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Higher education

Talk to other parents whose children are preparing for university on our Higher Education forum.

Original poster

A-level revision... How much is enough?

44 replies

Katkat50 · 29/05/2015 14:44

My son seems to be working hard, but how much is the average??
He is doing biology, maths and physics, with a few resits from AS too. I'd say, he works about 5 hours a day, but he is quite laid back. He thinks he is doing loads, I'm not convinced!! Am I being fair?
Btw, his study day typically starts at 9, works for an hour, half hour break etc. he usually goes to the gym late afternoon and maybe another session in the evening.
He does one night working in a bar at the weekend, plays cricket(groan) and sees his girlfriend!!
Thank you, from a curious mum!
Katkat

OP posts:
Northernlurker · 29/05/2015 14:45

That sounds fine to me. Great that he's relaxing too. He's 18. you need to trust him to take responsibility for himself and his future success.

Original poster
Katkat50 · 29/05/2015 14:45

He needs AAA to get to Durham and should be capable, but not guaranteed!

OP posts:
Lolimax · 29/05/2015 14:48

Hi. It's joyful isn't it? My DD is about to sit biol, law and psych plus a biol AS resit. She's doing about 6 hours a day 6 days a week. No job, sees her boyfriend at the weekend. Aiming for A,A,C. Good luck! X

Kez100 · 29/05/2015 17:19

Why cricket (groan)? Poor guy! Sport is an excellent stress reliever.

Studying at a high level is more about quality of time spent than amount of time and the amount of quality time you can reasonably spend depends on the person and their ability and passion for the subject.

mintsofthenorth · 29/05/2015 17:46

First post for me my ds is doing maths spanish and economics. He too thinks he is working hard I am not so certain. Currently he is sitting in front of his ccomputer for approx 6 hours a day. He is playing cricket once a week so I share your groan.

Original poster
Katkat50 · 29/05/2015 17:49

Only because of the time.... when you live in n ireland and most away games mean being away from 10-11am till 6pm, sometimes later, there needs to be a balance! He has knocked club cricket on the head till his exams are over, so now it's just school matches, which is still a big commitment.
I totally agree that sport is beneficial - he also plays football and goes to the gym, so I'm all for a good mix.

OP posts:
TheFairyCaravan · 29/05/2015 17:54

DS2 is doing around 8-9 hours a day, with Sundays off for work. He's being working like a dog since before Easter. I'm worried he's going to burn out.

He needs BBB for UEA.

Original poster
Katkat50 · 29/05/2015 18:04

Fairy, that sounds like loads, but that's why I'm curious AS to how much is about right.

DS failed to get his predictions last year by quite a bit, so he really is working so much harder this year. I think boys in particular fail to grasp how much more difficult the AS exams are compared to GCSEs.
Fingers crossed x

OP posts:
TheFairyCaravan · 29/05/2015 18:12

Sometimes he's not stopping until 10pm, kat. He's starting between 9 and 10am. He won't go out with his friends either. DS1 is in the army and came home last weekend. He asked DS2 to go to the gym and it took a lot of persuaion for him to go. DS1 got AAB but didn't work as hard as this.

I shall be glad when it's all over. It is such a stressful time.

hellsbells99 · 29/05/2015 19:24

DD is probably doing 7 or 8 hours most days. She is still seeing her boyfriend and friends occasionally but they sit and revise together, and then watch a film or go out later on. She is only doing a couple of hours paid work a week at the moment.

Original poster
Katkat50 · 29/05/2015 19:56

Fairy, it does seem like DS2 has huge workload expectations. Can he be persuded to take an hour or two off in the afternoon? My DS did 6 hours today, and he thinks that he has had a great day - and I agree for once!
x

OP posts:
MrsBartlet · 29/05/2015 21:07

Dd has been doing 8 hours a day. She had a panic yesterday about how much she still has to cover and so she worked from 8-8 today with about an hour off. We just watched some tv together and she was going to go and do more but I have given her some wine instead and told her to relax. However, she is sitting looking at notes on her phone. She needs A*AA for Cambridge.

Molio · 29/05/2015 22:32

Katkat that sounds fine but everyone is different although on the whole I'd say (three girls and three boys so far through or in the midst of A2s) that boys do less than girls.

Fairy I really feel for your DS - it sounds as though he's putting immense pressure on himself. But then he might be more stressed if he worked less. At least there's not long to go. He'll need a very, very good rest.

serin · 30/05/2015 13:19

I don't know, it varies!! Some days 10 hours and some days none.

