#math higher level

Too often, I hear people saying “how can you cram 2 years’ content in two months for the IB exams?”

The answer is, you don’t. You have to study consistently, slowly, day by day.

If you can, after class, re-read your textbook’s sections on today’s lessons, rewrite (or re-read, or memorize) today’s class notes, and solve one or two practice problems. That way, you’ll solidify the info you learned in class, and figured out if you didn’t understand something, so that you can ask your teacher later on!

If you can’t study daily, try to do it every two days or every weekend. The key is consistency and SMALL STEPS.

This is most helpful for memorization-based classes like biology, whereas you can replace the re-reading with more practice for physics/math.

Howdy! First actual studyblr post by me, Lynn.

I took IB math higher level (aka AP calc AB + BC + AP stats + more math, also college Calc 1 and 2) and did my exam in May 2017, and I got the highest score (7/7), after starting off as a student who’s barely passing the exams.

How did I do it? PRACTICE. And self confidence.

See, the thing about math HL is that people love to scare you about it. “Oh it’s so hard! I can’t do well in it!”. No it’s not. The content is a lot, I agree, the material is hard, yes, but it’s conquerable. So here are my tried and true methods to succeed!

Tip 1: actually understand what’s going on.

Basically, revise the material every day when you get home. Understand how each concept works. Why do you use a u-substitution here? How does integration work? There will be some conceptual questions and tricks on the exams that want to see whether you’re a student who just knows how to solve, or knows what they’re doing actually. I love this tip so much.

Tip 2: practice. Practice. Practice. (Discipline!)

I raised my grades by solving problems for at least one hour a day on weekdays, and two hours a day on weekends. After I finished calc AB material, my teacher gave me a booklet filled with 200+ exam questions, and I solved 80% of it in 5 days, and asked her for help. That really boosted my skills, self-confidence, and speed and accuracy while solving.

Tip 3: ask for help when you need it!

Your teachers are there to support you. Consult them!

Tip 4: BELIEVE IN YOURSELF.

You’re stronger than the exam. Than the material. You are a warrior. Prove the doubters wrong. Do yourself justice after your hard work!

Hello, it’s been a while since I actually wrote another study post!

Today’s post is about TREATING YO SELF. Because you work so hard and you should be kind to your hardworking self so you don’t burn out :D

So, how do you do this? 

During intense school weeks, I’ll dedicate 3 half-days for chilling. It can be combined as a day and a half of chilling, or three afternoons of chilling, or three mornings etc. I would usually do Friday night, Saturday night and a random weekday because I don’t want to burn out in the middle of the week.

At that time, I’ll shut down everything related to study and just hang out, you know. Have fun with friends and family. Or just yourself, if you feel like it.

Sometimes if I’m too bored, instead of taking a whole afternoon off, I’ll take two hours or three off. If I studied hard and was on schedule and had nothing else to do that day, I’ll just go with my mom to the coffee shop nearby and chat over a cup of tea, or go watch a movie with my younger sisters and such. 

Also, I kept in mind that the harder I work now, the more time and effort I’ll save down the road, and that the summer break following IB will be so rewarding for my hard work. Now I can have fun with no guilt!

Seriously though, these can save your life.

They make up a serious portion of your grade, like 20% or something. This can be the difference between a lower and a higher grade. Plus, you have plenty of time to craft your internal assessments, can get teacher feedback on them too, so actually put in effort into them! Also, never procrastinate them.

Choose topics that are easy yet interesting, and can show personal engagement through them. Don’t choose a super tough mathematical theory, for example - choose a simple, applicable and interesting idea! Instead of Fourier Transforms for math HL, why not choose integrating in polar coordinates, or multiple integrals for volume?

IAs were the thing that helped me jump from a 6 to a 7 in chemistry HL btw!