How I got an A* in A Level Biology. (the struggle) || Revision Tips, Resources and Advice!
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- Опубліковано 13 тра 2019
- A Level Biology. Wow, what an experience...
I hope you enjoy this video with tips and advice on how I somehow got an A* in A level biology (AQA!) in the UK. From revision techniques, to recommended resources, I hope you gain something! Because that mark scheme is evil.
If you feel like you're struggling, KEEP GOING! You've got this!! If you feel like there's too much content, break it down. Divide it over your time. You honestly can do it. Just keep consolidating, blurting, doing past paper Qs and most of all, not giving up. :)
Video on Blurting: • New Revision Technique...
Video on Object Association: • New Revision Technique...
: • The Revision Technique...
Helpful synoptic essays book: amzn.to/2HgbNWD
A Level Biology practical book: amzn.to/2WABqYN
Biology Carol: (my old biology teacher!!) / @biologycarol
Tailored Tutors: / @tailoredtutors
Biology isn’t even hard it’s just there’s SO MUCH CONTENT and the mark schemes are soooo specific
100% agree with you!
Biological molecules I hate
@@typhoon3s943 no like the concepts is not difficult to understand, if you don't get it at first it does not take a lot of time to eventually understand, but it's hard in the way in that there are many topics to remember
I agree😞
That's literally what makes it hard
fancy doing a “how to learn the whole Alevel biology syllabus in a week” video?
asking for a friend
Ellie Phillips omg I wanna know too😭😭💔
Yes please🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
idk the differences in curriculum, but for the American version there is a video called "1 year of AP biology in 43 minutes" which is exactly what the title implies. It's meant for identifying what you do and don't know 😂it's way too fast paced to actually absorb much
MOOD
Seems your friend has some trouble hahahaha
So basically...
1. *Print out specification*
- tick off things you know already
- focus on problem areas
- ASK YOUR TEACHER to explain things you don’t understand
2. *Make Flashcards*
- condense notes into summarised ones
3. *‘Blurting’ (regurgitating) out notes*
- make a MindMap
- write down everything you know on an area
- complete your fact-‘blurt’ to a textbook
- associate facts with objects and diagram to help memorise things
- watch online Videos (e.g. Tailored Tutors, Biology Carol)
4. *PAST PAPER QUESTIONS.*
- whether it’s the old or new spec
- do questions from back of textbook
- analyse why you lost the marks
- reword markscheme answers into notes
- be specific
5. *Synoptic Essay*
- get your teacher to choose random topics
- plan random essays in under 5 mins
- show everything you know
- get teacher to mark it
- make sure to go in depth and have a wide range of ideas
- you will need information which isn’t in the spec to help you
- pay attention to the question, if it’s to ‘compare’ you must do that
- book: AQA Synoptic Essays
- magazine: Biology Science Review
6. *Last-minute CRAM sheet*
- prepare a piece of paper to go over the exam
- don’t cram everything on the day, just calmly look over
*GOOD LUCK EVERYONE*
Thanks I was just saying to myself: right let's watch that again because i forgot everything she just said 😂
Omg thank you
I love people like you, tysm
does it apply to singapore a lvl bio as well
THANK YOU
Guys if it's a compare question, use "er" words. E.g. fastER. The mark scheme is so harsh on this. They won't accept you saying that one thing is just fast.
Woahh.. Thank you... I din notice that 🙌
isn’t that common sense lol
You would think but people miss this in the moment because it’s not something they know to do
Thanks
Same for chem
Whenever you see compare, use ER, ER and ER!
Whenever you see "conpare and contrast", don't forget the similarities!
"If you don't know what A levels are...lucky you." 😂 I died.
😂😂😂 ikr
"Biology is tough, but YOU ARE tougher!" I love that!! Going into tomorrow's A&P exam confident, and reminding myself not to stress over it! Thank you so much for this, Jade!
how'd it go?
Please borrow me your confidence I need to use it for my exam tomorrow 😭😂😂
these techniques helped me progress from getting a C in my mock in February to an A* in my actual exam, thank you so much!
