Many students keep getting disappointed by their Chemistry grade at their exams in Junior College. Topics such as stoichiometry and redox are highly difficult, and students will often find themselves failing their school tests despite spending significant time studying for Chemistry. Calculation-heavy topics may prove to be the bane of Chemistry students in Singapore, and odd curveball questions may throw students off as they do not know how to apply existing content.
Common Reasons Why Students Often Feel Disappointed with Their Grades
1. Tuition is only as useful as you are, and you have more control than you think you do.
Students often mistakenly think that tuition classes are a quick fix to their ineptness at Chemistry. However, tuition is only as useful as the student is – they need to ask for more practice and clarify their doubts with their tuition teacher if they want to have any hope to improve. Students need to have a positive and proactive attitude to learn and not just placidly absorb information and let the tutor do all the work. Students need to work hard when they have time to revise and not rely on their tutor to help teach them everything, as studying by themselves will ensure that they can learn the requisite content and absorb the Chemistry concepts better.
2. Having a strong foundation of the simple concepts is important.
Many students overlook simple concepts in favour of solving more complex questions because they think a good foundation is not important. However, having a good foundation of simple concepts by going through your notes again and again and clarifying doubts helps get the basic building blocks of the subjects locked in. At the very least, the student should be able to pass. Next, students should practice with questions daily, starting with easy ones first to ensure they know the basic foundation of the simple concepts before moving on to more difficult ones.
3. Start with easier, topical questions before moving on to complex questions.
Students doing complex questions often feel demoralised when they cannot understand them. They should start with easier, topical questions before moving on to complex questions. Doing the topical series of questions could help students get an understanding of each of the chapters, and they can know which topics they need to work on. After mastering the easier, topical questions, students can move on to more complex questions to apply existing content knowledge.
4. Do full papers under timed conditions to simulate the exam.
It is important for students to do full papers under timed conditions to simulate the exam. Students often feel overwhelmed during the actual exams because they think they are going to run out of time. If students get used to the time limit to do the questions, they could perform better in their exams. Students need to focus on applying the concepts they have learned when doing the full papers instead of rote memorising the answers to improve their understanding.
Although students may feel disappointed with their Chemistry grades, they need to look forward – what is done is done, and things cannot be changed just by feeling depressed or moping about it. They need to take concrete and helpful action to improve their grades. As a starting point, they could ask their teachers for help, try to study by themselves, or engage a tuition teacher. With time and effort, students will surely be able to improve themselves and pull up their grades.
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With time and effort, every student will surely be able to achieve their desired grades in Chemistry. Focus Chemistry has a tried-and-tested teaching method and specially curated materials and question banks to help you prepare for every Chemistry exam. Our skilled tutors will help students understand the concepts on a fundamental level and apply them correctly.
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Frequently Asked Questions:
a) Should I take H2 chemistry?
You could take H2 Chemistry only if you have done well for O Level or IP Chemistry during your secondary school days.
b) How to do well for H2 chemistry?
Firstly, the student should understand what the syllabus and style of exam questions are like for H2 Chemistry. Next, the student should practice doing the questions to do well and fix knowledge gaps and their lack of conceptual understanding.
c) Is H2 chemistry difficult?
H2 Chemistry requires an understanding of Organic Chemistry concepts, which could be challenging for some students as it requires a high level of understanding.
d) Which university courses require H2 chemistry?
Medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, environmental engineering, chemical engineering and chemistry require H2 Chemistry as an admission requirement.
e) What is the hardest chemistry class ever?
Physical Chemistry is the most difficult branch of Chemistry as it requires students to study physical properties and the constitution of matter, the laws of chemical combinations, and theories about chemical reactions.
f) How many students fail Chemistry?
On average, around 25% of students fail Chemistry, although the rates depend on the sample size and location of people studied.