How to Get an A* - Your Questions Answered
Need some revision top tips? Here are all the answers from your questions in the Q&A for our 2025 Feb Half-Term Seminar: How to Get An A*!
Click on the links here to access the slides and the recording.
When should you start revising to maximise results?
This varies person to person, and depends on your starting position. If you have been very consistent throughout your A-Levels with managing the workload, you can probably start ‘intense’ revision a bit later. On the other hand, if you have fallen behind it might be best to start the exam grind a bit earlier. Usually a good benchmark is the Easter holidays for proper intense revision to start, but remember to not cram too much into one day to avoid burnout!
Does SnapRevise have flashcards?
Yes! We have flashcards available to buy on our store here: https://shop.snaprevise.co.uk/collections/all
How do you balance revision for completely different subjects?
This can be tricky, especially if you feel like you need to dedicate more time to a particular subject. A revision timetable can be useful to ensure that you are balancing time properly between subjects.
Whenever I make a study timetable, I struggle to stick to it and go off track. What should I do?
First of all, be realistic with yourself. Sometimes things you don’t expect happen, so it’s natural to miss a day or move things around - please don’t beat yourself up about it! However, it is still important to hold yourself accountable so that you can reach your revision goals. Here are my top tips:
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Don’t overload your timetable - if you try and cram too many things into one day, you will eventually burn out. Try to take more of a ‘little and often’ approach to maintain a sustainable lifestyle.
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Coordinate with a friend - this way you can work together and hold each other accountable!
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Reward yourself - the best way to incentivise yourself to do something is through rewards. My go-to is ‘When I finish writing these biology notes I can have a cup of tea and a biscuit’ :)
My subjects are all CIE exam board and there is a severe lack of specific resources - do you have any recommendations?
It’s difficult to navigate finding resources for niche exam boards, but remember that most of the content will be transferable from other exam boards. I would recommend having a look at your specification and comparing that to other exam boards’ to work out what the differences are, but for the most part they will be largely similar.
How can I use the textbook more effectively?
Cross-reference the textbook content with the specification and use that to break down your revision into manageable chunks. Use these sub-topics as headings for your revision style of choice (flashcards, notes etc.) and don’t forget to test yourself and reassess.
How do I deal with balancing so many different resources available?
Try a bit of everything to see what works for you, but exam board verified textbooks are usually a good place to start because they have the exact content that the examiners want you to know.
By when should you be done with the syllabus to have enough time for practice?
I recommend starting practice early before you are even necessarily finished with the syllabus, but a rough guide for finishing content should be around the Easter holidays before exams. This should enable you to have enough time to do as many past papers as possible and revisit tricky topics.
How did you structure your day after school in Year 13, especially closer to exams?
I would get home from school at around 4 and make a coffee and a snack to energise me, and then get any homework that I had out of the way. This would usually take me until about dinner time, and after eating I would do about 2 hours of revision until 8 or 9 before unwinding before bed. I wouldn’t recommend staying up late to revise because you are less focused anyway and it will be detrimental to your sleep cycle.
Would you advise stopping going to the gym before exam season?
Definitely not! If the gym is what you enjoy and how you might relax, it’s definitely important to not neglect those factors as you get closer to exams. It is essential to still make time for your hobbies so that you don’t burnout, and if you are particularly worried about it then you can always integrate some revision into your workouts (e.g. by listening to a podcast).
Is there anything you'd want to tell your past self while you were doing your A levels?
I would tell my past self to take it easy! I was very prone to over-stressing for no reason, and while I am still guilty of this sometimes, it’s important to recognise when to take a step back and still try to enjoy your life. Ultimately, there is no point in dedicating your whole life to studying if you are miserable from dropping all your hobbies and social activities.
What is the best way to understand hard concepts?
If you are struggling to wrap your head around something, I find it useful to use youtube videos to explain concepts or draw it out. Some things however just require a bit of repetition to get into your head.
Where could we find a good checklist for A Level Biology?
The specification on the exam board website is your best friend. Just search “(exam board) (subject) specification” and it should come up.
How do we prepare for the 25 markers for biology? I have no idea where to start!
Practice makes perfect, do as many of them as possible and comb through the mark scheme for the terminology and structure that the exam board wants. Also ask your teacher if they have any exemplar answers.
How did you revise for A Level Chemistry (and what resources did you use)?
I used the textbook to make flashcards and mind maps to link concepts together, and then I did every practice paper question I could find and studied the mark schemes.
I am always close to the A* boundary, what extra things should I do?
I would recommend looking at the areas where you drop points in your tests and try to find weaknesses. Also, be aware of any specific wording that the mark scheme requires as those are easy points to gain.
How do you listen to podcasts while swimming?
I have waterproof headphones, absolute gamechanger!
About your presenter:
Amy graduated with A*s in Biology, Classical Civilisations, and an A in her EPQ on genetic engineering, securing her a place at UCL Medicine where she is now a 4th year MBBS student. Best of all, she’s extremely passionate about helping future students achieve the same success, so her seminar is a must-see for your A-Levels revision!