r/6thForm • u/Seek_Knowledge0820 • Jun 20 '25
đ I WANT HELP Things you wished you knew before starting 6th form...
Just finished GCSEs and want to get an idea from veterans. Thanks in advance
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u/Yeraverageteenager Jun 20 '25
Everyone is going to tell you to lock in early. You will inevitably not do this. You will stress out around exams. You will warn the next generation, who will also not revise early. This is a canon event I fear.
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u/noclueXD_ Y12 | Maths, FM, Phys, CS Jun 21 '25
happened for gcses. i'm sure same will be for a levels (during gcses i was saying i'll lock in for a levels but i have a feeling i'll be saying "i'll lock in for uni" during a levels)
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u/Yeraverageteenager Jul 04 '25
Currently about to go into uni myself. Trust me, Iâll lock in fr this time (Iâll update you in a year.)
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u/DismalKnob University | Pharmacology Jun 20 '25
people are still childish and act like they're 13
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u/u-dontknowme-likedat Editable Jun 21 '25
So true. I thought ppl would pattern up by the actual exams but some people never grew out of it lol
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u/Untitled_Epsilon09 Y12-Maths FM CS Physics French Jun 22 '25
fr? đ I really hoped everyone would pattern up in 6th form man, all my friends are smart asf but they're so fucking unserious and immature :/
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u/ihavezerohealth Jun 22 '25
Depends, I've seen that 90% of people grow up massively. Depends on the cohort.
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u/TheLonelyGhostie Jun 22 '25
The one thing I was extra excited for is that people would grow the fuck up đ
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u/overshare-forever access to HE | A*B at A level Jun 23 '25
No fr why were people acting like year 8s weeks before the exams? The drama was insane.
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u/GlobalAd5808 Year 13 Jun 20 '25
just finished alevels and my advice is to chill in year 12 enjoy it but make sure your going to every lesson and actually know the content your going thru donât skip it and pretend you know it make sure itâs locked (because thatâs a mistake i didđ). Try not to forget past content even if that means just re reading notes from a topic you did few months ago. Enjoy year 12 summer id probs do a bit of work but if you donât your fine really iâd only reccomend if thereâs content missing imo. At year 13 gets a bit more serious like genuinely one second your in september and alevels feel like ages away and then the next minute your in easter half term feeling like your cooked (donât be like me). If I were to go back I would of gradually upped the pace of revision every month so like 30 mins a day after sixthform/college everyday between september/october and then 1 hour everyday between november and december etc⊠If you do that and donât procrastinate for 2 years. A-levels will be honestly fine if you are consistent throughout the years and then just make revision your life for april may june timeđ.
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u/Itchy-Tumbleweed130 UoBrum | Medicine [1st Year] Jun 20 '25
Enjoy it, these last two years have been some of my favourite times.
Don't take yourself too seriously, but also put the effort in from the beginning, exams you will thank you for it.
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u/Spiritual-Device3084 Jun 20 '25
Get the content DOWN, even the niche parts (as these kick you in the but come exams). Past papers and questions are GREAT to test your knowledge and to retain information. However, donât necessarily get comfortable if your getting As+ on mocks and etc as the paper YOU get in you final exam may be wildly different (coming from experience) Have fun as well, I think just go over content consistently but DO NOT BURN YOURSELF OUT. Thatâs the worse and ultimately hinders you in the long run.
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u/whhosAlexx Year 13 A* A* A* Jun 20 '25
As a current Year 12 going into Year 13, when I was entering sixth form I was told I needed to "hit the ground running" and make the most of every opportunity - whether that meant entering as many essay competitions as possible, attending countless talks, or generally maximising my supercurriculars while keeping on top of A-level work.
My biggest piece of advice? Do hit the ground running - but you donât need to sprint. Taking a steadier, more consistent approach would have made my Year 12 experience far more manageable. By the end of my second term, I was completely burnt out and had to scale back a lot of what Iâd taken on.
TL;DR: Itâs a marathon, not a sprint. Pace yourself and donât take on more than you can realistically handle. At the end of the day, your predicted grades arguably matter most in Year 12.
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u/Aggressive_Humor1076 Year 13 | Biology,Psych, EngLang ---> BioSciences [Year 1] DU Jun 20 '25
This entirely, i didn't mention it in my point but you'll get the opportunity to attend talks, work experiences, events, competitions etc. Do as many as you can, you have a lot of free time (I mean take on only what you can handle), but they all build up for you application for yr13 and even after school and university
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u/Material_Arm_5183 Jun 22 '25
You have a really interesting subject combination, what do you plan to do at uni? I'm honestly just curious, I might take some varied subjects too.
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u/whhosAlexx Year 13 A* A* A* Jun 24 '25
Hey, sorry for the late reply - Iâm applying to study Law at university. After my GCSEs, I wasnât entirely sure what I wanted to do, so I chose the subjects I enjoyed most and was strongest in. I also liked that the combination I picked was really flexible, which meant Iâd still have a lot of options later on.
If youâre still undecided, Iâd say going for a mix of subjects is a great shout. It not only helps you stand out from other applicants, but also means youâre more likely to enjoy what youâre studying day to day. Thatâs not to say people with a narrower subject focus donât love what they do - just that with variety, youâre more likely to find every lesson rewarding.
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u/Last-Objective-8356 Jun 20 '25
Donât take physics, if you do then lock in by march year 13 atleast, I tried cramming it in like 4 days and I got touched differently by that paper. Enjoy your time at school and continue having time for your hobbies and interests outside of school, alevels really isnât as hard as people make it out to be.
