Sunday, April 05, 2009

How to score full As in STPM

I had been asked this kind of questions quite often. Now other than the material available in the labels of Helpful advice on academic stuffs, I think I shall make up some more on STPM, straight As stuff. But be warned, most of the stuffs here you should already know, so don't expect a secret formula here. This is kinda like kung fu panda if you know what I mean. It's a bit sarcastic here, I hope you don't mind.
Disclaimer: even if you somehow managed to follow all these advices, there is no guarantee of 4 flat. More importantly is you do your best, then whatever results you get, be contented.
  1. If you don't mind having only 4 subjects, don't take 5. It's a risk. But if you're as hard headed as me or already taken it, then do your best. But don't worry anyway, even if you miss out on 1 subject out of 5, you still can get 4 flat, unless the subject is PA. Like what I missed.
  2. Don't take Further Maths. It's a hard to score subject, and too little people in Malaysia take it, mostly the ones who consider themselves the smartest in their school or one of the smartest. So I need not say more, but if this is your 5th subject, then concentrate on the other subjects(to get 4 flat) if you find that you won't get A in this, but at least make some effort not to fail it. However if you're also one of those who consider yourself a maths genius, be my guest, take it. Here's the blog to read if you do take it:  http://furthermathematicst.blogspot.com/
  3. Don't play the fool. Yes you can be active in CCA(co-curicular activities), but don't spend all day not studying. Ya, the most basic way of scoring, study more hours per day! Do your homework in school, during recess, whenever you can, do extra exersices, ask your teacher things you don't understand..... do I need to continue? Of course, if you're like me, who thinks that homework is a waste of time and don't do the extra self exercise, and going online everyday, then...umm.... make sure you score in your monthly tests.
  4. Don't spend all day looking for job/uni/doing extra stuffs for your uni applications. Ya, devote your life to studying. If you think form 6 is a store house for studying, you aint seen Uni yet. But of course this is a unreasonable thing to ask of you.
    What for you want to get 4 flat? to get into uni of course. But if you aim for local uni, just do your CCA, if you aim for MIT, just do your essay now, if you aim for NUS, then....umm..... get good result. If you aim for outer univer, Ivy leagues, then find a job, do extra stuff, join competition in thing you are good in until the highest level you can. National, International..... train hard. Get king scout, get black belt........ all these....
  5. Don't spend unnessary time having a boyfriend/girlfriend. Most likely you two are not going to the same Uni or same course. ( If you are, then congrats, you're an ideal pair) However if you already got one.... then manage your time well. Oh and be prepared for break ups, especially around the time of exams. So one way to avoid this is to agree to break up now and reunite after exam (warning: possible passion reduction after long time no see each other.)....... Ok perhaps it's not nice to tell people to break up. But anyway, you're lucky to have one.
  6. Don't make an enemy in classes. you're going to spend around 30 hours per week in class, studying. So make sure you don't have someone you dislike in class. It's bad for your mental balance. and you might not absorb what the teacher is saying. However if you already have one, agree to make peace. And see a psychologist if you still can't stand his sight. Don't be too alarmed to do that, I did it too believe it or not.
  7. Go for some International Olympiads. Search the net for them and go through my blog for them. The contacts should be within your reach if you're serious enough to google it. Oh no.... this has nothing to do with scoring full As. Ok so don't go (to get more study time). But be aware that you're missing a very beautiful experience.
  8. On study places, if you're in Malacca, go to Tzu Chi, at RM5, you can sit there all day doing your work and enjoying your tea. No food there through, so be prepared. Or more popularly, study at your home, you room or anywhere you can sit for hours on end and keep on having the mood to study.
  9. On studying with whom.... I'll say your friends of course. Go for some group study. That is a bunch of friends studying at a certain place where everyone is comfortable and can study continously for at least 5 hours. But if you're not with your friends, then study alone.
    It's not a crime, unlike shopping alone, which I don't think is a crime too. Oh ya, choose your friends properly, those who talk non-stop when in a group are to be avoided. Ideally it should be everyone doing their own work and anyone got a question can rise it up and the whole group or whoever's listening can think can contribute to the discussion. 10 minutes later, it should be back to individual studies.
  10. Read some books on how to study. It's plentiful and contains all the nessary and basics skills on studying. I'm getting lazy here trying to explain the basics to you, but just that if you don't know them, then you shouldn't be here(taking STPM that is).
  11. Don't waste time, do some reading in your car, bus, train...etc. And ok Now I can't take it........ Just use common sense and study. Ok, good luck!

For those living in Petaling Jaya/ KL/ Selangor nearby Petaling Jaya area, and wishes to have me as your Physics tuition teacher for STPM/ A levels/ any English Pre-U course, you can email me at ngxinzhaomonk@gmail.com to get my whatsapp and we can discuss further. My rates are RM 100 per hour, minimum 2 hours per session per week for individual visits. For group tuition at my home, the rate is RM 50 per hour, time wise is the same, minimum class size: 5. So spread the word if you wish to have enough to set up a class. Available from Aug 2018-Dec 2018. Thanks! 

13 comments:

Frank said...

Thanks for your sound advice! Learnt alot from you :)

Ng Xin Zhao said...

Welcome!

Shivang said...

Hey, which books do you recommend studying for the IPhO...apart from Fundamentals of Physics?

Nice Blog, btw.

Anonymous said...

haha and i noe u regret on the Co-cu part..

Anonymous said...

superb. thanks for the advice. i hope that i can bounce back after a disastrous display in my exams. Congrats for being the best in Malaysia!!

Ng Xin Zhao said...

Ok, thanks.
Shivang: I can't recommend anything, I didn't study much for the IPhO...
David Macgyver : welcome

m_ran said...

that was a good and useful advise....
thanks a lot....

ojie said...

hey there, what kind of books do you use for your STPM? Chemistry, Pengajian Am & Biology especially.

Ng Xin Zhao said...

Hi ojie,

Sorry didn't recall if I used books to study. Don't think I did Bio. Almost forgot I took Chemistry! Haha! Anyway, the books should be standard.... can't refer to them now, they are either gone or not with me at the moment.

You did asked too late for this.... it's been like..... 4 years? Wow.... more important than the book, is your own determination to score well. With great will comes great power! Wish you well!

ojie said...

Wow hello hi there, I was thinking too that you'll never reply the comment back. Years have passed by. Haha. You've must been a great person now. Thank you and I'll strive for the best! >=D

Anonymous said...

Advice no 5 is....beautiful.Thats all i can say:D

ejera m said...

Like the previous comment. Yeah.. Pretty sure you're not gonna reply this plus blogger kinda suck these days... Anyway, thanks for your great advice :) I admire you tho! Fun and cool, I believe you're an amazing person now! Ciao GBU♪

Ng Xin Zhao said...

Yes, blogger is from when social media is not yet so popular. Nowadays, with the constant updating of social media with short posts, still blogs has better content quality in terms of articles. Yet, perhaps less powerful for having no good integration with profile, notification of replies etc. I basically only check for comments like every 1 year or many years later.

Thanks, I am a Buddhist monk now.