Foreword~ I decided to spend 2 weeks brainstorming and working on this little write up because I feel that I should seize this opportunity, while my memory of A Levels is still somewhat fresh, to share some hopefully helpful and insightful tips on how best to go about A Levels. I do not proclaim to be a certified expert but it would be a pity if I do not document some of what I've learned here. I did a similar write-up on IGCSE, feel free to take a look at that here if you're interested.
WARNING: In this post I write a lot more than usual, like over-the-top-microscopic-detailed a lot more because once I start, it's hard to step on the brakes. Henceforth, read on only if (i) you are a current A Level student (ii) you are a prospective A Level student (iii) you're ecstatic that you never have to touch A Levels (iv) you just really like watching me have a go at it
1. Choose 4 relevant subjects
I understand that many students usually study 4 subjects during AS Level, then drop 1 during A2 level; My advice is NOT to do that, this is why-
Most UK universities, if that’s where you’re headed for, require 3 A Level grades, which probably forms the basis as to why students drop 1 out of their 4 subjects at A2. The question is-which subject would you drop? How sure are you that the subject you dropped is truly your weakest subject? More importantly, how certain are you that your 3 remaining subjects would secure the 3 grades you need for university entry?
I studied the three sciences and pure mathematics at A Levels. Speaking from experience, during the start of A2, I decided to forego physics because unashamedly, I confess that this subject had been a real migraine since IGCSE level. I knew I had struggled through my AS physics, and despite the fact that I had a basic understanding of the subject, I was daunted by the idea of pursuing it at A2. Hence, for a week, I dropped it on the basis of needing more time to focus on my applications to medical schools (BMAT/UKCAT & personal statement etc) but really I was merely seeking excuses to avoid confronting my problems.
After 1 week, I took the subject back on. 9 months down the road, physics has become my favourite subject, no joke, even more than Biology which I have always adored.
The point I’m trying to pose here is this- life can truly surprise you, and selling yourself short of a subject at A2 level is a big DISADVANTAGE, because for all you know, the subject you assumed is your weakest could very well become your strongest, with time and dedication. Imagine giving away your potential A* just because you could not see at that point in life your immense potential to excel at the very subject you are giving up on.
Some may say things like, if I drop 1 subject, that gives me more flexibility of time and attention to be dedicated to my remaining three subjects. I beg to differ, in other words, I call bullsh*t. 4 subjects at A Levels is by no means an impossible task, 5 I agree is stretching one’s limits, but 4 is incredibly reasonable. I do not recommend anyone take 5 subjects unless 1 is a language subject, and a first language at that, then yeah perhaps 5 is feasible. Otherwise, I strongly discourage biting off more than one can chew because A Levels isn’t about the breadth of subjects (which IB is more inclined towards) but more the depth of each individual subject a student has to delve into.
Additionally, if you so choose to look beyond the UK shores, which increasingly students are, and are more inclined to study in say Australia instead, understand that the Australian universities operate on a point system whereby a student needs to achieve a minimum number of points to get into their universities. For some courses, the minimum is 17 so even if one gets 3A for 3 subjects, he or she will still not qualify for entry to these institutions. In fact, this is the real reason why I decided to take physics back on, and I’ve not looked back since.
On the topic of subject choices, I’ll say this-choose subjects that will consolidate your understanding of the other subject. I studied all the 3 sciences and the highlight of my A Levels journey was during the last few months when all the 3 subjects came TOGETHER in a beautiful moment of clarity and realisation. It was a profound experience when I read about how a mass spectrometer functions in physics and that knowledge opened my eyes to how it works in chemistry; bits and pieces of knowledge that I genuinely had overlooked in one subject I rediscovered in another. Hence, my staunch belief is that if you are inclined towards a scientific career, e.g biotech, bio-med, medicine, chemical engineering etc, all 3 sciences come in an inseparable package.