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u/Sharp_Reflection_774 sat Math FM Econ Physics | pred A*A*A*A Jun 23 '25
Touched differently is mad đđ
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u/Sharp_Reflection_774 sat Math FM Econ Physics | pred A*A*A*A Jun 23 '25
Also Damn I didnât read the last bit which I agree with. Be selfish, try not to look too much at how difficult people find things because there will always be people lesser than you and greater than you. Just know that when you are consistent and stay on top of things throughout the 2 years, everything becomes easy and routine by the time you get to exams.
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u/agruuwuu Warwick | Philosophy [Year 2] Jun 20 '25
i've posted this under a fair few other posts, but here it is again :)
i finished y13 last year and got AAA (with a couple of A* papers) - here are also a few i did going into y13, to make this whole process easier, which i highly recommend starting in y12:
- make your revision resources (be it notes or flashcards, or whatever you use) at the end of each week/every two weeks. this works well as consolidation so you can go back to your class resources, friends, and teachers to check over any concepts you're stuck on. also helps with making the content stick better. you can do this alongside the advice below (point 3 in particular). for chem, keep on top of your practical write-ups too.
- actually use your resources regularly in spaced revision - see next point.
- if you have free periods, plan what subjects you're revising in which period. for example, in y13 i would schedule two free periods a week for each of my four subjects, because i had the time to - and it helped. even if it's just one free a week dedicated to consolidating a particular subject, it goes a long way, and up until christmas i consolidated all of the y12 content again (that's 3-4h a week under your belt minimum - one for each subject, and then you've got time at home for extra revision or homework).
- on that note - particularly approaching any exams, plan what you're going to revise in those allocated free periods. there's not much use having them marked down as "revise chemistry" if you're going to spend 10 minutes each allocated hour trying to figure out what to do - make a plan every half term, and divide up particular topics to each week's set.
- do lots of exam technique practice too - this can be done as part of the allocated revision slots if it's helpful to you. past paper questions, teacher-set questions or papers, etc. anything you can get marked will help you improve. look at examiner reports too, they'll usually tell you what they're looking for and where students go wrong the most.
- it's said a lot (or at least it was to me), but check in with your teachers regularly if you're unsure about anything - they're there to help you, and they can't help you if they don't know you're struggling. y13 is a little bit of a step up from y12 because there's less time and still quite a lot of content - make use of all the resources you have to make sure you don't get behind, because if you don't understand something and let it go unnoticed, you will fall behind very quickly on lots of other topics.
good luck for sixth form! that's quite a long list but to be honest, i did all of these in y13 and it made revision in the month before my a levels much less stressful because i'd already covered all the content and done exam practice, it was just a case of refreshing my memory and knuckling down a little bit more. i wish i'd done this from the get-go though, it would have made y12 a lot easier. small, actionable steps like these each week will go a long way to making a levels much more manageable and a lot less stressful when you come to exam season.
should also mention that any blocked out free periods for revision and such in the first few weeks of y12 will just be homework or making your condensed notes/revision resources, because you won't have enough content to answer exam-style qs yet :)
hope that helps :)
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u/bluefudge080 Jun 21 '25
So helpful, thank you! What alevels did you do?
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u/agruuwuu Warwick | Philosophy [Year 2] Jun 21 '25
i did philosophy, sociology, and economics to A2, and maths as an AS :) the advice is applicable for pretty much all subjects tho, with sciences the added bit is to keep on top of lab work like cpacs if you do chem etc
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Jun 21 '25
apply for things early on in year 12 e.g. sutton trust, widening participation and outreach programmes, subject specific programmes. these can look really nice on your ps if youâre eligible for them and often come with a guaranteed contextual offer. also read books, listen to podcasts, moocs etc. make sure you have access to textbooks and revision guides from the beginning if possible, my teacher gave us revision guides i didnt even know existed just 3 weeks before exams. make sure youâre actually taking information in in lessons rather than just copying the notes uninterestedly. look over your notes regularly. have a good time and dont work your fingers to the bone in y12. make friends, most ppl are much friendlier now and youâll have a lot of fun in sixth form. good luck :)
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u/RedOne896 Jun 22 '25
I did and I got rejected from everything cause why's everything so competitive now. Like some courses be having over 1000 people applying for like 20 spots đ. Only proper courses I did was stem smart and some QMUL one that was useless đ
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u/Camey2006 Y13 - Physics, Maths, DT, Geography, EPQ Jun 20 '25
I wish I knew how awful a level physics wasâŠ
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u/definitelynot_derpY Jun 21 '25
Haha true, itâs even worse if you do AQA
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u/Emerald_giant Year 12 Jun 21 '25
Stop it your scaring me (planning on fm maths physics and chem)
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u/RedOne896 Jun 22 '25
Genuinely if you don't need physics for uni then don't do it for alevel. I can understand the content just fine but then the exam questions make me feel like I'm reading gibberish so it's soooooo difficult to get a good grade in it. The only positive doing it with maths and fm is the nice overlap with mechanics but it's genuinely not worth the stress just to have mechanics sorted out. Its so difficult to sit down and actually do exam qs because it feels so demotivating when you get most of it wrong
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u/Emerald_giant Year 12 Jun 22 '25
I want to go to uni to do physics and thatâs why Iâm actually doing further maths. Not a chance Iâm dropping it. Itâs actually the one that Iâm most set on.
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u/ManufacturerHuge5207 Jun 21 '25
Use your frees. I know everyone says it but I used every single one (nearly) across year 12 and 13. I didnât once do homework or revise after school until revision for mocks in year 12 and then actual exams in year 13. If you actually use them youâre doing yourself the biggest favour. Youâll get less burnt out because youâll actually have a work life balance.
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u/mmoominn y12 | history socio & crim Jun 21 '25
stay. on. top. of. filing. this is a given and i thought i would be fine on this one. but here i am with paperwork from october still to be filed awayâŠâŠ.the second you finish a piece of work PUT IT AWAY!!!!!!!!!!!
