Having just finished A Levels, after two difficult and gruelling years, I feel that I should share some tips on how to successfully get through them.
1. Don’t underestimate A levels
The schoolboy
error that everyone makes – ‘Oh I’m only doing 4/5 subjects it’ll be a lot
easier than GCSE’s where I had to do 12 subjects at once’. Believe me when I say
these are not easy qualifications to get, and you will have to work hard in
order to get the grades that you want. However, the best thing you can do is
prepare for them early. If you’re a Year 11 student, read up on the syllabus of
your chosen A levels, after finding out the exam board and the modules you will
be doing. If you’re a Year 12 student, consolidate your knowledge from the
first year of your A levels, as this will help you immensely in the second
year.
2.
Work Hard
If you do the work that your teacher
sets you, as well as some extra, you are putting yourself in a good position
for exam season. You should complete your homework before the deadline (not 10
minutes before it’s due in) and to the best of your ability. If you are doing
knowledge based subjects (such as Psychology and Sociology or a Science subject)
research the topics you are learning about in your own time, this will ensure
you have sufficient background knowledge of the topic and will help you in your
lessons. Essay based subjects may seem hard at first, but once you have mastered
the art of writing the essays within the time limit you will find them easier.
The best way to master this is to practise writing essays while timing yourself.
3.
Organisation
I cannot stress enough how key
organisation is while doing A levels. As soon as you start, get yourself some
folders (one for each subject) and some poly pockets, so you can keep track of
all the worksheets that your teacher gives you. Every week, you should keep
updating each of your folders with all the new sheets. You might want to put
them in an order (chronological or an order of the modules on the syllabus) and
this will assist you when trying to find a particular sheet.
4.
Active Processing
It has been found that If
you take an active role in trying to remember something, you are more likely to
remember it. After each lesson, you should take around 5 minutes to recall
everything you learnt. You may also want to make mind-maps at the end of every
unit, so you can summarise each section concisely and make it easier to
remember. Flashcards are another brilliant way of remembering things and if you
make them as soon as you learn a topic, you will find revision easier during
exam season.
5.
Have Fun
Though A levels are difficult, it is
important to have fun while doing them. If you are at a Sixth form or College,
make friends with people who have similar interests to you, so that when you
need to relax, away from the stress of A Levels, you are able to do so. It is
incredibly important to have a social life away from A Levels, as you don’t want
to be studying all of the time (this does not guarantee you good grades, it can
infact make your grades suffer, and I found this out the hard way). You should
consider joining a club such as sports clubs or reading clubs, so you can meet
and have fun with people who have similar interests. You may also want to
consider getting a part time job, as these are a great way to get your mind off
A levels while making money at the same time.
6.
Sleep
When studying, you may find that you are
tired more easily and want to sleep lots. This is your body’s way of telling
you that you need to relax, and you should do exactly that. Having a long soak
in the bath with a nice book to read may help you to relax. Alternatively, you
may want to take a nap so you feel more refreshed. Concentration levels are
seen to be reduced when you have less sleep; you should have a good night’s
sleep before school, so that you can concentrate and learn in your lessons.
7.
Start revision early
The earlier you start
revising, the better position you will be in when it comes to exams. If you
start revising in January for exams in May/June, you will be able to learn all
the content accurately so you don’t have to do it in the few weeks before your
exam. Also if you have already made revision posters and flashcards a few
months before your exams, you are saving yourself some time when it comes to
actually recalling the information (during exam season), and this may help you
to relax before the exams.
8.
Regular Breaks
When revising, take 10 minute
breaks every hour. This will ensure that your brain is refreshed and is ready
to take in more information. Taking a break may act as an incentive to actually
do your work; you may look forward to your break, but you acknowledge that this
will only happen after you do an hour of work.
9.
Past papers
The best way to find out what your
exam will be like is to do past papers that have come up in previous years. You
will find the types of questions that may be asked in your exam, as well as the
topics that have previously come up. At first, just look at the past papers and
make a list of the questions you would find difficult to answer. You can then
ask your teacher or look at the respective mark scheme to find out how to
answer it. When you feel confident enough, try doing past papers in exam
conditions (in silence, with no notes and time it) and then get your teacher to
mark it for you. You will then find areas that you are weaker on, and you will
be able to revise them more in your revision time. Also, every past paper is
released with an examiners report. This is a report on the students who sat the
paper and how successful they were. These reports are written by the people who
will mark your exam papers, so by reading them you will be able to find what
they want to see students do on their exams, and how to be successful in
getting the grades you want and deserve.
10.
Don’t Panic
When it comes to exam time, the
worst thing you can do (which I did) is panic. If you have prepared well throughout
the year, and put lots of time and effort in, you are very likely to get the
grades you want and deserve. Before an exam take lots of deep breaths and drink
lots of water in order to keep you calm. And remember, exam results are not the
most important thing in life, so even if you do get bad grades, you can still
achieve everything that you want in life.
One quote I would keep in mind is:
“When one door closes, another door opens; but we
so often look so long and regretfully upon the closed door, that we do not see
the ones which open for us.”