I was previously told that physics is not that necessary a subject when studying medicine. I truly beg to differ. Physics is a CRUCIAL subject when studying medicine, because with advancements in medical technology, you can go very far if you first understand simple but fundamental concepts like Newton’s 1st, 2nd, & 3rd laws and then appreciate the genius behind PET, CAT, X-ray & ultra-sound A & B scans, and develop a deeper understanding into the physics of medical injuries, like how force and momentum cause dislocation of body parts, and more importantly, how force and momentum can counteract this. I’ll share with you one of my aspirations, apart from studying medicine-my physics teacher once gave us a research project on materials. Kevlar, which I had gotten exposed to in chemistry, I was interested in. But the one material that truly grabbed my attention is none other than graphene, which was created through isolation from graphite in 2004 by Prof Andre Geim and Prof Kostya Novoselov from the University of Manchester. Currently, graphene research has attracted scientists from all corners of the world and truly, the potential of this area of research is immense. I’ve seen some of the wearable nanotechnology produced from graphene and I am honestly amazed to the very core. My secret desire is to one day apply for a PhD on the Graphene NOWNANO programme at this university, learn from the best and work with hundreds of brilliant researchers to harness the extreme potential graphene still has to offer. But yeah, I have truly digressed.
POINT BEING, choose subjects that are relevant to each other, because they should complete each other in a way that puts you in a more advantaged position when exam testing occurs. Moreover, with the new syllabus put in place by none other than Mr. Michael Gove himself, it is more important than ever to be able to think outside the box, and beyond the scope of just that subject.
Also, mathematics in my honest opinion is a mandatory A Level subject choice unless you plan to study music, languages, sports, religious or theatre studies at university level. It isn’t because math is a compulsory subject, but because the skills associated with this subject are very much transferrable; skills such as critical thinking, discipline, ability to perform under pressure, meticulousness etc are sought after skills no matter which course you pursue at university. There is no such thing as ‘I don’t need math to study pharmacy’. There is such a thing as ‘I don’t need further math to study pharmacy’; every student should have at least college level of math to help prepare them for university studies, in my opinion.
One more thing-understand that loving music does not equal loving A Level music; loving art does not equal loving A Level art. There is something incredibly turning off about having to pursue your non-academic passion academically, if you get my gist. I, for one, had been classically trained in piano-playing for 12 years, and I daresay my favourite part was when it was over, because I could play whatever I wanted, however I wanted, even if it means that it isn’t classically approved. I would never take A Level music, because I dislike my passion for music to be confined within academic boundaries. Don’t get me wrong-the learning experience is crucial to building a solid foundation, but it is a relief to not have to always meet academic standards but just enjoy the subject itself.
2. Use multiple sources of reference
I once asked my teacher during AS why my textbook does not elaborate on laser confocal microscopes but yet I was quizzed on the advantages & disadvantages of using them. She told me that different books give different perspectives of the same topic, and that I should be prepared to refer to no less than 3 textbooks per subject throughout A Levels.
Turns out, she's more than right.
Let me share with you my reading material and other learning resources for all my subjects, for anyone taking OCR A Levels (and even if you don’t, I’m very sure you can get the books tailored for your respective specifications by the same publisher)
Pearson’s revision guides, revision workbooks & studentbooks
Oh my gosh, if there’s an investment worthy enough to make, this would be it. My school had ordered the revision guides and workbooks for us during AS, but because I was so fixated on finishing the syllabus and past papers, I completely neglected these practice books and guides. In A2, I studiously completed the revision workbooks for physics, chemistry and later on, biology (which i bought on my own) and they have been extremely useful.
The revision workbooks mirror the revision guides page by page, so if pg 61 of the guide talks about evolution of stars, pg 61 of the workbook tests you on the evolution of stars. This is convenience at the highest.
There is a digital version of the guides (active books) On the front page of the guides, there are codes for the active books which you can access from your Pearson account. I found this useful because that way, I did not need to carry my book wherever I went; also, having access to the activebooks saves money because more than 1 user can access it. I forgot to mention this but pearson books are pretty pricy. I remember my revision workbook costing about 9.99 pounds (RM 69.78) but that is because I had to buy it at original price. If purchased through the school, it’s 4.99 pounds but then again, *cough* schools usually step up the price internally so it’s about the same. But yeah, among friends, you can buy one guide and share the hardcopy as well as the active books which is good value for money.