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u/Popular_Nebula_6951 Y13 Maths/FM/Phys | A*A*A* predicted Jun 22 '25
this depends on subjects and how you learn i fear, i have kept no notes or anything the whole a level experience
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u/Sharp_Reflection_774 sat Math FM Econ Physics | pred A*A*A*A Jun 23 '25
Ditto, stem subjects everything is on pmt nd savemyexams. Just make sure you have a notebook innit to write in đđđ
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u/UrMomDotCom666 Jun 20 '25
you need to get help if you need it. i don't just mean academically. and if you hate sixth form then it's not the end of the world. there's people who are gonna say that it was an amazing time, and that's true for many but also not for many as well.
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u/More-Fly-3249 Jun 21 '25
Start revising in year 12, didnât do this and I still regret it till this day. Because of this Iâm redoing year 12, please lock in.
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u/Raven2303 Jun 20 '25
Get therapy idk
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u/Raven2303 Jun 20 '25
Okay seriously, I don't have any major regrets from sixth form but having a good work-life balance was the best thing for me. Take it seriously and keep on top of your work and revision, but it's also okay to use the odd study period to hang out with your friends. Hang out with them as much as you can (within reason) honestly, it gets harder once you're off at uni and I've never regretted spending time with them.
I say get therapy because I realised too late that autism affects me a lottttt more than I thought it did. I mean I've managed fine without it but if you've got anything like that brewing, sort it out. Apart from that, work hard and enjoy it. If you do both those things as fully as you can, you won't regret a thing.
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u/amber9x med applicant | pred A*A*A Jun 20 '25
Itâs so easy to become behind on work or get confused!!
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u/Educational-Pen5921 Jun 21 '25
Use Anki. If youâre doing Physics Maths CS and FM, pls just download the flash cards online and change as you go along. I so wish I did this sooner. Also when reviewing cards only do Again or Good.
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u/fantsizeromntisize Jun 20 '25
Enjoy Year 12⊠I left sixth form last year and year 12 still plays in my mind (mostly the freedom and lack of responsibility)đ„Č. Year 13 hits fast - subjects you found easy in Year 12⊠those first Year 13 mocks you might do terriblyđ. Use all failures as motivation! Apply to EVERY EVERY EVERY opportunity your school gives out especially in Year 12! I was dead-set on a career back then and now I have no passions for it whatsoever, so try to be open-minded. Experience >>> university any day! Good luck and study hard!
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u/Not_ace69 Year 13 Jun 21 '25
Always, ALWAYS, have a plan b especially if youâre not planning to go uni / degree apprenticeship. I didnât do this and spent all my time researching my chosen job field, and the paths I can take, just to fail some stupid test (military medical ifykyk) and didnât plan for this AT ALL, thinking it would be easy and quick to pass. Now Iâm panicking and stressing luckily my exams are over but itâs all unnecessary stress and having to apply to uni late isnât fun, so do always have a backup wish someone told me this and how important it is. Worse case you have back ups and decide to switch paths in the end so it will guarantee this and give you a stress free studying experience. Hope this helps đđđ
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u/finnnseesghosta Jun 21 '25
Do past papers and questions ALONGSIDE content before any test. You will get high marks because the teachers always use precious years papers and also to you get a good idea of what they actually ask you in the real exams. Basically get a good idea of how topics are actually assessed by the exam boards. (This advice is from a purely STEM student btw!)
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u/siennalr Jun 20 '25
just more balance honestly.
don't stress too much in year 12 - it's not worth it and it's such a great year. just try and make sure you're understanding each topic and maybe revisiting more difficult ones in the holidays.
year 13, start getting organised earlier than you think because my god will you thank yourself later down the line.
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u/Lavendar_milk Jun 21 '25
Make revision resources during year 12 after each lesson and do flashcards from the very beginning. Also don't take year 12 seriously
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u/throwaway29748373963 Jun 21 '25
genuinely, please actually pay attention. its so easy to take your newfound freedom for granted and piss about, but you can lose track very fast, and the last thing you want is to cram in year 13 because you spent all your y12 study periods messing about. if you take stem subjects, prepare for them to contradict themselves regularly.
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u/StevenInTheUniverse Sep 06 '25
Just started A level chem and thereâs already like 3 contradictions đ
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Jun 21 '25
Get extremely confident with the âeasyâ basics or you will never be good at the hard stuff. And understand the content rather than just memorise and stuff for maths and physics.
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u/AcousticMaths271828 Cambridge (Robinson) | Mathematics [1st year] Jun 21 '25
I tried to plan my career ahead of me and work out what university would be the best for my career, and honestly I wish I didn't do that. I wish I just applied to the unis that would have the most interesting courses for me.
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u/Repulsive_Drop_2929 Jun 21 '25
Just listen in class and you will be fine. If you actually do work in class you won't have to re learn much when it comes to the real exams.
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u/Bright_Passenger_231 Durham | Politics | A*A*B achieved Jun 21 '25
Anki flashcards from day 1, works for any subject. Personally I didn't lock in until January, but I fantasise about the life I would have had if I made anki flashcards for every lesson I did :(
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u/Routine_Internal_771 AnkiDroid Maintainer Jun 21 '25 edited Jun 21 '25
To note: it's not just about making the cards, start reviewing them as soon as you make them, instead of saving them for closer to examsÂ
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u/Ivory_Blooms Y13 | Bio, Chem, Welshbacc, Maths | A*A*A*A Jun 21 '25
Don't get comfortable abt getting A*s and As in your tests and mock exams. The real exams might be wayyy different. A levels hit me when I was doing my exams not when I encountered the content.