Tilly Lilly Damn. What textbook did you use to revise from?
the cgp textbooks were amazing but it’s all in the past paper questions because similar questions come up every single year
Tilly Lilly How similar? Also, are you referring to the CGP revision guides, or the (thicker) CGP textbooks?
sorry! i found the revision guides were the best because they were more concise and exactly what you needed to know
Tilly Lilly I don’t see how they would have gone into enough detail to have been able to achieve an A* from them though?
*crying internally* and my exams aren’t even until next year
well looks like you dont have to do exams
@@leanneelias1412 It's all online now :)
hahaha. what exams
Yxng Ezrah good one 😂😂
Its 2021 what you doing now
Hi, last October November session I got 115/130 in biology AS and here are my tips:-
1- make notes on the markscheme
2- Memorize specific processes from the markscheme (respiration or DNA replication)
3- solve 10 years worth of pastpapers for example from 2010 till now
4- each time you study a topic solve a question on that topic to solidify your info on it
5- memorize markschemes for paper 3 the practical as some things can be repeated again and again
6- keep doing active recall so not to forget all the info you memorizing
But the most important tip is the markschemes so focus on them. Hope this helps guys :))
Wow, congrats! I’m about to go into year 12 and I picked biology. I want to stay on top of the game from the beginning since I don’t want a repeat of lockdowns (which have flunked my GCSE grades). I just wanted to ask - are there actually repetitions of questions in each paper? Or are they worded differently?
Hey, do you think flashcards are a waste of time at A-Level, should I focus more on practice questions? :)
@@naominwokeji980 I used flash cards for markscheme answers especially for biology, other topics might not need it
hi what websites will u recommend ?
@@m03z94 save my exams revesion notes are really detailed and helpful
Who else liked the vid as soon as they clicked on it?
🤧🤧 the kind of support you need in your life
@@UnJadedJade how do u stay on top of everything without messing up ur mental health?
Biology Exam Ocr Combined, Like = hard, Comment = easy
gateway or 21st century ocr
Well I liked but I think it's just like ehh it's normal but it's hard and sometimes easy SOO yeah
Hr
Love this. Can you also do a video for a level chemistry or maths?
Maths pleaseeeee 😭❤️
And GCSE maths and triple sciences PLeASE 🥰!
Definitely!!! Chemistry and maths!! 😬😬
In no way am I saying maths is an easy subject, but it's much easier to revise than other subjects like biology - I'm sure you've heard this a load of times before, but just keep practicing questions. Do as many past paper/practice questions as you can, and once you've done that... do more! Of course, if you're unable to answer the question due to a lack of content knowledge then look it up in the textbook, however the secret is to do hundreds of questions. Maths is more of a skill you need to develop rather than remembering information, which is why I love it so much. Hope this helps!
@@benh7870 ur fat
Whenever i listen to Jade i swear my brain grows.
Pls do one for A* in A Level Chemistry!!!!! :') help a girl out
Yessss
A* is chemistry is not difficult at all! You just have to know what to learn by heart and what to understand conceptually. Summary sheets helped me a lot specially in organic 😅
Lottie S Benzene rings
@@saaniasalahuddin9270 whats a summary sheet
@@saaniasalahuddin9270 Biology isn’t either :)
I find A Level resources really hard to find compared to GCSEs and find the revision techniques required are so different. Thank you so much for this video, I'm only a first year biology student, but with exams coming up, this is really helpful and has provided me with the much needed motivation to believe in myself. Thank you 🍃🌿
1. Print yo specs
->check and colorcode the spec
2. REVISION TECHNIQUES:
-Flashcards: summarise, specific wording, diagrams, questions
-Blurting: write anything u rmb abt a chapter actively without notes
-Object association
3. Online resources
4. Past papers
->analyse the papers ANY PAPERS
->combined your mark scheme to your notes
5. Synoptic papers
->timing
->planning
6. Learn things outside from syllabus
7.Be SPECIFIC on mark scheme wordings
8. Pay attention to keywords in question
9. Consolidate chapters
10. Do Practical
GOOD LUCK DOODSSSS ;333
Mmm, isn’t this the same with avenue a level that you study lol
where can you find the specifications?
