More partners:

Dream Quest One Poetry & Writing Contest

Lesson plans for Teachers

How To Choose The Best Easter Revision Course For You

by JakeStevens

Easter revision courses are expected to be in greater demand than ever this year, in direct proportion to the high demand for university places. When you take the Clearing process as an indication of just how competitive it has become to get on the top courses, it is easy to see why so many students want to give themselves an advantage course with an intensive course in April.

Properly structured and targeted Easter revision courses can be an effective way to kick-start the whole process of revising, but the first point to be clear about is that even the best courses cannot convert five terms of neglect into a grade A! They can however make a major difference, and there is no secret as to how this is done. Intensive work in a small group, focusing squarely on exams and lead by an enthusiastic and experienced teacher can fill important gaps, develop exam awareness, and will give plenty of practice and feedback on what examiners want. Above all, it will get the revision process firmly under way and establish a real feeling of momentum and confidence.

Now that Easter revision courses are appearing all over the country, the choice between them is becoming more and more difficult. So, when searching for the ideal course, there are a few things to think about. Perhaps the two most important questions that you need answered are what the course provides, and who teaches it. This should rule out a few courses that are completely wrong for you. Beyond this, once you know what syllabus and exam grade you need to revise for, a good Easter revision course will be able to deal with students as individuals and may be 'tailor-made' to each participant. A final thing to consider is how the time is spent: how much is allocated to teaching, exam practice and individual tutoring?

Then ask about the staff: some organisations rely upon teachers recruited from outside while others use their own staff. Visit the college if you can to meet the people who will be teaching you so that you can see whether you are going to get on with them. If you are considering a residential course, find out about supervision: hard work during the day is unlikely if the evenings turn into one big party! Any college or agency which offers guaranteed improvements in grades should be approached with extreme caution.

It's no secret that the best courses are those run by people who have direct experience of exam-orientated courses, and this means you'll likely be choosing from a few options: tutorial colleges (CIFE have a list of the good ones), a private tutor or a course run by a major independent school. Enrolment in any of these is usually pretty simple, and some leading colleges even allow you do complete the whole process online.

Nevertheless, some of the best courses are expected to be full well before the end of this term. Mike Kirby, Principal of Ashbourne College in Kensington, which has been offering Easter Revision courses for over twenty years, warns: "There has been a boom in private tuition in London and elsewhere. Parents are keener to invest in education whilst avoiding the high cost of full time private education. I predict that the tutorial agencies will not be able to cope with the demand this Easter. Even now, some are under pressure." So, although four months left before your exams might seem a long time, don't procrastinate! And good luck!

About the Author: Frank Cole

Find out more about A level resits today.

SEO by Artio

Home

College University

How To Choose The Best Easter Revision Course For You