How I got an A in my AS Level Math & Statistics

When I first started learning AS-level statistics, I'll admit I was a little intimidated. The Greek symbols, graphs and formulas made it seem like a lot to manage! But eventually as the exam season came, I was proud to say I had achieved an A. In this blog, I will share some study strategies and tips that helped me achieve this grade.

Tip 1: Search for reason

Now this is a very simple yet effective tip. A very common mistake I saw my peers make, when I was studying stats, was that they would assume their answers. They would say “Oh the z value is negative, so you subtract the probability from 1” – That is the worst way to solve your answers. The CIE board is specially designed to assess a student’s analytical thinking and their way to link concepts to address a question. A good conceptual approach gets you 50 percent ready for the board.

Tip 1: Search for Reason (Don’t Just Assume)

Now this is a very simple, yet incredibly effective tip. A common mistake I saw many of my peers make when studying statistics was assuming their answers. For example, they’d say, “Oh, the z-value is negative, so I just subtract the probability from 1.” Trust me, that’s the wrong approach.

The CIE board doesn’t just want you to memorize formulas—they want to see your analytical thinking and your ability to link concepts to solve problems. If you approach a question conceptually and think about why you’re applying a certain method, you’re already halfway there. It’s about understanding the process rather than just jumping straight to an answer.

Tip 2: Do Past Papers (And Track Your Progress)

It might sound like a classic tip, but it’s absolutely essential to ace your exams. Past paper practice is key, especially for subjects like math and science that test critical thinking. Here’s how I made it work:

I created a list of all past papers from 2016 to 2024 for each subject. Every time I completed a past paper; I crossed it off the list and reviewed my mistakes. This method kept me organized and gave me a clear picture of what I had already covered. I used an Excel sheet to track my progress, but you can also type it up in Word or even print it out, like I did.

The best part? As you cross off each paper, it’s not just a sense of direction that you gain—it boosts your confidence. The night before the exam, I’d look back at all the work I’d done and feel much more prepared, knowing I had covered so many different types of questions.

Remember don’t let anything scare you off. There were times where I felt that ‘I’m just not getting it’. I remember every single permutation and combination question going way over my head a few weeks before the board exam. But instead of giving up, I took a step back, reviewed my notes, and even watched some online videos on the topic. Eventually I reached the point where it all started to make sense, and I realised that understanding one concept well would unlock the others.

For statistics, I coupled a bunch of information fro

m different sources to make my notes. I have uploaded my detailed notes, covering the whole AS-Level syllabus, on Students’ Guide to Data Science

To sum up, getting an A in AS-level statistics came down to staying consistent, practicing actively, and reaching out for help when needed. If you’re feeling stressed about your stats exam, remember that it’s not about being perfect—just about learning and improving every day. What study tips helped you the most? Share them in the comments below!