GCSE How YOU Can Get all 8s & 9s (A*s) | Top 10 Tips

Summary

In this educational video, Jaden shares her top 10 tips for acing GCSEs, drawing from her personal experience of achieving 10 A* grades. She emphasizes the importance of motivation, consistent revision, practicing past papers, and understanding the exam specifications. Jaden also advises on maintaining a positive mindset, focusing on weaknesses, and utilizing online resources for additional learning. Lastly, she stresses the need to avoid burnout by balancing hard work with rest and leisure activities.

Takeaways

• 🎓 Know Your Motivation: Understand why you want to succeed in your GCSEs, whether it's to impress your parents, yourself, or to use them as a stepping stone for future goals.
• 📅 Consistent Revision: Always revise, even when not in the exam season, to prevent forgetting past content and to stay organized throughout the year.
• 📝 Practice with Past Papers: Complete a large number of past papers to recall facts and sharpen exam techniques, which is crucial for scoring well.
• 🤯 Embrace Mistakes: Don't worry about getting questions wrong initially; it's part of the learning process that leads to improvement over time.
• 🔍 Identify Weaknesses: Recognize and work on your weakest subjects or topics to improve overall performance.
• 📚 Know the Course Specification: Familiarize yourself with the exam board's syllabus to ensure you cover all necessary content and avoid irrelevant material.
• 📑 Note Common Questions: When doing past papers, note down recurring questions or themes to understand what the exam board frequently tests.
• 🎨 Focus on Coursework: Pay attention to coursework as it contributes to your final grade and can compensate if your exam performance isn't ideal.
• 🤔 Self-Learning: Take initiative to learn and understand concepts on your own, especially if they're not clear in class, using various resources.
• 🌐 Utilize Online Resources: Make the most of online platforms like YouTube for educational content that adheres to the syllabus and enhances learning.
• 🧘‍♂️ Avoid Burnout: Balance hard work with rest and leisure to maintain a healthy revision process and prevent exhaustion, especially during exam season.

Q & A

Who is the speaker in the video and what is their educational background?

The speaker is Jaden, who is currently in the year 13 summer holiday and waiting for A-level results. They plan to go to university in September to study dentistry. They previously achieved six nines and four eights in their GCSEs, which equates to 10 A stars.

What subjects did Jaden study for their A-levels?

Jaden studied Maths, Physics, Chemistry, and Biology for their A-levels.

What is the first point Jaden emphasizes for success in GCSEs?

The first point Jaden emphasizes is knowing your motivation to succeed. This involves understanding why you want to do well in your GCSEs and using that as a driving force.

What is Jaden's philosophy on when to start revising for exams?

Jaden's philosophy is that you should always be revising, going back over content that you've already done, to ensure you don't fall behind and are prepared for the exam period.

Why is doing past papers important according to Jaden?

Doing past papers is important because it helps recall facts learned in school and sharpens exam technique, which is crucial for getting marks in the exam.

What mentality should students have towards getting questions wrong during practice?

Students should not worry about getting things wrong at the beginning as it comes with experience and practice. It's important to work on weaknesses and understand that progress will be made over time.

How can students know what to expect in their GCSE exams?

Students can know what to expect by downloading the exam board's specification for their subjects, which outlines every single thing that could be asked in the exam.

What is the significance of noting down common questions and themes from past papers?

Noting down common questions and themes helps students identify patterns and prepare for likely questions, ensuring they can answer them effectively in the exam.

Why is coursework important in some GCSE subjects and how should it be approached?

Coursework is important as it makes up a percentage of the final grade and should not be neglected till the end. It's better to work on it throughout the year to ensure a good grade and have a fallback if the exam doesn't go well.

What is Jaden's advice on learning content independently?

Jaden advises that students should learn content by themselves when they don't understand something in class, using various resources, and ensuring they review the material to reinforce learning.

How can the internet be utilized to enhance GCSE preparation?

The internet, particularly platforms like YouTube, can be used to find educational channels that provide content aligned with the exam specification, acting as a second teacher and consolidating learning.

What is Jaden's final tip on managing revision and avoiding burnout?

Jaden's final tip is to avoid burnout by taking rest days, incorporating activities you enjoy, and making the revision process as enjoyable as possible to maintain motivation and prevent exhaustion.