[TheEnglishman]

With 'The most important exams you'll ever take until the next ones' rapidly approaching me, I was curious to see how many other people revise as well. I've always thought that going into an exam cold is the worst idea ever but do you think you can get away without revising for it?

Also if you do revise, how do you do it? I tend to use the internet as I find it mildly more interesting than going through the old books.

I only thought I'd ask as so many people in my year try to go without revising and only some manage to get away with it in terms of grades.

[Platinum Sun]

The American word for it is studying. (At least I think that's what you're talking about.) Personally I don't study. My teachers review like crazy before tests because New York State Ed. has all kinds of crazy standards. If I do all my work and pay attention in class I make out all right.

[Wiflewood]

Got my AS level exams starting on friday.

I like just going through my notes and copying down the important stuff again.

Also, although the teachers at our college always say "Start early so you won't have to cram the night before", I find staying up late the night before cramming as much info into your head as you can is actually the best way for me, I work so much better under pressure when deadlines are looming. I wouldn't say I don't revise a lot, but I've only just started revising this week so I'm getting as much in as possible. If I had tried to start last week I just wouldn't be concentrated enough.

I'd use the internet to revise but I always get distracted. E.g "I'll just go check email/myspace/gssf" etc, so whenever I revise I turn off my laptop and put it under my bed :unsure:

[Eugine]

I'm a combination of you three really. I handle revision differently for each subject.

Currently I do AS Level (Mathematics, Physics, Geography - aspiring Geologist here ^^) like Wifle. The Caribbean AS Level is basically the British AS Level with a 'Caribbean touch', so to speak (same syllabus anyway).
History: Before my college did Cambridge, but we switched two or three years back.

Anyway, for subjects like Geography I use the internet, like you Me111, cuz usually the school books are outdated (well mines) and gives 1990s examples most of the time.
For Maths and Physics, paying attention in class is the best way to learn imo. Because I usually tell my friends or the teachers when I don't understand (because lets face it, if you really can't do a Maths problem, usually the best way to understand is with some human intervention. After that, basically I study the night before the exam, and get Bs most of the time (few As and Cs).

Though, since I think you want only As, I'll suggest you practice subjects with calculations daily, and do whatever you want with the others.

[Wiflewood]

AS Maths is eeevvvilll. Logs, Binomal Expansion, Radians...TT
90% of my revision so far has been Maths. I've got Psychology on Tuesday, but that'll be a breeze. I'll prolly only do a couple of days revsion for that.

Anyway, I'm off. Those trigonomic identities aren't going to revise themselves. (unfortunatley)

[Split Infinity]

I don't see much point in using the internet Me11; if they're going to put something on a test, they'd have taught you in the first place...right?

[Wiflewood]

He means revising on the internet. E.g Testing himself with questions on the internet and remembering the stuff hes been taught.

www.mathsnet.net For example, thats a Maths revision website our teacher told us about.

[TheEnglishman]

That's what I mean. Stuff like Bitesize will make you look back at previous work and then give you questions on these topics.

[Golden Legacy]

When I am at "full capacity", my method of studying (err, revising) is to read the material (for any subject), and to write all the information on index cards.

Not only am I studying when I write up my index cards (because I have to think about how to phrase/summarize everything, etc.), but it provides a nice, concise, and simple little package to carry around reviewing instead of a heavy textbook. :unsure:

[TheEnglishman]

They always encourage us to make cards, but I rarely do. I've never found myself taking in the information when I write it down. I guess that's just me.

[Sea of Time]

I plug into my iPod, read old textbooks, and make pre-tests. It's my tried, tested and true way to do well on my exams. Since Grade 7.

*bows*

[Eugine]

Sea of Time, on May 21 2007, 06:15 PM, said:

I plug into my iPod, read old textbooks, and make pre-tests. It's my tried, tested and true way to do well on my exams. Since Grade 7.

*bows*

I developed a bad habbit of not being able to study without some form of music in the background. Darn.

[Sea of Time]

Yeah, when my batteries die, I can't do anything but watch TV. Oh well. The batteries last forever on the new iPod Nano.

[Kase]

My method of revision used to be taking my own notes and condensing the book of whatever subject I'm learning, but I"m becoming lazy now. Just reading/skimming everything over is faster. Music is optional since sometimes, I find myself listening it more than actually revising.

[TheEnglishman]

I can't have music or the TV on in the background because I get easily distracted.