I can vouch for the quality of these books. What I like about the revision guides is that they are concise, but more importantly that they zoom in on key information that often textbooks do not elaborate on. One example is absorption spectrum in astrophysics. My textbook explained what an absorption spectrum is, but the revision guide used a worked example to explain that once the monatomic gases in the outer layers absorb the radiation of specific wavelength, exciting the electrons to higher levels, and then electrons fall to ground state, the atoms will reradiate in ALL directions, causing reduced intensity in the original direction. (this question was in the 2016/17 paper, I can’t remember which) This extra bit was not well explained in the textbook, and it’s very easy to overlook pieces of information as such, but it is detrimental to your overall understanding. Also, the workbooks, like the revision guides, ask all sorts of weird, never seen before questions. This was probably why I found the workbooks so challenging to complete during my AS. But precisely because the questions were so difficult, I was even more determined during my A2 to complete every single one. God knows the number of times I had to stay back after each chemistry and physics class, workbook in my mind, red marks all over to ask my teacher time and time again, why I am wrong and they are right. For chemistry too-I notice that while the textbook does not elaborate on gas chromatography, the revision guide does. And most importantly, a gas chromatogram came out for my A level paper, and best believe it was only because I had studied it in my guide that I was familiar with how to read information off it. Also, there was a question from the physics workbook that came out in the exam. I have no idea why I remember stuff like that, but it did! There was a question in the workbook on the workings of a gamma camera, more specifically the photomultiplier tube which was then featured in the actual exam! I was surprised, because I had always deemed the questions from the workbook to be more for deeper understanding and beyond the exam scope but it was a pleasant surprise.
2. Oxford University Press (OUP) biology textbook, endorsed by OCR and ordered by the school. I personally prefer my Pearson textbook, which is more concise and to the point yet not lacking in substance. I did find it challenging to dig through the weeds to find the key takeaways but I used both this OUP textbook and my Pearson textbook to make notes, after which I wouldn’t even lay a finger on them again. Long lengthy paragraphs turn me off, unfortunately. This textbook is mandatory for OCR A levels so either way you’re probably going to have to sit through this one.
3. CGP revision guides
I used all of the above, especially during my AS year. What I love about these guides is the humour, and I'm very sure those who use these books would agree with me. The authors of these books, especially the one for biology, did a great job at spicing up the content with quirky jokes and light-hearted quips, as well as hilarious little depictions. I used to rely on the biology revision guide heavily to make notes. However, I still believe the Pearson revision guides to be superior to the CGP ones. I remember the physics and chemistry revision guides to not be as detailed as I would've liked them to be, and often I felt as though I was wasting my time reading through the first few chapters, especially the chapters in AS because there were no solid points being made. Unlike the equivalent chapters in the Pearson guides, where somehow the authors would present something new and fresh, making me look at the same chapter with renewed curiosity. That's what I say about a good book, that no matter how many times I read it, there would always be something new to learn each time.
4. This random physics revision guide I picked up from University Bookshop Malaysia before I even started A Levels because I had no idea what to buy (I didn't have a booklist) and we don't do OCR A levels in Malaysia so I was not spoilt for choice. I only started reading this guide during my revision period in A2 because I was out of reading material. I was impressed by this book. Though this book was not tailored for the OCR specification, I revised everything I had learned in physics by making quick notes from this book and turning them into a booklet to flip through a few days before my physics exam, or more often than not, a night before the actual exam.
5. Youtube
It’s true; I use youtube to watch more than just ‘f.r.i.e.n.d.s bloopers’ as well as Tom Holland’s lip sync battle; there is a wealth of information circulated around youtube for your taking, if you know where to find what you need:-
(i) E Rintoul
God bless him, seriously. I stumbled upon his channel when I needed a coaching session on Carbon and Proton NMR in organic chemistry and ever since I’ve devoured all of his chemistry videos. He teaches AQA chemistry but I found all his videos very relevant, not to mention engaging. He has the gift of speaking in laymen language, which is important for us students when we first approach an entirely new topic. Also, he highlights common exam questions pertaining to the specific topic and does walk-throughs. If I’m not mistaken, he also does past paper walk-throughs, though these are only applicable to AQA students.
I would highly recommend this youtube channel for A Level chemistry.
(ii). BioRach
I came across this youtube channel during the weekend before my last paper of Biology-paper 3. I genuinely did not know what else I could do to prepare as I truly had gone through my notes so many times I felt sick to my stomach so I decided to browse through youtube for a video on interpreting student’s T test or something. One thing led to another and I proceeded to watch all 58 videos from her channel. Yeah, I gorged on the information and made a whole booklets of notes from her videos. She must have just started her channel but honestly, her content is top quality. She has this ability to eloquently deliver information systematically and always under 5 minutes without compromising on substance. Her videos really filled the gaps in my biological knowledge, and there were a lot, which I was startled by considering the number of books and revision guides I ploughed through-I thought I had covered all my bases. But I guess this was a sign from God, to remind me that no matter how much I think I know, to think again. My advice is to subscribe to this channel if you are studying OCR A Level biology.