@@jadevermeulen7027 search up for example 'ocr alevel biology specification' then you should be able to download it :) or you can just go onto your exam boards website and it should be on there
05:40- Biggest point for me. Always check why are you losing the marks! There will be themes so always check the mark scheme and analyse. Is it the type of questions (Apply / Evaluate / Describe)? Is it your knowledge base earlier in the year? Is it the 6 markers? Is it practicals? Knowing this will give you the insights you need to fix and track
Jade! You are so inspirational! I found your channel by chance one day and ever since then I've really loved your positive and realistic attitude!
I'm really happy for you! Oxford must be regretting turning away such an amazing and unique individual
1. Print out specification
- tick off things you know already
- focus on problem areas
- ASK YOUR TEACHER to explain things you don’t understand
2. Make Flashcards
- condense notes into summarised ones
3. ‘Blurting’ (regurgitating) out notes
- make a MindMap
- write down everything you know on an area
- complete your fact-‘blurt’ to a textbook
- associate facts with objects and diagram to help memorise things
- watch online Videos (e.g. Tailored Tutors, Biology Carol)
4. PAST PAPER QUESTIONS.
- whether it’s the old or new spec
- do questions from back of textbook
- analyse why you lost the marks
- reword markscheme answers into notes
- be specific
5. Synoptic Essay
- get your teacher to choose random topics
- plan random essays in under 5 mins
- show everything you know
- get teacher to mark it
- make sure to go in depth and have a wide range of ideas
- you will need information which isn’t in the spec to help you
- pay attention to the question, if it’s to ‘compare’ you must do that
- book: AQA Synoptic Essays
- magazine: Biology Science Review
6. Last-minute CRAM sheet
- prepare a piece of paper to go over the exam
- don’t cram everything on the day, just calmly look over
Hey! I have a UA-cam channel dedicated to explaining GCSE/A level biology topics that you may find useful as well as general study tips! Hope this helps 😊💗
@@gracepountney Thank you!
@@hannahhamad1988 No problem! 😁
Can someone explain what is specifications 😭😭
This was so useful, your blurting technique is the reason i’m doing so well in essays and answering questions ❤️❤️❤️
Just had my Biology exam today, you have been a massive inspiration, thank you for everything you do Jade ❤
I’m in year 12 and have been struggling with biology since I started. This vid was so so useful thank you so much Jade!!🧡🧡🧡
its been 2 years, how did it go?
I LOVE YOU!
thank you for uploading this video and putting this effort. Thank you Jade.
May you and your family live a happy, long, healthy and successful life.
I'm grateful and will use this knowledge to my benefit.
I loved how sincere and detailed you were!!!! REALLY HELPFUL! thank you very much!
My biggest tip is to remember that although there is a lot of content, recall is only like 30% of the A level, and the recall questions tend to be the easier (C grade level) ones. So while it's good to learn all the facts, it's more important to understand everything properly
Aww this is the motivation we all needed!! Thanks Jade! I was stressing but I just love that last bit you said ‘Biology’s tough, but YOU’RE tougher’ 💪🏽 💪🏽 💪🏽
You did it again Jade. Thank you sooo much. I guess i always did that 'blurting' technique, but never knew it was called that.
This is SO helpful, one of the most helpful videos on Biology A-Level I've watched, thank you so much!! X
I'm sitting my official A level biology next year thanks for these tips❤❤
I guess you won’t have to anymore now 😂
I still do in October✌🏼
OMG Jade you just read my mind. Although I don't do A levels, I'm starting 12th grade doing biology and I was literally clueless about where to start and how to study it. My syllabus is similar to this. So thank you very much!!♥️♥️
I am so happy for you Jade. You have worked so hard in your school and gcse. But I feel that Minerva is the best for you. You can travel, blog and vlog and do whatever you really like. I am so happy I saw your journey. You are one of the realest UA-camr around. ❤️😊
Anyone else not do biology but just wanted to watch an unjaded jade vid?
