26/04/2022
📢7 SUCCESS SECRETS FROM A 48 POINTS⭐ BGCSE TOP ACHIEVER EVERY STUDENT MUST KNOW. 📢
"BGCSE was hard and stressful, but if you manage your time properly with dedication and a good work ethic, it is really not that difficult to excel" -
Masego Dabutha 48 Points 2020 (5A* & 5As, Tutume McConnell)
Studying and preparing for exams can really be a stressful period for most students, especially if they are not confident of their previous performance in school and their level of preparedness. In most cases most students experience panic attacks, stress and anxiety which in turn affect their overall performance in exams.
We took some time and sat down with Masego Dabutha a former Tutume McConnell College Student, who did exceptionally well in 2020 Exams. Contrary to what is norm, Masego wrote 10 subjects instead of 8/9 like other students, and of the 10 subjects she got 5 A* and 5 As in her final BGCSE exam. When asked what inspired her to take the 10 subjects, she expressed that she enjoys challenges and wanted to stretch herself to achieve what no one has achieved before and that was her daily motivation to succeed and make her mother proud. Here she kindly offers her top tips on how to be successful in the highly esteemed BGCSE exams.
ORGANISATION IS KEY TO SUCCESS 🗒️
My academic journey was not an easy walk in the park, in fact I had so many challenges that threatened my dream to succeed. First I had many commitments including 10 subjects, my leadership role as school Head Girl, my family background and the COVID 19 pandemic which forced us to be out of school for longer periods of time than usual. However from the very onset I knew I had to be very organized and plan my time and activities very well to make sure I achieved my goals. TIME MANAGEMENT 🕐 therefore is very important and every student who wants to succeed academically must succeed first in managing their time and organising their study well.
I started making concise notes on the topics which had the greatest amount of content like Biology and Add Maths. This meant I had to give up some of my spare time and net ball that I so loved, but it was definitely worth it and here’s why…
When mock exams drew closer and closer everyone was frantically trying to identify key concepts and trying to study harder while I had everything I needed to know for each subject in my notes. The fact that they were concise also saved me a lot of time, and that's why I encourage every student to adapt the strategy and make short and concise notes for every subject that they can always refer to easily and quickly.
PRIORITIZE SUBJECTS YOU STRUGGLE WITH THE MOST📚📚
I’m not going to lie to you and say I didn't have any subject that was showing me dust😅 and that I started studying for all of my subjects months in advance. However I did for the ones I knew I needed the most help with. You need to prioritise the subjects you struggle with the most. It’s easier to study for the ones you understand, but exactly because of that, these subjects should not be the ones you dedicate your study time to.
It is also very helpful to identify your “priority subjects” from the beginning. If you know you want to do a course in Medical science like I did, then you know you need an A* in your Chemistry, Biology and Physics, so make that a priority subject. This is going to reduce stress when your exams arrive because you can be confident that you’ve worked the hardest for not only the subjects you struggle with but also the subjects that matter to you the most.
MAKE GOOD USE OF PAST PAPERS. 📝
BGCSE is frustrating because they expect you to answer questions in a specific way. If you don’t practice, you won’t be able to answer the questions in the way the examiners want. Try to plan out your study plan early on in Form 5 so you leave enough time to do past papers without any aid from your notes. But as a matter of caution, do not attempt to cram questions and answers as that's a failure trap.
SURROUND YOURSELF WITH PEOPLE WHO WANT TO SEE YOU SUCCEED👫👭🧑🤝🧑
I credit a lot of my success to the people I surrounded myself with. When preparing for exams you will realise that there is a lot to learn in very little time but locking yourself away and having no social life is unhealthy. Therefore, it’s important and extremely helpful to create study groups or have a study buddy. I had my friends who i studied with and we would sit after class making notes and testing each other for hours. I also had supportive teachers who were willing to give me the help I needed to prepare for my exams. My family, especially my mother has always been a pillar of strength for me, making her smile and proud excites me and makes me extremely happy.
Lastly I go by this motto and it is what has kept me going to date:
"Possible and impossible lies within ones determination, excellence starts in the mindset"
"Masego's approach to her study proved effective. She successfully achieved her 5A* and 5As and is currently studying Bachelor of Science at the University of Botswana and ready to start her Medicine Degree"
At Word Crackers Tutorials we are proud to have worked with Masego and to have her as our Brand Ambassador, and she occasionally give motivational talks and help to our students during her school break time.
Mr. Sydney Sebifelo- Managing Director (Word Crackers Tutorials)
