How to revise

With exams only weeks away for some students, here are some useful tips on revision:

1. Start revising early

- i.e. months, not days before the exam. Make a timetables (see samples) to plan your revision and stick to it.

2. Don't spend ages making your notes look pretty.

- This is just wasting time. For diagrams, include all the details you need to learn, but don't try to produce a work of art. Limit yourself to two or three colours so you don't get carried away colouring things in.

3. Take short breaks

- every hour, not every ten minutes.

4. Use revision guides

5. In study leave, start revising early

- i.e. 9am - that way, you'll get your day's work done much quicker and will have time to relax in the evening.

6. Stick revision notes all around your house

- so in the exam you think - "aha, quadratic equations, they were on the fridge..."

7. Get yourself drinks and snacks


- so you don't make excuses to stop every ten minutes...




8. Try reading difficult bits in funny accents - Australian is particularly good...




9. Sit at a proper desk, no revising in bed!




10. Don't put it off


- "Procrastination" is the long word for it. And it means rearranging stuff on your desk, getting a sudden urge after 16 years to tidy your room, playing the guitar, thinking about the weekend, writing love poems about that girl/boy you fancy, painting your toenails etc, etc... sit down at your desk and GET ON WITH IT!




11. Don't just read your notes, you have to write stuff down!




12. Don't turn yourself into a revision zombie
- if you stop doing anything else but revision you'll turn into a zombie, it's really important that you keep time to do things you enjoy... like cinema, shopping, sports, Frisbee, rock-climbing, making model planes, nose-picking, whatever tickles your ferret... when you're doing these, try to relax and totally forget about revision.

13. Do lots of practice exam papers

- this is especially important as you get close to the exams.

14. Read the exam timetable properly

- double check so you don't miss an exam and have plenty of time to prepare for it.

15. Find the right environment to revise

- NOT in front of the TV. NOT listening to the radio. Music can sometimes be OK, but you need to find the right kind. It's got to be something that's just there is the background that you're not thinking about at all. Music without signing is better as you won't be tempted to dance around your bedroom like a big fool.

Good luck!

Choosing your ‘A’ Levels? Here are 6 things you should know:

1. Certain university courses will be looking for specific A-levels

You won’t be able to apply to some courses without having taken some specific A-levels (and scored the right grades in them too, of course).

 

For more info, see this list of uni subjects and their typical A-level requirements. If you already know what you want to study, check out the full entry requirement details for a handful of courses at different unis to make sure you’re ticking all the boxes with your subject choices.
 

2. Taking certain A-levels will open up more university course options

Think you probably want to go to uni but don’t know what you want to study yet? You won’t be the only one! You can keep your options wide open when choosing your A-levels by selecting a smart mix of the most commonly asked-for subjects in university entry requirements, known as ‘facilitating’ subjects. Take your pick from:

• biology
• chemistry
• english
• geography
• history
• maths
• modern and classical languages
• physics

The more of these you choose, the more courses at university will be open to you. Additionally, if you have a talent for art, design or music and think it could be an avenue you’ll pursue, taking the relevant A-levels will help that to happen.

Some universities openly discourage students from taking certain combinations of A-level subjects, particularly when subjects are very similar like business studies and economics, so bear this in mind when you're making your choices.
 

3. A-levels are a lot tougher than GCSEs

The reason you take a particular subject is usually one (or more) of these three scenarios: you need it to pursue a particular career; it’s a subject you enjoy and are good at; or it’s a subject you’ve not studied before but you think will suit you.

Either way, be prepared for a big jump in the level of difficulty when you transition from GCSE to A-level. You’ll also see differences in the way you’re taught and in what is expected of you.
 

4. Some courses and unis have lists of subjects they don’t accept

Particular courses – take, for instance, an architecture course at the University of Bath – will view certain A-levels as less effective preparation for university studies than others. Similarly, some universities – such as the University of Sheffield – list which A-level subjects they prefer. Others, like the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), have ‘non-preferred’ subject lists.

If your subject choices don’t match up, you shouldn’t necessarily discount the course, or be put off from taking a creative or vocational A-level subject you’re really interested in.

 

5. Know myth from reality

Don’t take everything you hear at face value – the reality might be quite different.

Say you’ve heard that you have no chance of getting on to an ultra-competitive law course at the University of Durham because it doesn’t accept psychology A-level. Is that really the case? A university may view you differently from another candidate based on other factors such as extra-curricular interests or your portfolio. It’s best not to rely on pre-conceived assumptions or what you hear through someone else from their experience - there are ways to double check your facts.

