6 Steps To Ace A-Level Exams

Does everyone keep telling you that taking an A-level examination is not an easy feat? Well, they are right. But if you have already taken up the program or are planning to, then you are likely already aware of their reputation for being tough.

Therefore, instead of telling you how difficult A-level exams are, this guide will help you come up with an effective game plan to conquer them. Brace yourself for all those As and A*s by following the study tips below!

Tips To Ace Your A-Level Exams

• Familiarize Yourself With The Syllabus

Beginning your preparation for A-level exams should include a thorough review of the complete syllabus. This will allow you to gain a comprehensive insight into the terrain you need to cover before the big day. This initial step is necessary as it motivates you to be fully committed by understanding the amount of work that you will need to put in.

At first glance, you may think that your syllabus is just a simple document with trivial details. But in fact, it covers all the essential concepts that are likely to be tested in your exams.

If you want comprehensive insight into the topics that you need to cover, print out the subject syllabus and check off all the areas that you have covered. As a result, you will be able to eliminate the risk of missing out on any hot topics.

• Begin Preparing In Advance

It is normal for you to procrastinate because of how extensive the A-Level syllabus is. But leaving preparation and revision until the last minute is a poorly devised approach that could lead to disastrous outcomes. It also makes it impossible for you to cram in the entire syllabus in a couple of weeks right before the big day arrives.

The good news is that you can take complete control of your preparation well in advance. This would entail making notes during class and revising lectures right after. A strategy like this one would solidify important pieces of information and aid retention in your long-term memory.

Consequently, it is suggested that you revisit difficult chapters at least once every month after you learn them in class. With this practice, any and all vital information will remain relatively fresh in your memory.

• Design A Weekly Schedule

Make sure to design a weekly schedule for yourself to organize your study routine and allocate time to each subject on a daily basis. You should ideally aim to devote a minimum of four hours a week to each subject, which will facilitate the retention of concepts that you learned in previous classes and enhance your understanding.

Once you complete planning your schedule for one week, draft and design a plan for the next one. Remember also to take out an entire week for leisure and strictly adhere to the completion of all the tasks that you have planned.

As you devise a weekly schedule, it is important to keep in mind that various circumstances may require a slight change in your plan. Announced tests and impending coursework deadlines could require you to allocate additional time to several subjects.

• Practice Past Papers

While it is advised that you repeatedly go through textbook materials to retain information, it is necessary to understand that this method alone is not a recipe for success. If you want to secure the top grades, you should be able to apply your knowledge to exam-style questions rather than rote learning facts from your physics or chemistry textbook.

In order to boost your test-taking abilities, make sure to practice papers from the previous two years at least. Try to complete each paper two times in order to reinforce your understanding of the format. This will enable you to acquaint yourself with different types of questions that the examiner may test. You may like surprises, but they will be less than pleasant on the day of your exam.

But your preparation does not stop at solving past exams. Make sure to go through the marking schemes available at the Cambridge International Resource Center to verify how accurate your answers are. If you are looking for a more comprehensive approach, you can have your instructor assess your exams and offer guidance through your mistakes.

• Use Diverse Resources

Examiners have to evaluate a number of scripts that have similar responses to various identical questions. Thus, if you want them to give you better grades than everyone else, you will have to exert additional effort to get their attention and persuade them to reward you.

In order to achieve this, you will have to develop a thorough and distinctive perspective of each subject that you are appearing for. This will entail going through a diverse range of materials when you sit down to study. An approach like this one could come in handy when you practice essay questions, where the examiner will value your personal approach and any additional research that you may be aware of.

Try not to rely solely on your textbook and try to explore various other supplementary textbooks that have been recommended by your instructor and the Cambridge International Resource Center. You can also broaden your horizons by delving into magazine commentaries, YouTube videos, and relevant journal articles. All these resources will allow you to gain fresh insight and approach exam questions from different perspectives.

• Study Smart

It is not enough to memorize all the formulas and practice past exams to prepare for the day of your big exam. You will need to come up with an effective study strategy to secure top scores in all your A-level exams. Keep in mind that failing to plan is planning to fail, which especially rings true during preparation.

Once you have devised a plan of study and found ample resources to help you learn various topics inside and out, you can master each chapter in different ways. For example, you could utilize flashcards for active recall or conduct periodic reviews.

In such cases, it is also up to you to replicate exam conditions and solve exams with a timer. Make sure to put aside all your reference materials and distractions to focus solely on doing the exam.

Helpful Tips To Keep In Mind Before The Exam

• Cover all the topics, even the ones that you think are easy. Overlooking topics could cause you to lose precious marks if questions pertaining to that specific subject matter are tested in your exam.
• Remind yourself that A-level exams require significantly more effort than O-levels. Make sure to invest extra energy and time into each subject that you are appearing for.
• Only use the mark scheme to assess how well you have done rather than relying on it as a resource to prepare.

Doing Well In A-Level Exams

A-level exams come with their own set of challenges and require you to input time and effort diligently to be able to ace them. With the tips given above, you can navigate any course that you have with ease and convenience.

In addition, the exam curriculum focuses on a detailed exploration of various topics, which serve as excellent groundwork for any career that you are hoping to pursue in the future.