Yep!
Yep (:
Yii
Im not even in the uk. I dont understand what gcses or a stars are. But i watch every video
Waiting for chemistry one here
Im doing my A level biology in Nov( im frm singapore) and you really helped me get a D grade from a U grade last year!! Now im working to get a B atleast for my semester exams! This video actually made me more motivated to do better thank you so much Jade!!!
Hey! I have a UA-cam channel dedicated to explaining GCSE/A level biology topics that you may find useful as well as general study tips! Hope this helps 😊💗
Heyyy how u do that ?😭 I’m doing so bad my exams are next mouth 👄
Blurting!! Its a really good active recall method and its better than blatantly memorising cos it tests what u know and don’t know then after doing that do lots of practice papers to apply the knowledge you have learnt!! And if you don’t und any process, watch youtube videos!! The amoeba sisters channel really helped me with understanding processes :) GOOD LUCK!!
@@sivvanikrish1737 yesss amoeba sisters is one of the best biology channels out there, I love it sm
I did my A level bio last year, getting an A*. My top tip is transferring past paper questions onto flashcards, with the opposite side of the card having all the available marking points on it. Then you can write full answers for each card or just learn off the marking points. When you are answering the questions, see the number of marks, and make that many points plus a few extra in your answer. Even if what you are saying is correct, if it is not explicitly stated on the mark scheme you will not get the marks. I did this for two exams and I got 100% of the marks for both of them, so it REALLY works.
THANKYOU SO MUCH THANKYOU FOR BEING SO GENUINE AND SPECIFIC IN ALL YOUR ADVICE!!
you’re so ADORABLE!!! i’m supposed to be doing biology for a levels next year (did paper 1 bio gcse today) and this helped a lot. i’m kinda scared but excited too. you should make a video for a level chem and maths too
How can you be so amazing? You're such a beauty, soo smart and have amazing videos... I love you channel so much
Me tooo ❤❤
Just what I needed for my first A level Biology exams next week! Thank you Jade😌😌✨
There are so many people online trying to tell us how they got A*s but she takes the gold, she really talks to us and her advise is GOLDEN, you deserve all the doors that will be opened for your hardwork❤
Biology is so much to think about. I always have to remind myself to slow down and really think about what the question wants. And on top of all the biological knowledge you have to know about how to deal with the questions. 6 weeks and then I’ve finished my exams, 2 weeks till my first exam eek 😬. I think I’m quite excited though, to just give it my all and show myself what all the effort I’ve put in can do because trying to reassure myself now that it’s enough isn’t the same as knowing it was and moving on.
I honestly needed this so much! My biology AS level exams are next week, and I’m so happy you uploaded this, thank you so much for the help and advice jade! x
Why are you doing the AS exam?
John Mkoth our AS exam is compulsory, it doesn’t go towards a final grade, but I guess it’s too see where we are at, and to get more used to the exam setting and what the paper will be like next year.
Omg what a babes! Doing my AS aqa biology exams next week and your advice is so accurate especially regarding mark schemes! Loved this video ❤️
Kate Wigglesworth omg what day is yours
😂😂😂wigglesworth
Thankyou so much jade! I am really struggling with the mark scheme for bio at the moment-I think that this video will help me do better!
So useful Jade! I have my AS biology exams next Tuesday and Friday so couldn’t be better timed!!! Back to the past papers I go.... wish me luck !!
Ugh so I took my biology A level exam that I’ve been revising for since February yesterday and I’m still crying over it tbh. The thing about biology exams in Germany is that they never specifically ask us about stuff, they always give us an example and we kinda have to create our own theories on how the described example is working using the content that we were taught. Half of the time the examples are some scientific mysteries or just stuff we’ve never heard of before. The thing is you never exactly know which elements of your knowledge you have to use. Anyways I found it super hard like it was ridiculously difficult to understand what they want from me. I want to study biology at uni as well, I don’t think I’ve ever put more work into a school subject than I do for biology and now I feel like it’s all worthless. Just had to rant bc I’m so upset over this. Thanks.
hope ur ok
I’m deciding to take online A level biology and your video has influenced me to peruse into it, thank you very much for the advise. I found this video very helpful
How did you do?... :)
Srsly this is amazing *-* specially the MARCKS technique 🧡🧡 thank you jade
HUGE FAN OF YOUR CHANNEL!! I happen to have a Biology mock paper coming up this Friday so this would really really help me a lot!!!!🙌🙌🤩🙏
Thank you for this! I'm a huge fan of your blurting technique ;)
BiologyCarol is saving my a level! Thank you!!