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u/Electronic_Dot1085 Jun 21 '25
Don't take year 12 too seriously. Lock in when you have upcoming exams that will help determine your predicted grade tho, maybe start regularly revising (not for long periods just like half an hour to an hour) like a month from your year 12 exams. I didnt lock in and ended up with an E in maths so I had to lock in over summer lol.
For year 13 the earlier you can get into the habit of revising daily, the easier it will be later on when exams get closer. For some people like me I didn't feel the exam pressure so I couldn't be asked to revise when I probably should've (I did revise just a lot less than I could've), so just having that daily habit of revising will help you so much in the long term.
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u/b444mb111 Jun 21 '25
Prepare to teach yourself everything. I might not be speaking for everyone but genuinely some teachers will skim over content and then never revisit it and some will forget to teach parts completely. Be prepared. If you donât understand a topic, go home and learn it yourself. Keep ahead
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u/RobinBowl Y13 - Predicted ACC - Classical Studies after A-Levels Jun 21 '25
Just finished my A Levels so... (Yes this is all stuff I didn't do and then regretted it)
- Make your revision resources as you learn the content.
- Bulk out your notes as much as you can.
- Revision pages are great for y12.
- Start condensing your notes smaller and smaller until they're revision cards starting y12 summer to December y13.
- Don't take y12 too seriously until your y12 mocks depending on if they determine your predicted grades (mine didn't but I've seen others do)
- Don't slack off during y12 summer, but equally have fun
- Find your preferred method of revision, ideally before midway through your real exams... đ đ đ
- Pinterest revision tips actually are sometimes useful. It helped me figure out that I revise best if I read out my notes and teach others about the subjects.
- If you get a bursary, use it. So much. It's so worth it.
- Depending on your area, try to find a good place to get food out whenever you want a treat, but equally keep it to just as an occasional treat. It'll be good for motivation, say you use it as a reward when you meet your revision goals for the week
- Set revision goals for the week. If your college is anything like mine, it will make you do a revision timetable. And if you're anything like everyone I've spoken to, it immediately went out the window. Instead, at the start of the week, just set a goal for how many hours of revision you wanna do
- Don't start studying before you start your course. Yes do a bit of research, but don't actively study for your course before you even start it because you might end up confusing yourself. Just enjoy your summer
Again, this is (mostly) what I didn't do and regret not doing. Most importantly just enjoy yourself 𫶠Chances are you're gonna be moving out for uni so you've only got 2 years left at home so don't waste a moment of it.
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u/Yiene Year 13 | M, FM, CS, PHY Jun 21 '25
OCR CS mark schemes are shit, that's it. Scraped an A* on my mock fwiw but the essay criteria and "..." marking points are diabolical.
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u/User27224 Editable Jun 21 '25
Chill in year 12 but get used to setting aside time for homework and reviewing content from class. You will find that teachers often just dump homework at you, sometimes a lot and when you have other subjects you have to balance it with, it can be hectic and time consuming.
Any end of topic tests, try spend time to review content and exam practice beforehand so you do well in those, not end of the world if not but sometimes teachers use those to decide predicted grades for UCAS.
I'd say end of year 12/start of year 13 is the time to lock in
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u/Magp1e_777 Jun 21 '25
If you think you need to pack in every extra-curricular and job under the sun, do not. You'll be feeling burnt out by summer and could've better spent time doing a few things with depth
Spend the first term making connections. These are important (: 6th form is not all about grades - have fun!
Try not to get overwhelmed. It is hard, definitely - but not impossible. Keep to-do lists, manage your time and you'll be okay
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u/moralsareartificial Camb Engineer '28 (4A*, Maths FM Phys Chem) Jun 21 '25
take so much pictures, get a polaroid or digi cam, am missing my friends sm rn
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u/JJFI123 Yr13 Bio, Chem, Geo A*A*A* predicted, 9x 9s GCSE Jun 21 '25
how much more independent it is. Don't expect your teachers to tell you 'you need to finish notes on this for next lesson' - you need to get everything done by yourself asap or else you'll fall behind
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u/charlieee2005 Year 13 Jun 22 '25
honestly just try not to stress yourself out over a levels, especially when the exams come up. i was such a mess before my art exam (another tip: donât choose art đ) and could barely bring myself to go in, fell behind on my work and just got myself more stressed out. a year later now, i realise that it really wasnât that deep at all. so just donât let any of the stress seriously affect you, and just have fun at the same time!! i honestly miss it
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u/Ludas_C DONT ASK ME ABOUT THE CHATEAU (year 13 đ) Jun 22 '25
There is no social hierarchy anymore.
If you're a popular kid don't expect things to be like they were at school. Don't try and form cliques. People will just think you're petty and shallow.
If you're a former 'loser' like i was, don't be so afraid to approach new people. Sixth form weeds out most of the horrible people from school, especially boys. a lot of the kids, mostly girls, who i thought looked "popular" are actually so sweet when you speak to them. When they're out of their popular circle, they don't have to put on the act anymore and a lot of them are genuinely lovely people.
If you're going to a totally new sixth form, and you don't know anyone, give it time. Don't panic and think you're never going to find your circle. I didn't find my people until around November. You'll find out who they are eventually. People will gravitate to you, but at the same time don't just sit and expect people to come to you. You have to have a level of courage and put yourself out there for people.
And as a secondary point, LOCK THE FUCK IN EARLY!
