Take this from someone who had to resit his. I got AAC maths econ and physics respectively the first time. DO NOT let your GCSEs inflate your ego. A levels are so much harder. Use ur free periods wisely and if you miss any lessons make sure you catch up asap. The way to do really well is to understand ur first-year content to the t. Second-year builds heavily on the first year. Some times however the way the teacher recommends you revise is not always the best so find ur own way. Also, biggest thing, do not travel too long for the sixth form if you can avoid it.

Reply 4

renaamz

most important thing I would say is: don't waste year 12! I did as I thought it didn't matter much and didn't really know how to study as well as some family issues and it caused so many problems

also study regularly by making notes or something not just for exams

I would also say the post above me is similar and GREAT advice

(edited 3 years ago)

Reply 5

meganthompsonxx

Original post by yadunnooooo

Thank you so much!

Reply 6

rehena12

If your taking physics it’s nothing like gcse physics so don’t get too gassed

Reply 7

meganthompsonxx

Original post by renaamz

Thank you!

Reply 8

meganthompsonxx

Original post by rehena12

If your taking physics it’s nothing like gcse physics so don’t get too gassed

I’m not thank god ahaha

Reply 9

renaamz

Original post by meganthompsonxx

I’m not thank god ahaha

what are you taking if I may ask?

Reply 10

meganthompsonxx

Original post by renaamz

what are you taking if I may ask?

Maths economics and psychology

Reply 11

Broque_

I'll be cheeky and just copy paste what I said in someone else's thread hehe.

Top three things I hear all the time:
- Stay organised. The new A level is linear therefore it’s important that you can keep track of all the resources you have and are always on top of the work you are given. In practice this means: In Year 12 you will for instance cover a chapter on rates of reaction in Chemistry. When you finish that you will likely not go over it in depth in class anymore. Therefore it's important that when Easter Y13 rolls around, you can pull out your Y12 work on rates of reaction. People recommend you have folders for each subject and a day folder you take to school.
- Make notes on lessons after the lesson. Every time you finish a lesson sit down at some point in the day and make notes recapping what you did in any format, mind maps, flash cards, bullet lists. This makes it super easy to go over and revise it later so when the time comes you don’t need to sit down and make revision resources for things you learnt months ago. This is important as when Year 13 rolls around, you will barely have enough time to make notes on what you're learning then as you'll also have to deal with personal statements, work experience, exam stress and all that unsavoury jazz.
- Don’t push yourselves too hard at the start and end up overheating. My teacher always told me it’s a marathon not a race. Be smart with your time and remember it’s not the time spent revising, but the quality of your revision! :smile:

Edit: Don't waste frees, they're a blessing!

Reply 12

yadunnooooo

Original post by meganthompsonxx

Maths economics and psychology

99% of econ teachers are so bad. USE ECONPLUSDAL i went form a D-A in 3 months just because of him

Reply 13

meganthompsonxx

Original post by Broque_

Edit: Don't waste frees, they're a blessing!

Thank you so much for the advice!

Reply 14

renaamz

Original post by meganthompsonxx

Maths economics and psychology

that's cool, I did psychology and and AS in Maths(I had to drop it to an AS due to what I mentioned earlier about year 12 as I did not keep organised and keep up with the work)

I will say this Maths is a really big jump from GCSE to A level but as long as you keep on top of the work you will be fine but as soon as you start to fall behind you will struggle which happens with every subject but especially maths

Reply 15

meganthompsonxx

Original post by yadunnooooo

99% of econ teachers are so bad. USE ECONPLUSDAL i went form a D-A in 3 months just because of him

Thanks I’ll definitely check it out

Reply 16

meganthompsonxx

Original post by renaamz

Thank you, I’ve already started on some of the a level content and it’s not too bad so far

Reply 17

renaamz

Original post by meganthompsonxx

Thank you, I’ve already started on some of the a level content and it’s not too bad so far

that's good, what exam board did you do at GCSE and what board are you doing at A level?

Reply 18

Mona123456

Original post by meganthompsonxx

Do any a level students have advice that they’d give to someone just starting sixth form ?

There’s already some good advice on this thread, so I’ll just try and give a few summary tips - feel free to let me know if you have more specific information.

1. Work hard - use your free periods, stay on top of homework, make any revision resources you may need as you go along.

2. Make sure you’re doing the right subjects - A Levels are very different from GCSEs and it will be incredibly difficult to succeed unless you love the subjects you are taking. Be open minded and don’t be afraid to trial/switch A Levels in the first few weeks. Look at the course syllabus and really make sure the vast majority of it seems interesting to you!

3. Work for topic tests / mocks etc - as this year has proven, it may be important! Topic tests / mocks are a great chance to see what you know and then improve upon it, so treat them seriously and revise properly for them, this will help lots in the long run!

4. Experiment to find what suits you - don’t be afraid to try out different ways for structuring you’re free periods and making revision resources. The start of Year 12 is the time to make mistakes and learn what are the most effective ways to manage your time; experiment and find a routine and environments that suit you best.

5. Think in the back of your mind about UCAS applications if you intend to apply to Universities. It will sneak up on you, so doing preparatory work sooner rather than later (extra reading, work experience, EPQ/CREST awards etc as well as Uni and course research) will be a huge help and save you lots of stress come June/July.

6. Get the balance right - make time for yourself and still schedule things to look forward to. If you work effectively, you should be able to have some time off on evenings, and at least 1 day of the weekend off. Make an effort to still catch up with friends and keep your hobbies going.

7. If you miss any lessons, catch up immediately (ideally before the lesson) and clarify anything you’re unsure on.

8. Use to-do lists or other sorts of timetables/bullet journals to organise yourself. You don’t have to plan everything formally, but you need some sensible way of planning your revision and when you’ll do your homework.

9. Use different resources - in addition to textbooks, use e.g. revision guides and YouTube to supplement your learning. Don’t be afraid to research around something to extend your knowledge and ensure you fully understand the topics you’re learning.

10. Communicate - if things are tough, talk to teachers, friends and family. A Levels can get overwhelming, so communicate with the people around you if you need some support or you’re having a tough week. There will be ups and downs and the key thing is to be honest with yourself and those around you - sometimes it may get to be a bit too much, or you may need a homework extension, or you have something going on in your personal life. Make sure you let people know as soon as you can, so you can get the support you need.

Good luck! :h:

Reply 19

PetitePanda

Study Forum Helper

Original post by meganthompsonxx

Academic advice, how to keep up with work and not waste your time

To keep up the work always put effort in your homework and I always finding keeping most of your frees for work is great including working with friends but keep the half of those working frees mostly independent work so you don’t need to work in home. If you’re stuck, always use the resources available to you especially teachers, even if they are in class (I always recommend looking and seeing if they are with lower school students and if they are in the middle of teacher - I always go to them when they seem like their students is getting on with work independently or in a test). Always make sure you understand the lesson afterwards no matter how long you spend on it because it makes it so much easier in the long term, which I wish I’ve done. Always make revision notes or resources but you can do this lightly so you can focus on understanding that content and applying it more earlier. Good luck :rave: