What do I do to lock in early with 4 A-Levels??

Hi, I'm Sorcha and I've just started Y12 doing 4 A-Levels and I'm really enjoying it!

At GCSE I got 99999888877, which I was a bit disappointed with as I was predicted two more 9s and only one seven! I still qualified for my course though with an entry requirement of 7 GCSEs at 7 or above.

The A-Levels I'm studying are English Lit, RS, Psychology and French, and so far it's going pretty well, but I want to make sure I'm staying on top of things for the best chance of success.

Anyone who has done 4 A-Levels or any of these subjects could you offer any advice? I really want to secure A/A* in every subject, (which I'm managing at the moment), but I'm aware the workload will pick up over the year.

I've made Gizmo flashcards for every lesson for every subject which I do every other day, obviously write up notes, and watch lots of French media to help out.

Is there anything you wished you started doing this early that I would benefit from?

Thank you so much :smile:

Reply 1

Kingston Eve

Official Rep

Original post

by sorcha.s

Hi, I'm Sorcha and I've just started Y12 doing 4 A-Levels and I'm really enjoying it!
At GCSE I got 99999888877, which I was a bit disappointed with as I was predicted two more 9s and only one seven! I still qualified for my course though with an entry requirement of 7 GCSEs at 7 or above.
The A-Levels I'm studying are English Lit, RS, Psychology and French, and so far it's going pretty well, but I want to make sure I'm staying on top of things for the best chance of success.
Anyone who has done 4 A-Levels or any of these subjects could you offer any advice? I really want to secure A/A* in every subject, (which I'm managing at the moment), but I'm aware the workload will pick up over the year.
I've made Gizmo flashcards for every lesson for every subject which I do every other day, obviously write up notes, and watch lots of French media to help out.
Is there anything you wished you started doing this early that I would benefit from?
Thank you so much :smile:

Hey @sorcha.s!

Congratulations on your fantastic GCSE results!

I studied English Literature at A-Level (A*) and loved it. My best piece of advice would be to practice timed past paper responses; lots of English Literature students can write a strong essay on a particular theme or character over the course of a week, but in the exam you'll likely only have 90-120 mins to write that same essay. Getting used to writing under pressure will help you prioritise certain pieces of information and subsequently streamline the revision process.

Try not to over-work yourself and remember to take regular breaks and days off from revision. A-Levels - especially in Year 12 - are more of a marathon than a sprint! 🙃

Best of luck!
Eve (Kingston Rep).

Reply 2

sorcha.s

Original post

by Kingston Eve

Hey @sorcha.s!
Congratulations on your fantastic GCSE results!
I studied English Literature at A-Level (A*) and loved it. My best piece of advice would be to practice timed past paper responses; lots of English Literature students can write a strong essay on a particular theme or character over the course of a week, but in the exam you'll likely only have 90-120 mins to write that same essay. Getting used to writing under pressure will help you prioritise certain pieces of information and subsequently streamline the revision process.
Try not to over-work yourself and remember to take regular breaks and days off from revision. A-Levels - especially in Year 12 - are more of a marathon than a sprint! 🙃
Best of luck!
Eve (Kingston Rep).

Thank you so much! I've only written two essays so far and one was timed, one was not. I got a B in the timed and an A in the untimed which I was happy enough with for my first ones. I'll definitely keep practicing to make sure I can do it in timed conditions.

Reply 3

username7820507

Original post

by sorcha.s

Hi, I'm Sorcha and I've just started Y12 doing 4 A-Levels and I'm really enjoying it!
At GCSE I got 99999888877, which I was a bit disappointed with as I was predicted two more 9s and only one seven! I still qualified for my course though with an entry requirement of 7 GCSEs at 7 or above.
The A-Levels I'm studying are English Lit, RS, Psychology and French, and so far it's going pretty well, but I want to make sure I'm staying on top of things for the best chance of success.
Anyone who has done 4 A-Levels or any of these subjects could you offer any advice? I really want to secure A/A* in every subject, (which I'm managing at the moment), but I'm aware the workload will pick up over the year.
I've made Gizmo flashcards for every lesson for every subject which I do every other day, obviously write up notes, and watch lots of French media to help out.
Is there anything you wished you started doing this early that I would benefit from?
Thank you so much :smile:

I would recommend starting a revision plan a few months before your main exams so that you feel confident about the content you've learned. I notice students leaving revision at the last minute and cram in content days before the exam which isn’t effective so start early - good luck!