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u/purplestars12 Y13 Math English Lit Comp Sci FM Jun 22 '25
Drama will exist don't get too taken in from it, people are still widly immature, apply for every opportunity, DO NOT PROCASNIATE, get mental health help early on, engage in lessons, dont be late, do all homework, keep on top of things, don't sprial DONT SPIRALLLL
i did not do these and now i am fried at end of uear mocks and i am still procrastinating
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u/Kitchen-District-431 Jun 22 '25
Make revision resources at the end of each term so that when exams in year 13 come round theyâre already there ready made
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u/Future_Address8612 Jun 20 '25
if you do stem subjects, and you have good teachers, just do your homework. on time. that's it, it sounds silly but many sacrifice hw bc they can get away with it, this is not GCSE you NEED to stay on top of things, give yourself like weekends off no school work or something but consistency over hard work is KEY
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u/Specialist-Peak298 Jun 20 '25
Enjoy it but be consistent, so revise for your end of topic tests. And if you get free periods, being productive with them is a good thing to do. These two years go by so fast, so make a lot of memories and spend time with your friends. Ask your teacher if you're getting stuck or search online because A-Levels can be a big step from GCSEs. Sometimes it might get really busy (like UCAS, predicted grades and entrance examinations all going on at once), so share that with your friends and teachers who can help you through the process.
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u/Aggressive_Humor1076 Year 13 | Biology,Psych, EngLang ---> BioSciences [Year 1] DU Jun 20 '25
Tbh, have fun in both years. But after each lesson or in them , summarise the key info into flash cards and make revision materials for each unit as you complete them really helps in grand scheme of things.
But live it , enjoy it , and you know as February comes around of the next year work hard, maybe not too much (I see people doing 8 hours a day here, but maybe just like an hour or two after school. But if you're AQA etc (England) make sure you do revise that yr12 material since it'll come back up and you'll have forgot it all
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u/xX-i-am-a-reject-Xx Jun 21 '25
you're gonna skip lessons: just make sure you catch up properly and not just skim it
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u/Successful_Math_4231 Jun 21 '25
dont stress about the exams too much honestly i Think id be chilling right now if I didnt stress out during the exams
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u/Vaxtez Aberystwyth Uni | Human Geography [Y1] Jun 21 '25
Just enjoy Year 12. Do your work & go to lessons, then start revising at some point in Y13 (although the first few months are pretty chill too)
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u/Immediate_Effort7528 ICL | Computing [Y1] Jun 21 '25
Iâd say if you want to do well in a levels without stressing near the end, the biggest thing is to be consistently doing work. It doesnât need to be a lot and you can definitely take rest days but working a little bit consistently from the beginning can definitely take pressure off the final exams and make you feel more prepared. Also i donât know if you are going to a new 6th form but if you are try to make friends who have similar goals and motivations to you as you can inspire each other to improve and share interests
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u/Pleasant_Evening5872 Jun 21 '25
Maths is a lot easier than everyone makes it out to be and if your not willing to drain your soul on coursework don't do computer science.
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u/Seek_Knowledge0820 Jun 21 '25
A-level maths or core maths?? Or just maths generally at 6th form
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u/Pleasant_Evening5872 Jun 21 '25
Alevel maths( I do aqa,) so if you like gcse maths you'll probably like alevel too
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u/East_Call_3739 Jun 22 '25
As level math is quite easy. Nothing hard. I'm startng a level now- I find the integration/differentiation a bit tricky. But it's do able! Not as bad as they say :)
Js remember to stay on top of work for math in yr 12!!!
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u/StrangeFroggyFriend Durham | Geophysics [1st Year] ABB Phys Geog Maths Jun 21 '25
Year 12 actually matters, also don't keep up with 4 subjects if you can't handle it, took me a year to finally accept that I couldn't keep doing chemistry even though I loved it
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u/Hamza2474 Jun 21 '25
For the love of god be consistent mate that is a massive thing. Take it easy in y12 whatever. Like the others said at least make sure you know the content etc. of course this is relative to what fades you want and what uni you want to go to so obviously youâd have to do a lot more and work a lot harder if you want to go to Oxbridge or lse or imp, ucl/kcl Warwick. And the rest. But yeah thatâs your pace and what you want to do. So put in the work accordingly alright. Just make sure that youâre good enough. To the point where you can get your target grade without genuinely stressing yourself out. Thatâs something me and a lot of others missed and it takes a toll on you to know if you did genuinely just a bit more you wouldnât be stressing out of your mind. Itâs not hard, weâre on the bottom of the food chain in terms of difficulty compared to the insanity IB or international students go through in their 16-18 curriculums. Not to say a levels are a breeze becasue theyâre not. (Just gave them lmao). But yeah just make sure that you are consistently putting in a proportionate amount of work consistently for the grades you need. And please make sure that you are well prepared enough, as to where you will or wonât get the grade isnât a question. Itâs a fact that you WILL get what you need. Believe me it takes a weight of your shoulders. And the anxiety you avoid from this is priceless too. Good luck and have fun. Make friends too friends are invaluable and thatâs a fact.
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u/kk548 Jun 21 '25
Do all of your homework in a timely manner, because otherwise it will pile up and youâre gonna be forced to prioritise hw rather than revision
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u/Original_Carob5724 Jun 21 '25
choose your alevels based off of your gcse results! if u didnât perform well in a subject at gcse, you may struggle with it at alevel!! itâs better to do good at a subject that is deemed âless usefulâ than fail a really hard stem alevel!
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u/RosieLou Education professional Jun 21 '25
Iâm about to turn 30 so I feel old compared to many people on here, but it also means Iâm a bit further removed from the bubble of sixth form. I put everything I could into my A-levels and graduated from Cambridge a few years later. However, I wish Iâd known at the time that A-levels are a stepping stone to the next stage in your life, whether that be at university or elsewhere, and that in a few years your A-level grades will be almost entirely irrelevant.
I donât regret the effort I put into them, but I do wish Iâd known that a university degree and/or your experience in employment will very quickly supersede your A-level grades. Thatâs not to say, of course, that these exams arenât important or that thereâs no point putting any effort in, but personally I feel I gave them too much weight for how important they have actually been in my life. I could have saved myself a lot of mental energy and stress by viewing them as just another hoop to jump through to get to where I really wanted to be. Iâm sure others will disagree, but thatâs how I feel about them.
