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I feel overwhelmed

Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
edited March 27 in Work & Study
My gcses are just round the corner, and i'm struggling to get ready for them. I'm under alot of pressure to do well and i just don't know where to start with my revision. Maths is my main problem, i find it really hard and i need a C to get into uni. I'm on a C at the moment but i still have my final exam which is worth 1/2 my grade and includes everything. It's really spinning me out....and about 90% of it is pointless. My teacher is just zooming through it all cause we got so behind last year, it's so hard to take in.
Science is another one, especially chemistry and physics, i'm supposed to get a B and again, it's alot to learn.
I dunno how to revise for such big subjects, has anyone got any tips?
Post edited by JustV on
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    with maths and physics, the gcse revision guides, (for your specific examination body, like AQA for example) will be very usefull, especially the ones published by CGP, which I thought were great at the time :) looks something like this: http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/1841464120/qid=1147349445/sr=1-3/ref=sr_1_3_3/203-3151592-6543953 but you'll find your local smiths will stock them too, probably best have a look in store so you can find the right one and have a quick flip through.
    best way to boost your grade is to go through these revion guides, and do as many of the practice questions you can, as well as past papers.

    good luck! I'm sure you'll do well :yes:
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Spend your life doing past papers, they're a complete winner for making sure you know what to do.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Fiend_85 wrote:
    Spend your life doing past papers, they're a complete winner for making sure you know what to do.
    :yes: Its how I revise and I've always done alright
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Fiend_85 wrote:
    Spend your life doing past papers, they're a complete winner for making sure you know what to do.
    That's a great idea - that's what I did for my A Levels and it really helped - it's also useful as it gets you so used to the format of the actual exam so you're not overwhelmed by the layout when you get there.

    Ilora x
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    .
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Find a willing victim and try and teach them whatever topic you are revising. It soon shows up any holes in your knowledge.

    I did that for French. My cousin wanted a tutor, I wanted the revision. It really helped. :)

    If needsbe, grab one of TheSite's loveable bunch over messenger and try and teach them all the clever things you know :)
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    As Replicant said, those books are really good. I used them for maths and science, they explain things really well so if theres anythig you dont understand, its worth looking at how the explain it.

    And yeah, past papers are a good idea too. Don't just sit and read through your work, make notes, practice questions, focus on the main things you're finding hard.

    Sometimes it helps to get together with friends, but I wouldnt do this too often as you'll probably get distracted. But if any of your friends are particularly good at one thing its worth asking them to explain things to you.

    Id say most importantly, try not to worry too much. I know its easy for me to say but seriously, you'll probably already know and understand so much more than you think so dont panic! if you panic your more likely to forget even the simplest things. Oh, and maybe make a revision plan too, but dont just put things like 'maths' or 'science' put specific topics to focus on.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Fiend_85 wrote:
    Spend your life doing past papers, they're a complete winner for making sure you know what to do.

    I did that for my GCSEs and found it did work. Also, have you heard of www.samlearning.com ?

    Another thing I did when doing my GCSEs:
    I missed half of year 10 maths (changed set) and struggled for quite a bit of that year. I ended up mentioning this to a friend of mine who told me that he'd help me with my work but not do it for me. So, he'd usually explain something to me then I'd try to do what he said and make up my own examples - this is how I worked if I went to a teacher to get help.

    Depending on what paper you're doing for maths, I could probably help you. (I did Intermediate, but did something after GCSE which wasn't much different to the Higher paper)
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    i'm doing intermediate maths
    but higher science
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Ballerina wrote:
    i'm doing intermediate maths
    but higher science

    I did both of them - higher science was a big mistake. If you don't have the AQA revision guide (year 11) I can give mine to you?

    As for maths - I can help you if you let me know what topics you're stuck on. All I'd do with that is explain how to do stuff; won't actually do your work for you.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Past papers are, imo, the absolute best way to revise for maths. I'm really bad at revision so I just did past paper after past paper after past paper for my GCSE, and got a grade higher than I was predicted (two higher than I expected) just through that.

    I found that year after year the questions barely changed. If you learn to recognise what each question is actually asking you to do (trig, circle theorem etc) then you should (if I remember rightly) get some credit for using the right method even if you screw up after that.

    It also does wonders for your confidence in the exam. It helps so, so much if you can just pick out a few questions and think 'yeah, I know that.' Kinda like if you look at a page of a foreign language and can pick out half a sentence you recognise. Puts you in a much more positive frame of mind for the tougher questions.

    I'm sure you'll be fine. And if the worst comes to the worst, I'm sure you'll have the opportunity to resit at college or sixth form? I know loads of people that had to resit maths or English, and it's not done them any harm at all when it's come to going to uni.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Ballerina wrote:
    i'm doing intermediate maths
    but higher science

    that's what I did, I definately recommend those books for both :yes:
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Do you have anyone who could test you and vice versa?

