Hi FAM! I got my first Bio 3/4 SAC back yesterday, and I got 71% scaled score :( It is a really low score, and because I had studied so much for it before, I feel really disappointed? Will this one bad SAC affect my results for the rest of the year? And can you give me any advice on how to bounce back and possibly do much better? Thanks so much!
Having studied Biology last year, I was also in the same situation as you. In fact, may I say in the exact same situation? I also didnât do so well for my first SAC (~70% scaled I cri) and it was an incredibly upsetting way to start off the rest of the year. Thereâs nothing that can be done about right now (the only way to go is up!).
However, from then on I tried to improve my studying for exams and note-organising which is especially important for a content-heavy subject like Biology. Something that I think every student should abide by is that âstudying smart is better than studying longâ - something along the lines of that. In the case of Biology, use your time wisely to understand vocab and definitions and how they fit into concepts - draw flow charts, teach others, write summaries, label diagrams. You have to be active in your study - reading the textbook or putting crash course in the background doesnât count. You could even utilise travel time/ showering/ little breaks in between to memorise all the different vocab and definitions if you have trouble with that.
For future content, keep an up-to-date concepts book - whether written or online itâs up to you but personally I feel like Iâm more engaged with my studying when itâs written. This is for when you move on to other topics - having and reading summaries of each topic (even brief ones) weekly/ fortnightly will help you remember past concepts for the final exam. I know someone who went as far as to summarise the entire textbook but uh, this really isnât necessary unless you think it'd help.
I recommend doing topic tests/ checkpoints whenever you finish learning a topic. This is so then you can immediately apply your knowledge to questions, as well as to retain it better. Leave a few relevant questions (checkpoints, textbook) to do every week from each topic youâve learnt.
Now, on SACs. The most essential part of taking SACs is not to freak out. Seriously, with so many things to remember, panicking is the last thing youâd want to do. Take a breath, focus your mind on the current page, and manage your time. I remember I lost 3 marks for something as small as âThrough what methods do these substances pass through the membrane?â and I mixed up glucose, oxygen and CO2 for simple and facilitated (gosh, it still pains me). These small marks arenât worth much but they add up a lot. So itâs not just about knowing your content but also not letting your mind go into disarray when the time starts.
Based on my experience, Â your first SAC score does not affect the rest of your SACs or your study score! Just always revise what youâve learnt, and keep your head clear for future SACs. If you succeed on your other SACs, your marks will hardly be affected. Most importantly, enjoy studying Biology! :D