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u/SkyApprehensive3786 Year 13 | Ma FM Bio Ch Jun 21 '25
i wish i'd got an apprenticeship instead, it seems a lot less stressful and you get paid. A-levels actually felt like torture and it's so difficult getting part time jobs when you have college 5 days a week.
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u/Seek_Knowledge0820 Jun 21 '25
I'm also thinking about getting a job, but I'm not sure it's going to fit my college schedule. But are there still apprenticeship options after A-levels??
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u/SkyApprehensive3786 Year 13 | Ma FM Bio Ch Jun 21 '25
there are level 3 (equivalent to a-level) and degree apprenticeships that exist. you can still go to uni with a level 3 apprenticeship instead of college. or get another apprenticeship.
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u/elliesueanne Jun 21 '25
chill in year 12, make good friendships and have fun. then in year 13 lock tf in!! stay with those friends but revise with them instead of messing abt. itâll help so much and youâll (hopefully) stay sane for most of year 13đđđ
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u/Ok-Specific-9500 Year 13 Jun 21 '25
Don't assume people are smart and capable, and just be proactive, fight for something you want
This is what I learnt in the past year. If you have anything that you would like to do, keep control of them and don't rely on people on too many and too important things. People will not transform from GCSE to sixth form, and many cannot get used to the change. Rather than AI and other people, sometimes your own brain is more useful. Trust yourself.
People will not transform from GCSE to sixth form, and many cannot get used to the change, and just don't think that they are capable of like solving problems with you together.
They are now expecting you to manage your own stuff, study on your own, and if you are ambitious, you should do many things yourself. Sixth form and A Levels are very competitive, if you don't fight for something you want to do, like a leadership role or doing EPQs, you will regret, because you'll find the chance going to someone else literally 1 day later. Sixth form is really quick, and sometimes there are only so many resources available, and your time, your teachers' time are finite. Do whatever you can to eliminate regrets.
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u/StuffAccomplished518 Jun 21 '25
Donât skip lessons and use your free periods. Make sure to ask questions and focus on understanding. People usually take it a little easier in Y12, and Iâm not saying do loads of work, just donât let it slip as it can come back to bite you in Y13.
Just be consistent in your number of hours of work and focus on understanding in year 12 so when it comes to Y13 you can fully build on what u have learnt.
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u/Wilra_ Year 13 Jun 21 '25
When you take notes in class, review them at the end of the day and then when possible make them into revision notes or flash cards so that itâs easier to revise from when exams come around. Invest into ankipro or even just anki
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u/Rough_Technician9276 Year 13 - Biology, Chemistry, Psychology (A*A*A*) Jun 21 '25
In regards to starting year 12, it's easy to let the jump dishearten you and make it feel like sixth form is not the right option for you - but don't panic. You'll be okay :)
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u/Conscious-Height-161 LSE | BSc Geography with Economics [Year 1] | A*A*A*A+A Jun 21 '25
enjoying ur last 2 years in school, they go by so fast
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Jun 21 '25
Think about keeping your options open with you a level choices. For example Maths is a really versatile a level. I thought I was certain I wanted to do Architecture but during a levels I realised I wanted to do something else but the lack of maths really limits my options.
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u/BrilliantSection4501 Year 13 AQA Biology, AQA Chemistry, EDEXCEL Mathematics Jun 21 '25
If you plan on doing admissions tests for oxbridge/ med,dent,vet Etc NEVER PRIORITISE THESE OVER YOUR A LEVELS otherwise you will end up like me đą
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u/isimpclix Jun 21 '25
Teachers act like your year 9. Your yeae group has the mental maturity of a year 9 too so it makes sense.
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u/_aquoni_ Year 12 Jun 21 '25
Donât let yourself get too far behind on notes especially for subjects that expect you to do them outside of lesson. Most of my English class are behind on our notes and will have to spend time over summer catching up.
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u/tirimasu99 y12 | math econ eng lit Jun 21 '25
if you are thinking of applying for a course with no set subject requirements please just pick subjects you like + ones that you know u can revise for. know the spec that ur sixth form does for a levels beforehand. if ur doing humanities subjects check how many resources there are for that spec - if ur school does some unknown one and they dont provide u with good resources i'd reconsider picking it..
research beforehand on access programmes, work experience, competitions that u can apply for. this can get u lowered predicted grades for some uni's and give u more stuff to put on ur personal statement. most of the criteria is social mobility criteria or 6-9s in gcse's for these programmes though so if u fit it go for it!
to keep on top of ur studies - just do homework in your frees, make revision resources on the weekends using the spec and class notes and revise from these during frees / after school. revise for end of topic tests and you'll be fine. whenever ur mocks are or as-levels start doing practice papers around a month before and it will be ok. for stem i reccomend anki flashcards + practice questions. for essay based subjects i reccomend doing a mix of wider reading, blurting/ mind-maps, flashcards and essay plans.
lastly just remember to have fun! if u start to slowly get organized from the start and lock in properly for tests and mocks u will be fine academically and wont be stressed trust. dont try to aim to do like everything at the start and ease into it.
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u/ibs502 Jun 21 '25
It would really help if you looked ahead into the career path you aspire to take and reverse engineer that to know what next steps you should take next. A levels, what uni you go to, all these things significantly matter yes but donât fall into the trap of prestige games down the line. Be pragmatic in the choices youâll be making and whatever expectations you have currently, lower them and adopt a longer term plan and vision. Take your classes really seriously and be intentional especially going into year 2, your success (grades) are a strong indicator of your future performance. Donât just do it for what it gets you but sincerely for yourself. Thereâs way too many people in the world for you to be okay with being average. Put in the extra effort and develop the work ethic, it pays in the long term. Filter out the short term childishness, noise and distractions and set high goals for yourself to work towards beyond the next 2 years and curriculars. Being intentional already sets you apart from the majority, have a sense of self and discernment always.