She just gets on with things her own way and always has. She has found A levels so much easier to focus on than the 14 GCSE's that school made her sit. Two years ago she was virtually on the verge of a breakdown through school flogging her to do ever better.

She's doing ok, she is on course for A*AA and has an unconditional for Bangor of all places, having turned down UEA and Exeter, in place of the chance to continue with her harp, learn Welsh and be within easy reach of home.

bigbluebus · 30/05/2015 19:24

DS starts at about 11.00 each dayafter I have cajoled him to get out of his pit and is sitting in his room all day with either his tablet or a text book in front of him. He is doing 2 - 3 practice papers a day at the moment. It is hard to work out how much actual studying he is doing due to the regular use of "short breaks" playing on his tablet.

He has virtually given up going to the gym although he has been going out to orchestra one night a week. He doesn't have a job or a girlfriend Sad.

He is doing Maths, Physics and Chemistry plus 4 AS resits (as he really didn't work hard enough last year). Has already done the 2 Maths resits before 1/2 term. He needs BBB for his 1st choice - I'm not holding my breath.

Molio · 30/05/2015 19:41

I'd say DS3 is doing 10 or 10.30 until 6ish most days now with a couple of hours off at lunchtime. Study leave started with half term. He needs AAA. It's so much harder for this lot with no January modules, but I know that was the point. No complacency here, but at least he's steady.

MayPolist · 30/05/2015 23:25

Wow my Ds is doing NOTHING LIKE that! he is doing maths,FM, phys and chem though so maybe arts are different.
He only does past papers now, and does maybe 1 or 2 a day and marks them.h has worked hard consistently through the year though.He finds for phys and chem studying the mark scheme is really important and as often they want a question answered in a particular way using certain buzz words.
He had 4 exams next week.Then returns from study leave the day before his last exam (FM) [confused}

Rosieposy4 · 30/05/2015 23:33

May is your lad only y12 though? I think most of the others on this thread are y13 so really need to be knuckling down ( not that the y12s don't but sometimes the urgency is lacking)

Cooroo · 30/05/2015 23:40

DD is doing psychology, eng lit and history. Has already re-sat Psych AS. We've been house-sitting for my sister this half term so she's really knuckled down with minimum distractions. Does 11 till about 8.30 with plenty of scheduled breaks! But she's really only just started because before that she was doing last minute course work and revising for the re-sits. Done lots of essay plans this week. Aiming for AAB, but ABB will probably get her in. Fingers crossed. Some stress but all things considered she's keeping head above water. Only hope the work keeps up when we return to the flesh pots of Leeds tomorrow!

cathyandclaire · 01/06/2015 12:28

Dd is doing around 8 hours a day. She starts early (before 8am) so that she has her evenings free, although is getting a little more stressed now and worked yesterday evening.
She needs A A A and it's the that's the real worry. She only has 3 exams and they're over in 8 days so it's a short sharp burst of hell!
We were talking to friends and their DS did 3-5 hours a day max, they were very worried but he got 3 A*s (not in STEM either).

MayPolist · 01/06/2015 12:47

May is your lad only y12 though? I think most of the others on this thread are y13 so really need to be knuckling down ( not that the y12s don't but sometimes the urgency is lacking)
HE IS IN Y12 but hoping to apply to Cambridge so chasing very high UMS scores

MayPolist · 01/06/2015 12:51

CathyandClaire I think you need to keep an eye on your DD.If she is working from before 8 and into the evening I think she is in danger of becoming counterproductive.I always told my DC that you would not train the day before a big race.I think she needs to give her mind an opportunity to rest properly.

cathyandclaire · 01/06/2015 16:32

I know May, I do keep an eye on her but she's quite sensible, she has lots of breaks and really scaled down a couple of weeks ago (end of school, parties etc) so had some time off and seems to have come back to it with more enthusiasm. She is never, ever late to bed, seems to be asleep by ten. One week to go....

Molio · 01/06/2015 16:57

Six or seven hours a day (10 until 6 or 7 with a couple of hours off) is really not excessive at all at this stage MayPolist. Obviously there's a difference between subjects in terms of how much actual knowledge is required, but in the penultimate week before exams start, that really isn't too taxing or unusual a regime, whatever the subjects. My own DS is conscious that if he doesn't get his AAA grades for Oxford, then a re-application next year will produce significantly less good offers than the five he had this year on predicted grades. I'd say he was being steady, which as a parent I like. He's obviously not counting his chickens either which is probably also wise.

MarianneSolong · 01/06/2015 18:01

My daughter is working too hard. But I don't think I can stop her!