This is really useful, thanks so much for making this video!
queen always helping us outttt xx
Massive help, I've been stuck all year with biology and have really struggled with it. In GCSE I got a 6,6 at combined science and the teachers we had we absolutely the best I've ever had. However for A-level we have been so poorly teached all through yr12 and its only just starting to get better now in yr13. I'm yet to get an E grade, but I desperately want a C for the sake of my university degree. These exam tips have been extremely helpful and will definitely refer back to them every time I get stuck. Honestly such a massive help, that someone can provide such support, at a time of such stress
Hii! I see that this is 2 years ago and I'm in a similar boat to you. If you don't mind me asking, how did you do? Hope everything went well for you.
Just what I need, yayy🤩!! Watching this and then revising for tomorrow’s anatomy and physiology exam on the integumentary system, respiratory system, lymphatic system AND cardiovascular system!🤯😬
Daniel I see you in every video ( no offense ) I
Thankyou so much I haven’t started my a levels yet but I care to your videos for an insight on what to look for and it just made me know I have to work hard from day one so thankyou for that x
Thank you so much for giving us helpful ideas for revision techniques
Yeah I did sit here and watch the whole video despite not doing a level biology... a great video nonetheless! Please do a version of this for maths ASAP Jade xx
This was so useful Jade! I've just sent it to my bio class gc bc we do AQA and we're suffering but loving it too. Bio is hard and very long but the content is so rewarding and interesting.
You're amazing Jade!
This was such an amazing video I have been so stressed out with biology but this has given me a bit of hope 😁x
Amazing! Sound advice! Now I just need my A Grade! 🤞🏼🤞🏼🤞🏼
Really need a biology, chemistry and maths A* guide.
Yaaas ❤️ we stan a helpful queen. Thank you.
Thank you so much for this Jade.Love youu!!!
This is so helpful for my exams coming up thank You!
Please may I request English A* advice video !💕💕💕
Dominic Phillip yessss.
she has an old one: ua-cam.com/video/v0GcHutdI5Y/v-deo.html idk if this is the kinda thing you're looking for 😊 also jack edwards has an A* english lit for a level if that's more relevant 🌠
You’re so right about the exam. Almost every question is trying to “nudge” you towards a specific part of the specification. Well... apart from those darn “suggest” questions...
This was so helpful! Thanks so much for making it. I've been revising Biology and Geography for my year 12 exams by going over the text book and writing flashcards but honestly I have no idea if it's going in so these tips were really helpful!
Hey! I have a UA-cam channel dedicated to explaining GCSE/A level biology topics that you may find useful as well as general study tips! I also took a level geography! Hope this helps 😊💗
Thank you Jade for the TIPS. Really helpful.
blurting technique has saved my life in anatomy and physiology, i wish i would have had it in AP biology last year.
Do you read my thoughts I was preparing to revise biology and aaah jade uploads how I got A* in a level biology
Thanks xxx ❤❤❤
Always in time!!!
you're honestly the best
Jade that was the wake up call I needed. Thx so much
Doing Edexcel B - i find that figuring out what the question actually is asking is the hardest part + THAT DEADLY MARK SCHEME!
Hey! I have a UA-cam channel dedicated to explaining GCSE/A level biology topics that you may find useful as well as general study tips! Hope this helps 😊💗
These are literally scientifically proven effective studying techniques and Jade called it 'blurting' she's so cute skjfnjkfnkjenfe. I recognized it from a doctors studying tips so yeah-super effective xx
Omg I needed this so much! Thank youuuu x
Thank you, Jade. Stay blessed
Blurting makes me so anxious. Its overwhelming and i psych myself out thinking i won't know anything and the page will still be blank after
first a level bio exam in 22 days and actually shitting it i dont think I have my exam technique down lol
Hey, how did it go?