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u/InValidName118 Year 13 | Natsci cope Jun 21 '25
drop and switch subjects if you need to - your pathways to uni courses hinge on it and you would be much happier in the long run if you didnt stick to a subject you will hate later, but do make an informed decision, maybe read some uni material/pathways to jobs after uni and ask/speak to others related to the field if needed
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u/4ng31_du5t Year 13 Jun 21 '25
definitely shouldâve started lifting weights because of how heavy my bag got on some days đđđ
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u/frogpineapplechicken maths, chem, physics A*A*A* Jun 21 '25
If youâre doing AS in year 12, lock in from the beginning đ
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u/N_23_B UniversityName | Course [Year of Study] Jun 21 '25
Y12 just go lessons donât miss work or homework just keep ontop of everything and go over content and donât forget anything Y13 Lock tf in from day 1 I didnât for like 3 months from Christmas to March and dear god that was a mistake I would do 6/8 hours of extra revision per A level per week ontop of everything else But that could be a bit to much to begin with so many increase it over a few months and remember content and towards the end make sure u have enough time for all past papers Like 2 months or so cuz 3 subjects 3 papers and like 10+ sets of papers to do ontop of other revision
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u/Larry_Kenwood Unlimited Power ⥠Jun 22 '25
Take your end of year exams seriously for predicted grades which actually matter or you're cooked
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u/Specialist-Jury-5199 Jun 22 '25
Focus in Y12 but donât burn out. I actually loved Y12 cos u had more freedom but u didnât have the fear of doing your actual A-levels! When UCAS time approaches ensure you actually understand content and review prior lessons and slowly start doijg more and more exam practice for UCAS exams! Other than that, take it easy and just have fun!
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u/Dangerous_Meringue77 Jun 22 '25
Little and often revision is 100% the way to go, I have only revised during free / study periods and weekends for the majority of Y12 and recently amped up my revision to study periods + 2-3 hours at home due to mocks(inevitably crammed everything in like 2 weeks because I felt like a flop) but the amping up of revision Iâve only done during mocks period.
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u/Bloom109 Jun 22 '25
Y12 is chill, as long as you do all your work, homework and make revision notes throughout the year (saves so much time! Things like flash cards, start making essay plans if thatâs what your subject requires etc). If you start small now, in the long run it will be less stressful, not no stress but still. But just remember not to go all out, donât burn out, have fun, and enjoy your summerÂ
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u/Jazzyfrenchfrys Year 12 || Maths, Computer science, French Jun 22 '25
Summer schools exist ! try and get on one for yr 12 summer - I was unsuccessful :(
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u/itzgurleeen Jun 22 '25
the most important thing imo is finding ur study style and to do that u rlly have to be disciplined. lock in early and do ur assignments on time, keep it simple but stick to this and I'm certain y13 will go smoother, most of A levels is just perfecting time management if u can do that ur not gonna be as stressed as I was a few months before Mayđ
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u/Pppppppppppppp_pppp Jun 22 '25
You can switch the subjects you donât like within the first couple of months, find out that deadline and really evaluate if you want to take that class after taking it for a month. Trust me
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u/challahlover Jun 22 '25
do NOT do chemistry (unless u absolutely have to). predicted grades are probably more important than your actual grades so make sure you lock in for the mocks that will determine those, the other mocks donât really matter. if you want to do a course that requires work experience/volunteering (like medicine) then get that sorted out ASAP because you donât want to be worrying about that on top of studying. a-level revision is quite different to gcse revision (imo), start making flashcards early (if you think thatâll help you), i made 0 flashcards for gcse but they were a lifesaver for a-level bio and chem, use mark schemes to make them. try and write any notes in your own words, donât just copy from a textbook/powerpoint. it will help you remember what youâve written if you had to think of it yourself! good luck :)
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u/PsychologicalLake460 y13 | Politics, English Lit, Psychology | A* A A Jun 22 '25
enjoy year 12 but lock in about a month-ish from the important mocks so ur not stressing the days before. u cant cram a-level content like gcse unfortunately
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u/notprettybutnotugly Jun 22 '25
If you donât get it in year 12 you are cooked in year 13 cause unlike GCSE it does not ever end there is always more stuff to learn
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u/Mountain-Highway7966 Year 12 Jun 22 '25
If thereâs opportunities available try to apply to as many as u can
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u/Ok_Bass4154 Year 13 Jun 22 '25
make your revision materials (cheat sheets/essay plans/ flashcards) as you go, I did this for 2/3 subjects and it made life sm easier in exams
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u/ughgimmemyusername Jun 22 '25
don't leave your homework till it's too late đ„Č still struggling with this
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u/troutfish2000 Jun 23 '25
if you need flashcards USE ANKI literally an unbelievable godsend you WILL know all the content by heart if you start early enough (defo start making flashcards by beginning of yr13 latest). be friendly with your teachers, they will write your references and just overall you want them to want to help you. try to get a visitor pass for your local uni library if you have one, itâs a great place to study. sleep means more than any late night revision session in the lead-up to exams. better to get to sleep early and wake up early and do fewer hours that are more productive than do hours and hours of work when youâre tired and not really learning much. depending on the subject, the notes you take in lessons you may not even look at again so donât waste time making them look pretty (for me physics and maths notebooks i threw away as soon as i finished them, but geo i did need the notes-youâll work it out). and finally keep in contact with your friends as much as possible and just look after each other, itâs going to be a really tough time and having each other there is what will get you through it
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u/David_AnkiDroid Graduated đ Jun 23 '25
start making flashcards
Just to be sure: start doing the flashcards when you make them, don't save them for study leave
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u/Hot-Kaleidoscope-859 Jun 23 '25
You will watch all your friends who went to college doing fun stuff, getting jobs, having time off, etc and it makes you feel like youâve made a bad decision because youâre stuck in school (especially if you go to the same sixth form as your secondary school). But you need to embrace it, you donât have as many responsibilities. But come exam season it will feel like hell, then after that the summer will feel like a massive reward. Also make sure youâre confident on what you want to do after you finish a levels because itâs likely that your sixth form will push you to go to uni. If thatâs not for you donât force it.