(iii). Past paper walk throughs
I prepared for my physics paper 3 by watching the walk throughs from this TOP GUN playlist and I found this process surprisingly engaging as compared to just struggling through the paper with the marking scheme by my side. It is far more interactive to do the paper alongside a teacher, even if it is pre-recorded, because you get an insight into the teacher’s thought process, which is even more important than getting the right answer.
6. Physics&maths tutor & Mr. Barton maths
For real though, if you are doing / have done A Levels and have never utilised learning resources from these 2 websites, you need to seriously get a reality check ;)
I am personally just short of writing in to thank Mr Barton and whoever created Physics&MathTutor for helping me get through A Levels.
I acquired all my chemistry notes from physicsandmathtutor and they are of top quality. Concise, well written, and embedded within are extra bits of information that I always appreciate exactly because they reach out beyond the scope of the syllabus and stimulate me to think: Why?
Physics and math tutor has everything you need from topic based notes to topical exercises to videos to past papers all neatly laid out in chronological order with the marking schemes. This website is truly a gem.
I obtained all my math notes from Mr. Barton; once again, Mr Barton, if you are out there, thank you for the succinct S1, C3 and C4 notes. I am forever indebted ;) Seriously though, please use these learning resources and not just stick to school notes because you can never go wrong with referring to a variety of resources-there’s no such thing as ‘getting confused by multiple sources’ or ‘two sources contradicting each other’ because you can only get different perspectives on the same subject, which may be different but do not disagree with each other (does that not sound familiar?).
3. Time management
When I look back on my two years of A Levels, I don’t recall a single moment when I actually had time to catch a breath. During the winter break in 2016 when I had first commenced my studies at Abbey, I remember spending copious amounts of time making biology notes for the chapters ahead. I recall during the summer break of 2017, instead of frolicking in the sun (which sounds exciting unless you are Malaysian), I was at Tropicana medical centre as early as 7.30am sometimes (oh, sweet memories) just to wait for the doctors to arrive at 9am and commence my internship until 6pm. I needed the work experience, and I knew that summer was not vacation time. Also, I remember researching into UK medical schools and writing the initial drafts of my personal statement, only to have them thrown back in my face by my mom who is a prolific writer herself and rotten tomato endorsed critic. During the winter break of 2017, I spent weeks doing C3 past papers because I felt I was underperforming and looking back, I wouldn’t change a thing because it all paid off at the end.
I think the point I’m trying to make is this:-If you want to ace your A Levels, you are going to have to work hard and work smart right from the very beginning, and then keep the momentum consistent throughout the 2 years. In A2, you need to really start managing your time wisely. You need to prioritise yourself, as I always say, and your academics. You need to learn how to say no to hang outs, and trips with friends, and just everything that spells f u n which believe me is exasperating because I loved spending time with my school friends.
The A Levels syllabus has been designed in such a way that if you keep a steady pace of learning and practice for the entirety of the course, you would just about complete the syllabus in time and have one to two months to practice under exam conditions. In other words, if you slack off for even a month or so, you would have to work doubly hard and even then you may find it difficult to cope with the pace. Perhaps you could get away with slacking at AS because a large proportion of the content is merely a regurgitation of IGCSE / SPM (more in depth of course) but I doubt you could get away with skimming your way through A2.
Your final performance during the A Level examinations is a reflection of the work you put in throughout these 2 years, and in some respect, the work you put in during your IGCSE/SPM years to build a solid foundation. Perhaps some may find this examination method more stressful because, with the exception of maths, for the OCR A Levels our AS exam results do not count towards our total raw marks, unlike CIE where 50% weightage is placed on both AS and A2. Hence, the final A Level exams for us were really the real deal, so naturally the pressure was on.
