AS Level grades are often overshadowed by A Levels; however, not everybody wants to complete the full two years of sixth form. If you’re one of these people, your AS Levels will be your gateway into working life; therefore, it’s imperative that you do your utmost to get the highest possible grades. These three tips will help you along the way.
Work on your self-confidence
Having confidence in yourself is probably the biggest battle of all. If you revise and attend all of your classes there’s no reason why you won’t succeed. Of course, there are some people who are naturally academically gifted; however, providing you put in the effort you’ll have just as much as an advantage as they do.
Revision expert Justin Craig recommends starting a small revision group with friends for the purpose of enhancing your exam technique, self confidence and self belief. The more relaxed and comfortable you feel on the day the better. Go over mock exams with friends and discuss your module topic in detail. Keep these meetings casual and don’t feel like you always have to give it your all; this will only increase your stress levels.
Take less subjects
You don’t have to take the full four AS Levels; in fact, this is generally not recommended. Feel free to start with four, but don’t be afraid to drop one subject early on. Prioritise in order of what interests you the most or what’s essential for your future career or education.
Studying for AS Levels is a full-time commitment, even if you’re only taking two or three courses. Fundamentally, taking less gives you more time to focus on what you really want or need to do, rather than spreading yourself too thinly. This is one of the most common problems among students who are revising for their exams.
Create a revision timetable
You’ve probably been told this time and time again by all of your tutors, and there’s a good reason why. Create a revision timetable well in advance and stick to it. Revision World have an excellent revision program that’s free to download, so you’ve got no excuses. In most circumstances success isn’t the result of how much you revise, it’s the result of how smartly you revise.
Make sure you start nice and early. Most experts recommend revising for each subject at least three months in advance. Spread your revision out evenly to ensure you give each topic the same level of attention, but leave a few open hours each week to dedicate to problem areas. For example, if you feel like you need more time for algebra, you can use up one of your spare hours rather than hindering another topic.
While most people who take AS Levels will move on to complete the full A Level, that doesn’t make them any less important. You never know what your situation will be like in a year. You could decide to go to college or leave further education for good, and your AS Levels could be all you have left to fall back on.
Is this advice useful? Let us know in the comments below.
Photo: Shawn Campbell / Flickr
Helen is a full time mum, wife and avid blogger I write for many well known publications and advise businesses on blog strategies.
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