[Nemphtis]

I would say how revision is for idiots, but coming from someone who was excluded from various schools due to attendance issues I think it wouldn't make much of an impact in persuading anyone. So yeah, if you're serious about your future and want to make sure you get the best results then revise. Unless you have a time machine, you won't be going back to your childhood to fix all your ****-ups later, so even though you're young it doesn't mean education is child's play.

[Caael]

Meh, I should revise a lot more than I do. I start about 2 weeks before an exam, and on an average day I will get 15 minutes done.

[Wiflewood]

Erg. As I said before, I can't start revision unless its less than a week before the exam, I'm just not focused enough.

I'd rather revise loads a few days before an exam than do a little bit everyday (Which my college insists is the best way)

[TheEnglishman]

That's how I feel, but it doesn't help how I get the same 'Have you done any revision?' question asked every day.

[Golden Legacy]

Anyone a fan of late-night cramming? I'm not, but I end up doing it anyway. :P

[TheEnglishman]

I rarely go past 9:00pm. It just doesn't feel right if I work at that time.

[Someone Else]

I study ("revising" sounds retarded to me, no offense) for French a little bit when I have time. Don't study for anything else, really.

[TheEnglishman]

I never do too much for French, apart from the speaking test.

[Sea of Time]

Me111, on May 27 2007, 02:17 PM, said:

I rarely go past 9:00pm. It just doesn't feel right if I work at that time.

I'm at the point where I can't stop anywhere before midnight, because I just have way too much to do.

[TheEnglishman]

That must be tough. I doubt it will be that bad for me, even when I hit the main part of the exams.

[Sea of Time]

I've got a magazine project (make a magazine from scratch), two unit tests, a lab report, and an exam/field trip that will take away a whole day of work. Along with daily work, it's pretty obvious I'm busy.

[TheEnglishman]

I've got this week of revision, then about three weeks of exams.

[Sea of Time]

Every day for all three weeks? That's rough.

[TheEnglishman]

Well not every day. Next week I have at least one each day, but I'm not so sure after that.

[Eugine]

Me111, the exam you're talking about, is it GCSE? If yes, I did that last year =)

[Caael]

Sea of Time, on May 28 2007, 05:28 PM, said:

I'm at the point where I can't stop anywhere before midnight, because I just have way too much to do.

Yet you still visit this place. Remarkable.

[TheEnglishman]

Eugine, on May 28 2007, 07:45 PM, said:

Me111, the exam you're talking about, is it GCSE? If yes, I did that last year =)

Yes it's my GCSE's this year. I'm more interested in some than others, but I'm trying to do as well as I can.

[Eugine]

OK. Last year I did 10. Got 1A and 9Bs.
Not good results, because one of my friends did 14. She got 8A*, 2As, 4Bs. Brilliant people.

[TheEnglishman]

8A*s? That's pretty impressive. I wouldn't mind results like that.

[Caael]

You would love results like that actually. Eugine, your results are good. I'm hoping to get something like that. I know I dont have the time and brains to be able to get A*, so the highest i'll aim for ( and am aiming for in Maths and Science which i'm doing a year early) is an A. I already got an A in my first piece of maths coursework, and there were only 3 in the fast track ( Gcse early) group so I was pretty happy.

[Wiflewood]

I did my GCSEs last year.

5 A*s
5 As
1 B

I'm doing my AS levels this year, so far I've done Psychology, Pure Maths and Critical Thinking, and this week I've got Maths Mechanics and Physics on Thurs and Fri.

[Eugine]

That's excellent results Wifle, keep it up =)

[Alex the Adept]

You know, I think revising sucks... :blink:

[TheEnglishman]

Thanks for that piece of wisdom.
I'm in two minds if I should revise for R.S. It's more common sense than anything.

[Caael]

Just state your views. They cant take away marks because you think Religion sucks or w/e. Thats what i've done previously and gonna do in the GCSE.

I really badly need to revise for a maths exam in 2 weeks, but I lost my revision guide.

[TheEnglishman]

It was fine. Just a case of explaining what I believe and what other religions believe.

[Caael]

RE is easy like that. All you need to know is about the other religions. Anything about your views you can write anything. It's a shame there aren't more of those questions.

[TheEnglishman]

It would be nice in stuff like Maths.
'What do you believe the length of this side is?'
'I don't believe sides should be measured so I can't answer.'

[Caael]

That would be the best exam in the world.

[Toasty]

In response to the parent post, I've never studied for a test, and get A's and B's on them almost all the time. 'Cept for this one time...

But if it's on stuff we learned at the beginning of the year, I'd probably brush up on it a bit.