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AsSalamoAlaikum Wr Wb!
After completing my A’levels, I am well aware how everyone says and feels that getting A* is a very difficult job. Alhumdulilah, I was able to achieve a very good result because of Allah’s mercy, prayers from everyone and encouragement & help by my parents and teachers.
Of course, everyone desires to get A*s, but it’s not everyone who understands how to carry on or someone who gets guidance and help on time. Insha’Allah, I’d try to share my experience which might be of help to others.
Now, to start with, I’d like to mention it’s not only studying all the time which would help you move on. There are a couple of other things which we tend to ignore. Firstly, understand the purpose of life. Allah has created us, and we must follow Our Creator. [Nothing is possible but by Allah’s will.] So make sure you are regular in your prayers [Salah]. I’ve seen many people, who leave their Salah for the sole reason that they’re too busy with their studies that they think, if they get up for Salah, their time would be wasted. No, definitely not. If your Lord, your Creator is not happy with you, what’s the purpose of living and how can ‘YOU’ feel happy then? “Which of the favours of your Lord shall you deny?” (Al-Quran) Allah has gifted us with so many blessings, and can’t we just do these little things for Him? Think again. Wake up early in the morning, at the time of Fajr and then recite a small portion of the Quran. And then start with your work.
Now, the next thing is your character and behaviour towards others. You might think this, in no way, plays a role in your success. Trust me, it does. Respect your parents and teachers. It seems very easy, but if we analyze ourselves, we might find we don’t really do this. Mimicking teachers, talking ill about others, not obeying your parents or even teachers, and the list goes on. We should really try avoiding these things. In the beginning, it might be difficult, but Insha’Allah with time you won’t find it hard at all. No matter how bad the teacher is, respect him/ her. Based on my personal experience, I’m saying this. You respect the teacher and you’ll see how Allah helps you. Another thing, don’t feel bad doing some work for your parents, teachers or siblings. Do it, if they ask you for help, for the sake of Allah, surely Allah will reward you for that, in this world as well as the next. Insha’Allah.
Now, you are regular in your Salah (Alhumdulilah) and you are trying to respect others. After discussing these small things which we all think of as unimportant, I’ll move on and discuss how to study and manage your work. The first thing is, be regular to school. Please do not miss any class whatsoever. I’ve been very regular to school, and except when it was completely impossible for me to attend school, I never took a single day off. Even if the whole class plans to take off but the teachers said they’re going to take the class, I’d be there for the class. Try to prepare for all the tests taken in your school/tuitions/academies. Even if I say, study on daily basis like revise what’s done in school, only a few would be able to do so. It’s good if you can do so.
Do your homeworks regularly and avoid copying from friends. If you do so, you’ll risk your own grades, not the teacher’s! And divide days for each subject, and try doing what has been done in it since you last revised that. On weekends, you can do two subjects per day (or even more if you can), and review all what was done throughout the week.
Once you’re done with the full chapter, try solving questions from the past papers. After trying them yourself, refer mark schemes and examiner reports. Furthermore, make short notes, chapter-wise, based on the past paper questions. I’d show you a few I made (though, due to shortage of time, I couldn’t do much). This really helps a lot for last-minute revision. In these short notes, you may even add those points which you think you might forget.
[Here's the link to the ones I made: My notes for Biology and Physics A2]
For maths, regular practice is needed. As for me, after the chapter has been explained, I’d do all the questions in the past papers from that chapter. Again, for this do it yourself, rather than looking up the mark schemes. Solve question from other sources. That helped me a lot. Once I was done with all the chapters, I solved all the papers yearly.
To conclude, keep making dua’a and salah. Studying only, is just not enough. Make sure that your Lord is happy with you!
Pray for me and others. And another thing, I forgot to mention, be helpful to your friends. I’ve seen people who don’t like to help others just because they don’t want them to get better grades than him/her. Don’t do this. Based on my personal experience, I’ve seen the topics which I explained to my friends are the ones which I best understand. That’s the best way to get things to your head.
Ya Allah help us all and grant us success in this world as well as the HereAfter. Aameen.
