How I Got an A* in Maths A-level (Cambridge Student)

Summary

In this video, Roy shares his strategy for achieving a top grade in A-Level Maths at Cambridge. He emphasizes the importance of understanding the course specification, regular practice with past papers, and using resources like YouTube for clarification. Roy advises being intentional with study efforts, focusing on areas of difficulty, and developing effective exam techniques to tackle challenging questions.

Takeaways

• 📚 **Download and Refer to the Specification**: Keep the A-Level Maths specification on Google Drive for regular reference and to check against what's being taught in class.
• 📈 **Understand Before Practice**: Ensure understanding of the material during class before proceeding to practice questions.
• 🔍 **Use YouTube for Clarification**: Search on YouTube for specific topics that are difficult to understand, regardless of the source.
• 📝 **Maintain a Mistakes Document**: Keep a record of common mistakes and review it regularly to avoid repeating them during exams.
• 📑 **Practice with Past Papers**: Attempt past papers and specimen papers from different exam boards to get a variety of practice.
• 🎓 **Utilize Online Resources**: Use channels like TL Maths for A-Level Maths specific content and Exam Solutions for video tutorials.
• 📘 **Be Selective with Textbook Use**: Focus on end-of-chapter questions for practice rather than relying solely on textbooks for learning content.
• 🤔 **Seek Clarity Until Satisfied**: Continually seek explanations until fully understanding a concept, don't just memorize.
• 🎯 **Be Intentional in Practice**: Focus on areas of difficulty rather than mindlessly doing every question; be intentional about improvement.
• ⏰ **Develop an Exam Technique**: Learn when to move on from a question during exams to manage time effectively and not miss easier questions.
• 🚫 **Avoid Procrastination**: Don't delay understanding difficult topics; address them as they arise to prevent last-minute cramming.

Q & A

What was the main focus of Roy's video?

The main focus of Roy's video was to share his workflow and strategies for achieving a star grade in A-Level Mathematics, specifically for the AQA specification.

What was Roy's first step in his A-Level Mathematics study workflow?

Roy's first step was downloading the specification and keeping it on his Google Drive for regular reference and annotation.

How did Roy use the specification during his class learning?

Roy used the specification to check the content being taught in class, to understand the order of topics, and to annotate points he didn't understand for later discussion with his teachers.

What did Roy do after class to reinforce his learning?

After class, Roy would start doing practice questions, especially if he was struggling with certain parts of the topic, and he would also search for YouTube videos for further clarification.

How did Roy approach past papers and specimen papers?

Roy started doing past papers and specimen papers about two to three months before his exams. He included papers from other boards and made notes of any mistakes to review regularly.

Which YouTube channels did Roy recommend for learning A-Level Mathematics?

Roy recommended YouTube channels like TL Maths for A-Level Mathematics specific content and general channels like NancyPi, Organic Chemistry Tutor, or Khan Academy for specific topics.

What was Roy's opinion on the textbooks used in his class?

Roy found the textbooks used in his class to be poorly written and not very helpful for understanding the material, although he found the practice questions in them to be useful.

What was Roy's advice for dealing with confusion when learning a new topic?

Roy advised to keep looking for explanations until satisfied and to learn until comfortable with the material to avoid memorization without understanding.

How did Roy select which resources to use for his studies?

Roy used a combination of YouTube videos for learning content, textbook end-of-chapter questions for practice, and past papers from websites like Physics and Math for additional challenge.

What was Roy's strategy for approaching difficult questions during exams?

Roy's strategy was to move on from a question if he found himself repeating the same approach without progress, marking it to return later, and focusing on questions he could answer correctly.

What was the final recommendation Roy gave for studying A-Level Mathematics?

Roy's final recommendation was not to procrastinate on hard topics, to understand them as they come up, and to make an effort to grasp the concepts early on rather than leaving them for last-minute revision.