Ace A Levels
A-levels can be tedious, so here is a step to step guide on how to get top grades!
Contents
Steps
- Work hard in your AS year. Write notes after each class, not during it. Pay the maximum amount of attention in class and maybe write down just a few headlines, then at home write detailed notes neatly on a separate notebook. Include diagrams and tables. If your school allows you to bring a cell phone to class, then record your teacher's lecture and write notes from it at home. This will allow you to pay more attention in class.
- Make sure your existing notes are of good quality. If you have already attended some classes, rewrite all the notes you have in a more organized way, adding in more information that you have learned since then. Remember, the more you know about a subject the better.
- Organize a weekly schedule. Study all your subjects every day in small portions. This will help you to reconnect ideas you have previously learned, and helps with memorizing and understanding. After each weekly schedule has been completed, plan and write a new one for the following week. Only have 1 day a week as free time. Be strict and finish all your planned work!
- Try to finish everything in your specification approximately 4 weeks prior to the exam. This will give you essential time to revise, practice past papers and answer additional questions.
- Do as many questions as you can, it is crucial to practice.
- Avoid stressing out or getting bored. If you don't find it interesting, try to create interest by studying biographies about famous scientists.
- Make a routine, follow it strictly but don't get too cosy. Change it when this happens.
- Rest, you don't want to spend days studying a topic that can easily be studied in a couple of hours. Keep your brain fresh and exercise.Remember "A healthy body possesses a healthy brain" and obviously, only a healthy brain can possibly ace Advanced level.
- Motivate yourself and exercise discipline.
- Do NOT hesitate from nervousness. Accept that it's normal and healthy and that it represents your concern.
Tips
- Practice as much as possible.
- Time is the key word here - keep to your schedule.
- Always have a bottle of water with you during your studies, even at school. Water is the only beverage essential to life!
- Try to think positively about studying, it will eventually make you excited to study!
- Study in a fairly calm place where distractions are minimal.
- Do not hesitate to ask your teacher or a friend for help.
- Exercise regularly to keep fit and healthy, it also has an impact on your mind.
- Study early in the morning. It is a fact that the brain functions the greatest in the morning!
- Eat a healthy balanced diet. It is directly related to your study abilities.
- Find your own way to study, some people read to themselves aloud, others write down everything that they have learnt repeatedly.
- If necessary get a tutor, they can supply you with tips and give you additional work.
- Remember: "Success is 10 percent inspiration and 90 percent perspiration" - Thomas Alva Edison.
- Get at least eight hours of sleep to keep you attentive in class. Study hard for at least thirty minutes a day as soon as you know/are told that an important test like A levels are coming up.
Warnings
- Don't skip topics you think are easy, some are crucial - make sure you know all of the topics that will be in the exam!
- Use the specification (available on the exam board website) to make sure that you know everything you need to.
- O-levels/GCSEs are nothing compared to A-levels, you will need to put in a lot more effort.
- Don't refer to the mark scheme while doing past papers, instead refer to the book or your notes. If you are sure you cannot find the answer use the mark scheme. Otherwise only use it to check how well you did after you've finished.
- Don't think it is easy to even pass A-levels even if you have done so in O-levels/GCSEs.