    Oddily enough, we were talking about reevision in tutorial yesterday. Loads of techniques were mentioned including:
    Revision cards (I do this for Law)
    Past papers
    Checklists
    Rewriting notes

    You could probably play games as well like memory.

    You could condense your work donw so that it's just notes and not just pages and pages of work.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Lil Laura wrote:
    Past papers are, imo, the absolute best way to revise for maths. I'm really bad at revision so I just did past paper after past paper after past paper for my GCSE, and got a grade higher than I was predicted (two higher than I expected) just through that.

    The best way to do it, with science as well, I used to find that the past papers never changed that much year on year. Lucikly nearly all my accountancy papers are the same sitting after sitting (apart from the tax ones techinally but they do follow as similar format)
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    The best way to do it, with science as well, I used to find that the past papers never changed that much year on year. Lucikly nearly all my accountancy papers are the same sitting after sitting (apart from the tax ones techinally but they do follow as similar format)
    the bugger with science is that theres twelve modules to learn
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Ballerina wrote:
    the bugger with science is that theres twelve modules to learn

    Are there any modules which you feel you know pretty well so that you don't really need to revise them?
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    CGP all the way :thumb: , and finding out whats works best for you, and DONT write revision timetables (is it just me or do we spend more time writing them than actually revising?!) and DONT decide to tidy ur room even though 'it'll give u a proper work space' :rolleyes:

    Try not to stress too much, they're over quicker than you think. Just cut it all down and set really small goals. :)
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    GCSE's are only important to do Alevels, after that, as long as you've passed most of your GCSEs and get some good Alevels, no ones cares. Because then Alevels are what everyone looks at to get into uni.

    You must be under a lot of pressure if you're worried about uni so early. Try and relax a little and do the best you can.

    I think revision plans are very good. They help to spread out work, and you get to know exactly how much time you have to revise. But dont make it too detailed.

    Spend an hour or so. Maybe break each of your subjects down, and split them up according to half terms. Then on your timetable plan to go through Maths term 1 on these days...... and so on.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    dancin_k8i wrote:
    CGP all the way :thumb: , and finding out whats works best for you, and DONT write revision timetables (is it just me or do we spend more time writing them than actually revising?!) and DONT decide to tidy ur room even though 'it'll give u a proper work space' :rolleyes:

    Try not to stress too much, they're over quicker than you think. Just cut it all down and set really small goals. :)
    Actually, I don't agree, true don't waste your time making the worlds prettiest timetable, but do make sure you know what you need to revise and when, break up your day so you know when you're working and when you're resting. AND tidy a space in your room for you to work in, work spaces are very important.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I got told by my Law teacher to revise the exma that's closest then when that;s over, do the next one which is closest.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Doesn't help a lot when you're exams run on consecutive days though does it?
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Fiend_85 wrote:
    Doesn't help a lot when you're exams run on consecutive days though does it?

    I know that and have been there myself.
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    littlemissylittlemissy Posts: 9,972 Supreme Poster
    Sofie wrote:
    I know that and have been there myself.

    So you'll know that by following your advice you will spend weeks revising for the first exam and then hours for the rest? :confused:

    To the OP - set yourself goals and make sure you have some time for yourself too.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    So you'll know that by following your advice you will spend weeks revising for the first exam and then hours for the rest? :confused:

    To the OP - set yourself goals and make sure you have some time for yourself too.

    No - for my GCSEs (and my 3 A-Level exams) I always concentrate(d) on what I struggled most with.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    So in fact, your advice is rubbish, completely useless.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Fiend_85 wrote:
    So in fact, you admit yourself that your advice is rubbish, completely useless.

    not really, no - well, it works for me...
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Except it doesn't! You said
    revise the exma that's closest then when that;s over, do the next one which is closest.
    and then
    I know that and have been there myself.
    when it's pointed out that consecutive exams screw that, and then you say
    No - for my GCSEs (and my 3 A-Level exams) I always concentrate(d) on what I struggled most with.
    which has got NOTHING to do with what you said.

    Any idea what you actually mean yet?
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    littlemissylittlemissy Posts: 9,972 Supreme Poster
    Sofie wrote:
    not really, no - well, it works for me...

    What works for you? So far you have given 2 different study methods.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    What works for you? So far you have given 2 different study methods.

    It depends for me. Sometimes, if my exams are months away, I'll concentrate on the subject/topic I struggle most with and then nearer the exams (few weeks or so) I concentrate on whichever exam is closest.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    My word, do you even recognise how foolish you seem right now?
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