You have to set realistic goals to achieve at the end of each week, finish your homework before having fun, learn how to sacrifice and make time for your academics without compromising on important stuff like sleep and exercise (which I know we often sacrifice first, and that is WRONG). This is because sufficient sleep and exercise have a DIRECT impact on your mental health which should not be jeopardised especially if you rely heavily on your brain to absorb and disseminate information every day. I always find it baffling when people pull all-nighters for weeks on end because you are cutting your own nose to spite your face. Your body will shut down when you need it the most, during the exam, and you will regret it. No amount of caffeine can sustain this unhealthy cycle for long or without its side effects.
We all have 24 hours each day-no more, no less. The responsibility rests on your shoulders to make full use of these 24 hours to do productive work and also have a life outside of studying. My dad used to lament to me about us teenagers and our first world problems because during his schooling days, after returning from school each day, he still had to work at the family’s sundry shop, study, play sports and hang out with friends at night. The key is to be productive, to use less time to achieve more. That is very much possible if you set a time slot solely for studying and do nothing else but that within the set time frame. That means no face-timing, no instagramming, no cheeky episodes of Big Bang Theory (which I was guilty of at the start, but weaned off towards exam period) etc. It’s just you and your books and God watching over you, nothing else. When you have studied for a solid 2-3 hours, take a proper break. Study hard, play hard. Don’t spend an entire day ‘studying’ but get distracted by anything and everything. Instead, study for 2-3 hours each time with little breaks in between to have a snack and take forty winks. Another pet peeve of mine is talking about studying more than actually studying. Stop planning, start doing.
Another tip is to devise a timetable and to-do list-I'm sure most of us do those anyway. Remember to set REALISTIC targets to achieve every day. I know of people who set a lot of tasks to accomplish each day with the hope that they would feel pressured to work harder so they get some stuff done at the end of each day. I personally do not agree with this tactic because I am one of those people who gets annoyed if I do not feel that I've been 100% productive with my day. I choose to be micro-ambitious and set simple and realistic goals, so that I can spend more time slowly analysing every single word and not feel like I'm under-accomplishing because I've set the bar very low. Look at how good I am at deceiving myself!
Whenever I felt that time wasn’t on my side, I just had to think of my dad and the thought would spur me on with more determination to prove to myself that I could be as productive as he was.
4. Understand the new exam format
Ask anyone who did (I)GCSE and A Levels on their strategy to ace the final exams. “Just do all the past year papers,” is what they’d say, I’d bet my hat.
This strategy had been working pretty well until all the A Levels exam boards (CIE, AQA, OCR, WJEC, BTEC, Edexcel etc) changed the exam format in 2016.
The major difference between the old and the new, for my exam board, lies in the addition of a new paper 3 (unified) for all the sciences; also, I notice that there is a heavier emphasis on practical techniques, such as planning an experiment and commenting on as well as analysing the validity of an experiment etc; I daresay I was completely knocked off my feet during my mock exams because I was unprepared for 6 mark questions as such. And there are two 6-mark questions in each science paper so that’s a lot of marks for practical techniques.
The main takeaway from my experience with tackling the new A Level syllabus is to expect the unexpected. Go in with an open mind that the examiners can come up with the most bizarre of questions because bear in mind that not only students have to adapt to a sudden change in syllabus but the examiners as well. I say this because physics paper 3 in 2017 was a first and I’ve got to say-this paper truly is challenging not because of the level of difficulty but due to its unfamiliarity. There were a lot of puzzles which do not test students only on what they know but rather how well they understand the subject and whether they are intelligent enough to apply their knowledge in unfamiliar scenarios.
The best way to prepare for A Levels now, ironically, is to stop doing so many past papers. Past papers are not practice exercises. Past papers should only be done towards the end of the marathon to (i) ensure you can complete the actual exam in time (ii) mentally prepare yourself for a similar paper but not necessarily of the same level of difficulty. The reason why the syllabus has been changed is because students have had a wealth of past papers since 2004 or something to work on, and truly some students plough through every single one, and in doing that, deprive the examiners of any opportunity to surprise the students. Take antibiotics resistance:-students are the bacteria, past papers are antibiotics; eventually every student, whether or not they actually understood the subject, would’ve still managed to score well at A Levels in the past because practice makes perfect. Given that my batch was the last one to sit for the math papers from the old syllabus, I can appreciate this concept. But with the change in syllabus, students are now being forced out of their comfort zones, to reassess the way they approach a subject, the same way bacteria encounter a new antibiotic.
