What To Look For When Choosing An Easter Revision Course
The increased competition for places at good universities this summer and the experience of Clearing last year when places were so limited means that revision courses are predicted to be in high demand again over the Easter holidays. With many students having done their mock exams in January and perhaps had disappointing results, now is the time of year when many aspiring university applicants are considering taking an intensive, one-week revision 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.
Given the wide range of choice of courses these days, how should you choose one suitable for your needs? Firstly, when researching courses, ask the right questions. Two key ones are "What will this course actually provide?" and "Who teaches it?". Although students are likely to come from a variety of schools and will have differing needs, a good course should be able to deal effectively with individual differences. Find out which syllabus and options are covered. Ask about the extent to which the course is ‘tailor-made' to the participants, and about how course time is split between teaching, exam practice and work with each student individually.
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.
The best courses are run by people who have direct experience of exam-orientated short courses. In practice, this means that you are going to be choosing between a good tutorial college (go to CIFE for a list of these), a well-established course run by one of the major independent schools or perhaps a well recommended private tutor.Finally, get on with it! Enrolment is straightforward, with some of the leading colleges, for example, Davies Laing and Dick College, offering an on-line facility for signing up on their Easter Revision courses.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!
For further information go to CIFE or contact James Wardrobe 01428 723087 or 07706 914901; e-mail: james@wardrobe.org.uk