After completing my A’levels, I am well aware how everyone says and feels that getting A* is a very difficult job. Alhumdulilah, I was able to achieve a very good result because of Allah’s mercy, prayers from everyone and encouragement & help by my parents and teachers.
Of course, everyone desires to get A*s, but it’s not everyone who understands how to carry on or someone who gets guidance and help on time. Insha’Allah, I’d try to share my experience which might be of help to others.
Now, to start with, I’d like to mention it’s not only studying all the time which would help you move on. There are a couple of other things which we tend to ignore. Firstly, understand the purpose of life. Allah has created us, and we must follow Our Creator. [Nothing is possible but by Allah’s will.] So make sure you are regular in your prayers [Salah]. I’ve seen many people, who leave their Salah for the sole reason that they’re too busy with their studies that they think, if they get up for Salah, their time would be wasted. No, definitely not. If your Lord, your Creator is not happy with you, what’s the purpose of living and how can ‘YOU’ feel happy then? “Which of the favours of your Lord shall you deny?” (Al-Quran) Allah has gifted us with so many blessings, and can’t we just do these little things for Him? Think again. Wake up early in the morning, at the time of Fajr and then recite a small portion of the Quran. And then start with your work.
<So we now know, the first important thing is the Salah.>
Now, the next thing is your character and behaviour towards others. You might think this, in no way, plays a role in your success. Trust me, it does. Respect your parents and teachers. It seems very easy, but if we analyze ourselves, we might find we don’t really do this. Mimicking teachers, talking ill about others, not obeying your parents or even teachers, and the list goes on. We should really try avoiding these things. In the beginning, it might be difficult, but Insha’Allah with time you won’t find it hard at all. No matter how bad the teacher is, respect him/ her. Based on my personal experience, I’m saying this. You respect the teacher and you’ll see how Allah helps you. Another thing, don’t feel bad doing some work for your parents, teachers or siblings. Do it, if they ask you for help, for the sake of Allah, surely Allah will reward you for that, in this world as well as the next. Insha’Allah.
<So the next important thing, respect others.>
Now, you are regular in your Salah (Alhumdulilah) and you are trying to respect others. After discussing these small things which we all think of as unimportant, I’ll move on and discuss how to study and manage your work. The first thing is, be regular to school. Please do not miss any class whatsoever. I’ve been very regular to school, and except when it was completely impossible for me to attend school, I never took a single day off. Even if the whole class plans to take off but the teachers said they’re going to take the class, I’d be there for the class. Try to prepare for all the tests taken in your school/tuitions/academies. Even if I say, study on daily basis like revise what’s done in school, only a few would be able to do so. It’s good if you can do so.
Do your homeworks regularly and avoid copying from friends. If you do so, you’ll risk your own grades, not the teacher’s! And divide days for each subject, and try doing what has been done in it since you last revised that. On weekends, you can do two subjects per day (or even more if you can), and review all what was done throughout the week.
Once you’re done with the full chapter, try solving questions from the past papers. After trying them yourself, refer mark schemes and examiner reports. Furthermore, make short notes, chapter-wise, based on the past paper questions. I’d show you a few I made (though, due to shortage of time, I couldn’t do much). This really helps a lot for last-minute revision. In these short notes, you may even add those points which you think you might forget.
[Here's the link to the ones I made: My notes for Biology and Physics A2]
For maths, regular practice is needed. As for me, after the chapter has been explained, I’d do all the questions in the past papers from that chapter. Again, for this do it yourself, rather than looking up the mark schemes. Solve question from other sources. That helped me a lot. Once I was done with all the chapters, I solved all the papers yearly.
To conclude, keep making dua’a and salah. Studying only, is just not enough. Make sure that your Lord is happy with you!
Pray for me and others. And another thing, I forgot to mention, be helpful to your friends. I’ve seen people who don’t like to help others just because they don’t want them to get better grades than him/her. Don’t do this. Based on my personal experience, I’ve seen the topics which I explained to my friends are the ones which I best understand. That’s the best way to get things to your head.
Ya Allah help us all and grant us success in this world as well as the HereAfter. Aameen.