Hence, do less past papers, and reserve the 2016,17 and now 18 past papers for testing. Only do the past papers when you are ready, and under exam conditions.
What I would recommend you do more of is workbooks, and more specifically, workbooks that follow the new exam format, or at least try to. The aforementioned Pearson revision workbooks worked like a charm for me, and you may find them equally useful.
Also, rather than try to pinpoint what you should or should not learn so specifically from the syllabus, learn it all. Learn as much as you can, and you can never go wrong, can you? Rather than waste your time mulling over whether ‘this would come up in the exam’ my biology teacher told me instead to expect that anything and everything can come up so don’t neglect any and all aspects of the subject.
5. Correct attitude
At this juncture, you should realise by now that the new A Levels has been designed to inculcate students with the correct learning attitude. Some students, even at A Levels, are merely tolerating their subjects, without actually taking a keen interest in them. I say this because I was one of those students, until my teachers opened my eyes to how fascinating science is. To excel at A Levels, you have to truly love learning, because no one, not even your teachers can force-feed you information forever. If you want to perform, you are going to have to make yourself like what you are doing, and take the initiative to improve yourself in those subjects. No making negative comments like “We are expected to know this?” or “The teacher didn’t tell us we had to know this” because you know the answer is yes, and not because it is in the syllabus, but because you decided to take on this subject and all it entails plus more.
You do not necessarily have to be gifted or naturally clever, so don’t use that as an excuse for underperforming; how many of us are where we are today because of natural brilliance? However, you need to be hardworking, especially if comprehension of new concepts does not come naturally to you, as it did not to me initially. I truly struggled at the start of A Levels, even if it was not apparent to myself until I was confronted by my own inadequacies.
To do well at A Levels, be prepared to plough in the hours. If you need to spend more time to understand just a tiny part of the chapter, do it. Do not skim. Do not be complacent with your understanding. If you do not fully comprehend, take the initiative to seek an explanation and do not rest on your laurels until you have received a satisfactory answer. Seek multiple opinions if you have to. Do not memorise, I repeat, do not memorise because you are not an automaton that can be programmed to follow orders stipulated in the algorithm. You are a human being and you deserve to understand what you are doing. Also, be prepared to let go of what you have learned before. The academic world is always evolving, and so you can choose to either hold on and spin alongside the earth, or let go, cross your arms in petulance and be spun right off. If you find that the method you learned at IGCSE works for you better than the current method at A Levels , it’s entirely your call which to use, but do not condition your mind to reject new methods because it’s not all or nothing. Your cup has to be empty, which is why I’m always hesitant to admit if I have learned something at IGCSE before because it doesn’t matter.
Read widely and beyond what the golden syllabus tells you to. Learning is much more interesting when you breathe life into it and relate your knowledge to real life scenarios; my teachers used to lend me books that I would read on weekends. The autobiography of Maurice Wilkins, the third man of the double helix inspired me to apply to KCL; Eats, shoots and leaves is a hilarious book on grammar and punctuation; A Brief History of Time was good to read while revising astrophysics and cosmology even though I never got around to finishing the book.
The key is to not be overly exam-orientated with your learning because ultimately when you look back on your A Level journey, you would not want memories consisting largely of past papers and mark schemes. When you stop studying to pass exams, you have found joy in what you are learning and that’s when you are liberated from worrying about achieving a top grade. There is a quote from 3 idiots that I find fitting “Chase excellence, and success will follow.” In other words, focus on mastering the subject, and the grade you need and deserve will present itself to you.
Oh and don’t compare your learning progress to your friends’ in a negative light, and more importantly with other students from other schools whom you haven’t even met. Stop obsessing over the grading curve. Stop worrying. Understand that by comparing, you are the only one who suffers. Do not fuss over whether others find what you found difficult easy. We are all different so to each self their own. I understand that it is human nature to compare and this line of thinking is toxic. This mentality is exactly what’s fuelling materialism, and I feel the need to address this. Stop comparing yourself with others, but rather compete with yourself and aim to be a better version of yourself by the setting of the sun each day.