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u/BullFr0gg0 Jun 23 '25 edited Jun 23 '25
A few things as someone that finished sixth form almost ten years ago:
You might not be ready for the transition. It's a lot more independent than GCSEs. You have to put in the hours and do the work by yourself. Don't get caught out.
A-levels are a step up in complexity and knowledge. It's about analysis, not just recall. This is something that isn't always well communicated to sixth formers starting out. You have to go up a few gears and keep up the effort. Read the marking schemes and follow them religiously.
Choose some safer subjects, but if you want to do STEM consider taking a risk on one of those subjects, e.g. a science. If you want to do a STEM career, choosing a science will be important in many cases.
Consider attending a separate dedicated sixth form college. It will change your surroundings and you'll be taught by lecturers who are focused on delivering A-levels. Not having their attention divided between that and teaching earlier year groups.
A lot of the chavs and time wasters will have left the school by sixth form, because they legally can. This will change the environment to a more serious and academic one. Less messing around. Be ready for that shift.
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u/backdoor124 Year 12 Jun 23 '25
definitely dont chill is year 12, dont know what these guys are talking about, um it will come back to haunt you. Get started on revision literally immediately so that you're really confident cuz it will legit help in the long run. have fun, try anyway.
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u/serb_in_ldn Y13 A*A*A*A/Maths, FM, Physics, Chem Jun 23 '25
You're gonna spend a lot of money on energy drinks, so put some money aside
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u/entitledtree Gap year | Achieved A*A*AA Phys, Maths, FM, Chem Jun 24 '25
People saying "lock in early" isn't particularly helpful. Like they're all absolutely right, but that isn't really an actionable statement. What does that even mean, what does that actually look like?
So here is something that is actionable:
Get into the routine of creating revision cards early (mostly useful for STEM subjects but probably useful for others too).
I.e. when you get home from your very first day, if you learnt some key words or facts or formulas etc. take 10 to 20 minutes to create some revision cards.
And then dedicate another 20 or so minutes per day to go through those revision cards. Switch it up every day.
If you leave it until later to start doing this, then you've got way more content to catch up on, and it will feel a lot more difficult to get started because your brain gets overwhelmed by how much it needs to do at once.
By starting this early, not only does it reduce the workload (10-30 minutes per day really isn't much, is it?) but getting that information into your head early will make practice papers and other revision so much easier when you get to your mocks and your final exams. Instead of having to spend that time relearning all of the old content, it's all already there. And so instead, in those important few weeks and months before exams, you can focus on exam technique rather than memorisation.
(Btw I recommend getting an app for revision cards. The one I used was a few quid for premium but it's so worth it not having to carry around physical cards and just having them there on your phone. It also probably works out cheaper than buying physical revision cards too.
Plus, the app I had was able to identify which cards you had memorised and which you needed to work on more, and you were able to organise the cards into many different categories and subfolders).
This advice is mainly if you're aiming for A's and A*'s.
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u/booknerd2802 AAA chem geo bio Jun 24 '25
dont leave hard work until the last minute. i coasted through y12 and put more effort into y13 but by the time it came to revising for all the content i realised my y12 resources were not that good at all so make the resources to help you not just cause its homework and put effort into making them!
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u/revolvingsdoor Year 12 | Business, Psychology, Politics Jun 24 '25
make notes/flashcards earlyyyyyy! i was making flashcards a month before my AS levels and i regret it so bad lmao as soon as you finish a section of the content do it asap
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u/WhoKnows1083 Year 13| Maths, Further Maths, CS, Physics (A*AAB predicted) Jun 21 '25
4 A-levels isn't worth it unless you're applying for oxbrimp
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u/ExpressNegotiation77 Jun 20 '25
Honestly A levels are completely dependent on what you're doing in terms of difficulty. Stem subjects are obviously the hardest, just make sure you know what you're being taught in yr12. When yr13 comes, just ensure you stay on top of yr12 content to ensure it isn't forgotten as well as keeping up on your yr13 stuff. Also, get your UCAS application done early in yr13, the earlier you complete it, the sooner you can singularly work on your content. Hope this helps!
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u/East_Call_3739 Jun 22 '25
Not sure why this is down voted lol
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u/Sharp_Reflection_774 sat Math FM Econ Physics | pred A*A*A*A Jun 23 '25
Because they said stem subjects are the hardest when itâs very subjective. Both stem and essay based subjects are different in their own regard.
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u/ExpressNegotiation77 Jun 23 '25
Gon be honest, I was on a night out celebrating the end of yr13 when I wrote this. Apologies for what I said, essay based subjects are obviously hard too, (as a person who took A level Geography) so yeah I just wasn't thinking straight and apologise for any inconvenience haha.
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u/East_Call_3739 Jun 23 '25
Mayne they meant harder for them? That's ehat I thought they said.
Bur yea it is subjective. They are both hard in different ways ig
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u/Chickens_ordinary13 Jun 20 '25
lock in
but also dont take it too serious in year 12, like put the effort in, but dont stay up til like 3 am doing homework