5 EFFECTIVE HACKS TO SCORING FOR A-LEVELS

5 EFFECTIVE HACKS TO SCORING FOR A-LEVELS

With A-Levels around the corner, the stress catches up to you. How can you push yourself to score your distinctions by A-Levels Examinations?

It’s time to do a reality check. At this point, you studied all you can. It is not a matter of studying hard but studying smart. In this article, we have 5 effective hacks to scoring for A levels. Learn how to maximise your time and effort to make every moment count.

1. Rest & have fun!

Alarmed that this is the first hack? To the local students, this may be the most counter-intuitive action to take. By now, you have adapted to the rigours of a junior college (JC) lifestyle. Intense revisions, endless assignments, and mock papers have become your comfort zone. The non-stop mugging from 7 am to 11 pm is the only friend you see daily.

Also, the Fear of Missing Out (FOMO) Culture is prevalent amongst your generation. Every moment that you see your classmates studying and you are not, it triggers a fear that you are lagging behind. To compensate for the FOMO feelings, you push yourself to study even when you are at your limit. 

However, this is further from the truth. Forbes discovered by incorporating fun element into your work process, productivity follows. It is good to block out time to do what energises you. It can be your hobbies, hanging out with friends or exercise. Enjoy yourself and take a weekly sabbath. Don’t think about work when you are resting!

2. Honest self-evaluation

Take time to evaluate your past experiences when going through revision. Has it been effective? You don’t have time to delude yourself. Be as honest with yourself as you can. If certain methods aren’t working, it is time to try other methods.

Identify the subjects and topics you are weak in and seek help from your peers, teachers or even a tuition center. Even if they are foundational concepts that you require assistance in, get help and resolve the gaps in your understanding. At this point, your grades are far more important than your pride. Get past all the ridicule or judgment you think you might face and start asking.

The more questions you ask in order to seek clarity, the better you are in understanding the concept. Even though we specialise in A-Level Math tuition, The Annexe Project believes in empowering our students to discover the best of their thinking and comprehension skills across all subjects.

3. Find your golden hour

Different people have different working styles. Some may be early birds who prefer to start their day early and feel the most productive in the morning. While others are night owls, their brains are most productive when everyone else is fast asleep.

While schools, different studies and traditional wisdom may recommend some guidelines, these may not necessarily work well for everyone. Only you will know yourself best and stick to your golden hours. If you are unsure, experiment by doing the heavier, tougher topics at the start of the day for a week or two, then switch to the afternoon, and then finally switch to evening and record how each feels. Intentionally set up the best study environment for you and tackle the trickier and content-heavy topics during these hours. Leave the light-duty stuff later.

4. Learn to collaborate

Teamwork is key. In your last stretch before A-levels, it is practically impossible to cover everything individually. You have friends who are more proficient at certain subjects. Get them to share their notes with you or share their perspectives with you. Test each other and mark each other’s work. Share useful resources you find beneficial. As a team, you go further than you would alone.

Start a study support group where you can bounce off questions. Study groups work for those who struggle with discipline. As the proverb goes, a cord of three strands is not easily broken. You can be susceptible to distractions when studying alone. With the right group, they keep you grounded and focused – and not become distractions for each other.

At the Annexe Project, our tuition classes are kept small within 8-12 pax. It is an optimal environment for peer learning and for students to glean upon each other’s perspectives. Our tuition programmes and crash courses will equip you with the right skills to score for A-Levels in the shortest period.

5. Keep off social media

Social media has invaded our lives that many cannot live without it. The average person spends 2 hours and 15 minutes on Instagram daily. We are constantly looking at our phones every few minutes on a hunt for new likes, notifications and messaging. Let’s be honest, none of us feel unaffected without our phones for an entire day. Rather, we feel socially handicapped; uncertain of what to do with your hands when everyone else is on their phones.

This brings us to the point that social media is your forbidden fruit right now. It is the source of distraction for most teenagers. From Instagram, Snapchat to Twitter, a single look at the feed can keep you engaged for hours. You might even be tempted to share but even a single photo post can take time – getting a good shot and then going through rounds of extensive edits. Before you know it, the day’s over and you accomplished little.

To makes things worse, social media drains you out than to energize you. Our advice to you – get rid of all social media apps for the next two months before A-Levels. Your time will be better used in your revision efforts and enjoying better-quality rest. A little sacrifice now can reap rewarding benefits when you receive your results next March.

From our experience with past students, it is never too late to prepare. We have witnessed many who performed badly during prelims but excelled during A-Levels. We encourage you to persevere for the last lap. If you follow our effective hacks diligently, you might see a stark improvement in your understanding and feel more confident to take on A-levels.

Do not be afraid to seek help!

Tuition centres are more of an investment than an expense. Finding the right tuition center for yourself matters. Get the right tutors who can motivate you and propel you to score. If you need that final boost for A-level math, Mr. Alvin Yeo will be your guy. He has also written an amazing guide on how you can prepare for your A-Levels in 3 months that is a must read.