6. Have a life outside studying
Unfortunately academics aren’t the sole source of students’ qualms-brace yourself, because you also need to allocate time for extracurricular activities. Universities want all-rounded students who can juggle their studies as well as outside the classroom activities. In numerous university interviews, I’ve been asked about my leadership experiences, teamwork experiences etc and so it’s important to showcase yourself as someone who has a life outside studying ;) My tip is to, firstly, join a sports club because it kills two birds with one stone, namely staying fit (healthy body=healthy mind) and learning a new skill.
Next, try to participate in a social club that is relevant to the course you are applying to study at university. Doing so helps you gain more exposure and insight into what you will soon be learning more of in the future, life stories which you can share during interviews as it reflects your genuine interest in the subject. Interviewers, I am sure, will never turn their nose up upon encountering a passionate and mature candidate who thinks three steps ahead. Additionally, you can’t go wrong with joining those corny Duke of Edinburgh award programmes or the National Citizenship Programmes because these schemes spell out ‘all-rounded individual’ in caps locked and universities associate students who do these kind of stuff with ‘ideal candidates who can contribute to university life’.
Model United Nations is something I got involved with before I started A Levels (which is wise because I wouldn’t have had time for MUN during A Levels), and is worth mentioning here because to put it succinctly, MUN is a great character building exercise. It trains you to become more eloquent (another plus point during interviews) and exposed to global issues. Ignorance is NOT a bliss when you are about to enter university and it is pivotal for students to have some general knowledge and also the ability to look at the flip side of every issue in this world. The world is one big grey area, and sometimes our minds see what our hearts wish were true, but being overly opinionated is dangerous because bias clouds judgement. There’s a Chinese phrase “带着有色眼镜观看这个世界” which I interpret to mean to look at the world through the eyes of a cynic. This trait is particularly hazardous especially at this coming-of-age phase, and debating / MUN trains you to look at the other side of truth.
Work experience! With places at top universities becoming increasingly competitive, interviewers have to tighten the screening of students to ensure only the truly enthusiastic ones make it to the final round. This is not an exaggeration-work experience is a prerequisite especially for courses like medicine. In fact, quite explicitly some universities may ask you to complete a ‘work experience form’ just so they can verify your said work experience if necessary.
Work experience comes in many shapes and forms. Naturally, you should get some experience relevant to your course. Hence, say goodbye to your summer break between AS and A2 because you need to invest this time into getting as much work experience as you can. In fact, you should plan ahead because the world isn’t exactly going to wait for you to apply for internships until you finally get around to doing so. During your AS year, start applying for internships months before the summer break commences. Alternatively, before you start A Levels if you already have an idea of what your dream course is at university, spend a few weeks during the summer after (I)GCSEs to gain some experience. Trust me, you would thank yourself in the future because once you commence A Levels, your life would be so hectic that you may not even have time to gain work experience. Throughout these 2 years, I’ve barely had time to even write on this blog!
7. Concise notes
I don’t know if you have the same problem as I had, which is that my notes used to be verbose, and were no different from the actual textbook. Okay, maybe that’s a bit of an exaggeration, but if you have this habit of making long lengthy notes, try this method:-
If you look closely, you can see the strand of hair I accidentally laminated onto my notes
Get a piece of A3 paper, confine your notes for an ENTIRE chapter (and I’m talking the whole chapter, not a subchapter) within ONE SIDE of the paper. You can be creative about it and create a spider diagram or a mind map, whichever you prefer. Colour code your notes because trust me, your brain likes patterns. Be generous with the diagrams because a picture says a thousand words. When both sides are filled, laminate the paper for preservation because these notes have to last for 18 months to 2 years.
If I had read what I had just written several years back, I would’ve scoffed because I hated being overly fussy and fiddly with notes. I used to be quite a slop. Currently, I cannot emphasise enough on how handy these notes were during my revision period. I didn’t have to waste precious time hunting down notes or scrap pieces of paper. One side of the A3 paper would be dedicated entirely to photosynthesis; on the flip side, to respiration-simple and straightforward.
I will reiterate what I said on my IGCSE post-make a booklet of mistakes. God knows how many times we have to repeat our mistake until we finally realise, but because we are human, we need a constant reminder of our past carelessness. What’s the point of completing so many past papers if we continue repeating the same mistake each time?
8. Make full use of your teachers
Teachers are there to guide you throughout this course and aid your exam preparation to the best of their abilities. Make full use of their expertise because while they may not have all the answers, they are definitely more than qualified to impart whatever they know to you.
