably. My outline for this was amazing.

Hydrogen spectrum, easy, logical theory (nice because chemistry is all a, then b, then c, well it feels like it anyway.) Mark scheme should be fine here.

CH2

Organic chemistry, mechanisms, it's like it's easier to fully memorise the drawn equation before you can fully understand it in your own head, also without looking at your notes. I found I only fully understood it, after I fully memorised the equation(s).

If you know the rules about electronegativities (technically, the electrons will go to the more electronegative elements, the more electronegative element is the element closer to fluorine), it's very logical, and very easy later on.

So if a carbon - oxygen bond was going to split, where would the two electrons (constituting the covalent bond) go to? which element? (If the most electronegative is closer to fluorine.)Periodicities (periodic trends) just memorise, gets easier later on (there is logic though.) Loads of nick-knacks here though, unfortunately.

When it goes onto the shapes of molecules, fortunately for me, I was privvy to some really good resources, which you would probably be unable to get to, considering my college paid a lot to get to them. :/ Quote me when you get to this part (towards the end of the year) and I give you some immensely helpful tips. It'd kinda be too wordy at the moment, if you have no idea what I'm talking about. (It'd be too wordy for this post, already long, regardless.)

Some other minor topics you should be fine with.

With chemistry, on a last note, you can literally just work with past papers to do practically all your revision (especially in CH1.)(In CH2, you'll still need to memorise specific parts, but it ain't that bad. You quickly get what is wanted for you.)


Biology will take longer than chemistry; far more to memorise. Key here is mark scheme, to remember the right things. Although this is said a lot, seriously, it's just better to start working earlier, to put less stress on you later (and I mean a lot less stress.) I'm not saying it's impossible to get good grades if you don't start it early, it'd just make you one unhappy bunny.

I'd say again, if you need help with anything specific, message/reply to me; I can help, having done an AS in both, and know the tricks or easy ways to remember things.

About the triangles for equations, you should do this in your head later, just imagine the triangle with the variables input.

I'm interested in getting 4As at AS, too! I'm taking maths, French, Spanish and RE - if anyone has any tips, they would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!

I would also like to get some help on this I'm doing Maths, Chemistry, Biology and Psychology. I was doing Philosophy and Ethics but I wasn't sure if I could handle my whole grade hanging on an essay. Either way I know what to do for Maths now so