Start from the syllabus, not the guide book
Most students begin with whichever guide is on the shelf. Start instead with the board syllabus and mark every topic as one of three things: known, shaky, or untouched.
- Known topics need one pass, close to the exam.
- Shaky topics are where almost all of your marks are hiding.
- Untouched topics need a tutor or a friend, not another night alone with a book.
Three sittings a week beats seven
A tutor three days a week with real work in between beats daily sessions you are too tired to use. Ask your tutor to set work you do alone, and to mark it.
What to drop
When time runs short, drop the topics that carry the fewest marks, not the ones you find hardest. Those are rarely the same thing.