6. Many unis and courses will consider you whatever you choose

Question: Accountancy, anthropology, archaeology, banking, business studies, classical civilisations, hospitality, information science, law, management, marketing, media studies, philosophy, politics, psychology, public relations, religious studies/theology, retail management, social work, sociology, surveying, television, travel and tourism… What do these subjects have in common?

Answer: They will all consider a very wide range of A-level choices and do not normally have essential subject requirements!

 

If you already know what you want to study at University, take a look at this list of A Level requirements:

 

http://university.which.co.uk/advice/a-level-choices/what-a-levels-do-you-need-for-the-degree-you-want-to-study

What is it like to complete a SATRO Extended Work Placement? Case Study by Toby Peterken

My name is Toby Peterken.  I am currently a student at Esher College.  For my AS year I studied maths, further maths, physics and philosophy and now, for my final year, I am continuing with maths, further maths and physics.   Following my A Levels, I am hoping to complete a degree in either physics or theoretical physics.  I aim to remain in academia - achieving a Ph.D. and then staying on as a research fellow and with any luck becoming a professor of physics. 

I heard about the SATRO placements through an email from college and applied for a placement for several reasons.  Obviously it looks amazing on a UCAS form or a CV, however that wasn’t my motivation.  My main draw to this placement was that it was the first opportunity I have had to make a real contribution.  With year 10 work experience placements or with 1 week summer academies you learn a lot, however you never seem to do any actual work, whereas my work at SSTL (Surrey Satellite Technologies Ltd) did matter – it was the first time this technique had been looked at on land in such significant amounts, so everything I did was new. 

My project was to analyse the data from a satellite to see if there were any correlations between the strength of GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite Systems) reflections and the landforms below and by doing this, see if there were any useful applications of this.  The first 2 weeks were spent mainly programming; I had to create the tools that mapped the data onto Google Earth.  Then we realised that there was too much data and the computer kept crashing, so I had to program another tool that allowed me to load only the data in a certain region.  Then I had to analyse the data, discovering correlation with different landforms below and showing that this technique could potentially be used for mapping deforestation.  I also got to reprogram the timing system for the receiver on the satellite.  

The main skill I learned was programming, this includes more than just learning what a particular line of code does.  I had to learn how to break down large problems into small tasks.  I learned how to go through and debug a program with rigour.  I wrote a program in my first week which, although it worked, was written inefficiently and it just felt messy, so during my last week I rewrote it.  From what I had learned initially, I was able to make the code more elegant and I completed it in much less time. I also understood what other job opportunities were on offer, as I had no idea how much variation there could be with applied physics.    

SATRO'S TOP REVISION TIPS

The time of year has arrived - students will be poring over their books, trying to ensure that they are prepared for their exams. We have compiled a list of our top revision tips to help you make the most of your revision time...

Create a timetable
Agree and stick to a routine/timetable for revising. Getting revision done during a specific interval each day will encourage you to become more organised and motivated, knowing that you have a goal to adhere to each day. 

Set goals
Set and write down all your goals - what would you like to achieve from revising? Try to be realistic, focussing on 4 or 5 key areas you wish to study or that you know need improvement. Making a list will help you to keep focused, ticking the items off your list will be satisfying too!

Manage tasks effectively
Manage tasks by making them:

• Specific - do past papers of the exam you are revising for.
• Measurable - success in completion of a specific task is easy to measure.
• Realistic - don't create tasks which can't be achieved because it's unrealistic

Quiz yourself

Quizzing yourself is a great way to keep your brain at work and the topics you're revising fresh in your mind. You can ask a friend or parents to help you by asking you a set of questions related to the topics you are studying. You may also find useful quizzes here:  http://www.bbc.co.uk/education/levels/z98jmp3 or here: https://www.examtime.com/a-levels/resources/quizzes/

Mind Maps

A great way of keeping information fresh in your mind is by creating 'mind maps' of key information and sticking them around your house, giving them a quick read every time you walk past.

Reward yourself

Remember to reward yourself once you have completed your revision period each day. This could include seeing your friends, watching TV or anything else you enjoy. This will keep you motivated to complete your revision period.

Think Positively

Finally - THINK POSITIVELY! Consider your mental attitude, how you approach the task and how it might be holding you back. The more positively you think about yourself and your actions, the more you will be able to get completed.