I got 13 A* at GCSE: AMA

How long did you usually revise a day?

I was really bad at following revision timetables...so I'm afraid I can't really answer this for sure because there is a huge difference in what I planned, what I "did", and what I ACTUALLY did...

It will differ for everyone. I'm afraid there's no fixed rule but you NEED to find the right balance between what you will actually do, and what you need. To low you won't fulfil the latter, too high you'll inevitably procrastinate. Honestly change it up a bit until you find that sweet spot.

Okay, so you didn't really answer that question. How about 'what are you taking for your A Levels?'

Would have loved to answer it but I'm afraid I honestly couldn't. Any number or average would have been a total lie or a total guess. If you were looking for advice, any number is pointless because it will be different for everyone.

A-levels I'm doing history, economics, maths and politics

Were there any subjects you struggled with a bit and needed to revise more? Did you know you were going to get 13a* or was this a complete shock for you (the results)?

Results were a bit of a surprise, not necessarily hugely shocking but I didn't think I'd get it tbh. At first I actually got 12 A*s and an A and it was in getting a successful remark that was the biggest shock.

I most definitely revised certain subjects a lot more. Further maths I got a D in the end of year 10 exams so that took quite a bit of practice. The sciences I was prone to making stupid errors in so I practised a lot more. Specific parts in specific subjects I also looked at a lot more (geography case studies, English quotes etc)

Basically one of my biggest strengths as far as revision was self awareness. It seriously makes a huge difference and making sure you know your progress, strengths and weaknesses in each subjects makes your revision efficient. I did little revision for subjects I was good at and that's what allowed me to get good grades in my weaker subjects. That would almost certainly be in my top 3 tips for exam success.

When did you start revising for your gcse's?

Maths (because I also did further maths), was actually a subject I did quite a bit of revision for. But the best thing no doubt is past papers.

Learn how to do stuff through specimen papers/practice worksheets and notes. Save your past papers though and then do as many as you can. In the one week I had two f. maths past papers, I did 17 papers.

It really helps because you become faster at questions, know what you're going to get, become a lot more familiar but most of all you avoid stupid little mistakes. I'm awful at these, and would always cost myself tons of marks for the silliest little things. Types of questions always have bits intended to trick you (negative signs, certain fractions used etc) and understanding this pattern is great.

Throughout the year, a little bit of practice helps but I'm not going to pretend I did that.

As for English...I had a burning passion for English so I didn't do a lot of revision. But KNOW HOW TO ANSWER AN UNSEEN TEXT. Understand the mark scheme, understand what they are looking for and in lessons, pay attention more to this than actual themes or contexts of whatever you are studying. This is the most transferable skill from English and I barely looked at any of my anthology texts, but I knew how to do this.

PEEL paragraphs (point, evidence, explanation, link) or whatever you do at your school, keep this in mind. Strategy for answering these questions you can use in a lot of other exams and that will make up for a lack of revision elsewhere. I crammed all the quotes I needed the day before (our lit was closed book), and it was unseen practice that gave me the A*.

Really with English the "how" matters more than anything else. Lang and lit need different skills. Obviously you should revise ideas and stuff but I didn't, most people don't because imo English is really really dull. But yeah, technique matters more especially unseen techniques which will make up for revision.

Hope that helps!

Ask me anything! Would happily give advice.

Ant or Dec ?


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Ask me anything! Would happily give advice.

So you are looking to be a parasite on society - because that seems to be the number one "career" of PPE grads. Most seem to be aiming to be MPs or party apparatchiks and never do a days work in their lives.