Do not hesitate to ask questions if you are unsure of what the teacher had just explained to the entire class. However, if you are considerate, refrain from disrupting the class by incessantly asking questions. I used to make a few notes here and there while the teacher talked and stayed back after class to unload my questions all in one go. My teachers, bless them, had always obliged to humour them, even though later on when I ran through in my head what I had just asked, it seemed a little frivolous but still, you gotta do what you gotta do.
Also, if possible, don’t ask questions just for the sake of asking. Unpopular opinion but there is such a thing as a stupid question, which doesn’t make one stupid, but it reflects on the lack of thought one had given to the question before launching it. Ask constructive questions-questions that will further supplement your understanding, not questions like ‘do we have to know this?’ or ‘Is this in the syllabus?’ because this shows that you aren’t actually interested in the subject, but rather are studying the subject just to pass your exams, which isn’t the correct attitude to possess. Your teachers would appreciate it if they see you genuinely thirsting for deeper understanding of their subjects. I mean, after all, they did study these subjects at university level for good reason! Ask the right questions, and you would get the right answers.
Last part-it is important to maintain a healthy and professional relationship with your teachers. We may have differences with our teachers, but bear in mind that they come from a good place in that they are here to help you. You do not have to agree with everything they tell you, but you need to respect the fact that they are more experienced than you. A soldier doesn’t always have to agree to obey.
I know of friends who find it hard to excel in class because they find the teacher a difficult character to deal with. My only comment is this:-Don’t jeopardise your future because you cannot get along with your teacher. When you hit a wall, you need find a way to get around it, not repeatedly ramming your head into it. This is part of the learning process, believe it or not.
9. Seek help from friends
A Levels is a journey that prepares you for university studies, where much independent learning takes place. However, friends are still an invaluable asset. Even if you are independent learner, there are bound to be some areas of knowledge in which you have not mastered yet. Each and every one of us are experts in our own fields so do not feel shy or reserved to seek help from your classmates. We should support each other and not hesitate to assist if possible. Remember-we aren’t rats in a race; we are individuals who should help each other grow intellectually and spiritually.
I do not recommend ‘group studying’ because I myself am an independent learner so I do not enjoy studying in other people’s presence if I could help it. However, I do acknowledge the benefits of ‘group revision’ which takes place after the proper studying takes place. My friends and I in biology class used to have these biology flashcards with questions on one side and the answers on the other. The point of this exercise isn’t to gauge how much you know, rather it serves the purpose of highlighting areas that you need work on.
Another method is to ‘teach the subject’,where one student takes over the role of teaching a group a particular chapter. It is good revision because it’s no use understanding a concept unless you can articulate it well, because we aren’t exactly having our brains scanned for testing purposes. It is good practice to share what you know because it’s a win-win situation for both you and your friends.
10. Have fun!
During every phase of our lives, make every moment count. An education is not a means to an end. Learning is lifelong, so amidst striving your hardest to achieve your goals, don’t forget to stop, smell the roses along the way and gather moments while you may.
I did my A Levels at a small college in quaint and breathtakingly beautiful Malvern. Every time I needed a breather from studying, I could just change into my running gear and bolt for the hills, the meadows, wherever. My friends and I have shared countless memories, some sweet, some bitter, but altogether memorable. Even though we all have to make sacrifices such as having to say no to hang outs and trips together, try not to shun your friends completely! Make an effort to spend some quality time with them, help each other, and more importantly be more understanding towards each other.
Try new things, even during A Levels! I did archery, an experience I never expected to have had; I did NCS; I volunteered with Amnesty International alongside my friends briefly; I did pumpkin carving last year, and that was a first! I had my first snowball fight which lasted all of 5 seconds because my ears were falling off; My first bonfire experience was at college too! I experienced countless firsts at college, and I wouldn’t trade those experiences for anything else in this world!
At the end of the day, it’s not the grades that define your quality of life; life is what you make it to be; if you choose to celebrate life in all its sweet victories and bitter atrocities, you will make every second count. My english teacher at college once shared the poem “If” by Rudyard Kipling with us and now let me share my favourite line from the poem with you:-
“If you can meet with triumph and disaster and treat those two imposters just the same”
There’s always a silver lining, if you choose to embrace your failures and successes with an open heart.
xxx
Jie Fei