I had a LOAD of friends who did biology and they said it was SUPER hard! Some A-Levels are just inherently difficult in terms of the content you need to get your head around. The level of work you're talking about reminds me of A-Level History :O *i'm not doing a history degree*
I just started year 12 a few weeks ago so these videos have really been helpful 🥰
ha love how I'm not revising for my GCSE exams but feel the need to look at a-level videos
What a mood 😂
Here are some tips I got from my As bio Cambridge teacher
-Use SCIENTIFIC TERMS(just put a lot from the chapter)😂
-Compare. As she said explain the 2
-describe:use figures and increasing and decreasing from graphs or charts or whatever(statistics)(explain graph)
-explain:pretty much what you've learned and factual info
P.s: my exam is m/j 2021 and I'm an IGCSE student
AFFFF, a huge thanks to you, Jade! I'm doing my biology AS exam next week. On 21 paper1 and on 24 paper2. WJEC just wants me to die, honestly. But anyways this video was so helpful and informative. SENDING LOTS OF LOVE X
Wow! I've never been helped so much. Thank you so much
although a lot of your videos certainly target more European audiences i still use many of your tips for many things as an american student so thank you SO much i love your channel Jade you are awesome and such a role model for me
I'd say it targets mostly British audiences.
In the rest of Europe we do something totally different from what British students do.
We do baccalaureate which is a range of subjects. British people only do 3 subjects during highschool.
I tell you this as a Romanian who grew up in Spain and is doing A-levels in England.
What British do is veeerrryyy different.
My quiz is on Monday so please pray for me . I am going to update you guys on what I am going to do.
1-I started by reading everything in the chapter
2- i summarised allittle bit of things
And made some flash cards for some meanings
3- took a break
4- completes explaining to myself in front of the mirror
5-revise past papers and some notes using math physics tutor website
I really recommend
6-yup I guess I am going to keep revising more and more I hope I do good
~ Wait for it ~
Great video! Thanks so much.
yas yas yas, been waiting for this all dayyyy❤️
Good luck with everything!! 🦋
Your video made me motivated to study.....
A level biology is the bane of my life!!!!
Me too
@@mr-vj2yy Hey! I have a UA-cam channel dedicated to explaining GCSE/A level biology topics that you may find useful as well as general study tips! Hope this helps 😊💗
You're amazing and soooo talented, you give the best tips truly. God Bless you truly, you're so pretty btw xx
I found this really helpful, thankyou!!
This is just making me regret picking a level biology even more 😭😭
Hey! I have a UA-cam channel dedicated to explaining GCSE/A level biology topics that you may find useful as well as general study tips! Hope this helps 😊💗
‘It came to like Easter, and I didn’t know that’ meanwhile I am only staring Biology for an exam NEXT Thursday when I haven’t started any C3 for an exam THIS Thursday!
P F heyya, I know GCSEs are tough and it may seem like you really don't have time now to revise but still try doing as much as you--- don't bother too much on learning content anymore, just (like Jade said) do past papers-- do as many as you can and you'll realise you do no more than you may think
thanks for this Jade it was super useful!
Love you Jade! Thank you very much. A-level exams start soon
I’m starting 6.1 in September and have chosen biology as one of my three subjects... I’ve literally been watching your sixth form videos for days and they help soooo much...(I’ll be doing AQA too I think)...sometimes I struggle with concentration and that stuff at school but watching your channel has actually made me look forward to start sixth form 😂
Thank youuuu x
Hey! I have a UA-cam channel dedicated to explaining GCSE/A level biology topics that you may find useful as well as general study tips! Hope this helps 😊💗
Can you do one with maths please💕✨
Ahh that blurting strategy is such a good idea! Using that from now on :)
So helpful. Thank you for sharing your experience