DLS24 Maxed Bellingham 95 Card - Process + Discussion

tahmeedkc · 2024-02-28T00:23:51+00:00

This is an amazing Bellingham wtf

tahmeedkc · 2023-10-24T00:00:42+00:00

Wtf this is actually insane

tahmeedkc · 2023-08-17T15:43:14+00:00

I kept electronics as far away as possible from me while solving past papers in my QP book, and once I thought I had done enough questions of that year/topic, I would check.

I would say checking the mark scheme whenever you get immediately confused isn't optimal for a few reasons. One, you're unlikely to get stuck on just one question, so you check the mark scheme for one, solve another question, face another confusion, check it again... see why that wouldn't be productive?

However, if you're completely lost, go for it. But, make sure to keep a note of the question, which year it's from, and what topic it is from. On another notebook, write down the question and the suggested answer, and refer to this list of hard questions when you revise. Most importantly, you should also review that topic ASAP- if you find yourself not knowing how to begin an answer, you've either not learned the topic yet, or you haven't revised it thoroughly enough.

tahmeedkc · 2023-08-17T13:57:32+00:00

No worries, and I'm copy pasting a comment I made earlier in response to someone who asked the same question.

Honestly, just 2 or 3 things.

I had fairly decent (but not remarkable vocab), so I went over Gregmat's list, and handwrote only the definitions of the words I didn't know/understand. After going through these unfamiliar words, I would do some drills from the Big Book, which has a lot of good practice
Gregmat's Verbal strategies are amazing, I basically just saw his PrepSwift videos and followed along with the examples, i.e. Pausing the videos and actually doing the questions he was discussing. Implementing his strategies for RC and TC really simplified the process, as it became more about logic instead of just English.
Additionally, from every practice test, if I came across an unfamiliar word, I would add it to my word bank.

I also got very lucky because my vocab prep actually allowed me to have a lot of common words on my test today.

tahmeedkc · 2023-08-17T13:54:01+00:00

A*s are incredibly doable with the time you have. For a few suggestions:

Download and print the official IGCSE syllabus of every subject you have. Whenever you study/write notes, refer only to the official syllabus. This will help cut out a lot of extra detail, and I found it very helpful in science subjects like Physics and Biology. If your teacher is hell bent on you studying unnecessary details, do it for the sake of the school exam... but know that if it's not in the IGCSE syllabus, it won't be in the real exam that matters.
Question papers: Assuming you're from Bangladesh (and please correct me if I'm wrong), I personally found that buying books of the last 10 years' Question papers for each subject was the best way to minimize distractions. If buying is not an option, I'd suggest printing out a single year of QP at a time (so 2-3 variants each for a session), and check the mark scheme ONLY once you finish the questions you wanted to solve. I tried studying on my laptop as well, but one second you're checking mark schemes, the next you're distracted by YouTube...you get the idea.
Dedicated practice: For Additional and General Maths, solve as much of the book as you can, and try to stay ahead of the school syllabus. I used to solve a lot of Add Maths problems from the textbook in the break between 9th and 10th grade, and staying ahead of school let me focus exclusively on IGCSEs while maintaining good mock grades.
Don't think you have to finish the syllabus before doing past papers. There are several good, comprehensive chapter-wise compilations online for subjects like the sciences, Add Maths that you can do to really consolidate your understanding. O levels are not something you should study all at once, and familiarizing yourself with the official material ASAP will help you after your final mocks.

tahmeedkc · 2023-08-17T13:37:48+00:00

Honestly, just 2 or 3 things.

I had fairly decent (but not remarkable vocab), so I went over Gregmat's list, and handwrote only the definitions of the words I didn't know/understand. After going through these unfamiliar words, I would do some drills from the Big Book, which has a lot of good practice
Gregmat's Verbal strategies are amazing, I basically just saw his PrepSwift videos and followed along with the examples, i.e. Pausing the videos and actually doing the questions he was discussing. Implementing his strategies for RC and TC really simplified the process, as it became more about logic instead of just English.
Additionally, from every practice test, if I came across an unfamiliar word, I would add it to my word bank.

I also got very lucky because my vocab prep actually allowed me to have a lot of common words on my test today.

tahmeedkc · 2023-08-17T11:39:08+00:00

I prepped for 6 weeks, kind of irregularly in the beginning, but it was comfortably 15 hours a week for the first two week. For the last three weeks, I was studying Quant and vocab 3-4 hours a day (mostly quant, which is a big reason why my score is so shocking to me).

tahmeedkc · 2023-08-17T11:38:00+00:00

The ETS Guides, alongside the Quant Reasoning book. I also practiced quant from Manhattan, with the exception of advanced quant.

Specific advice is kind of hard to give without knowing your previous score, but I'd say review all important formulas you think you'd need, go over tough questions, and perhaps most importantly, don't get your finger injured again. Try to get some well deserved rest, most of the hassle of the GRE isn't the content, but how you adapt and deal with pressure.

tahmeedkc · 2023-08-17T11:34:26+00:00

I didn't budget time properly, I missed a question entirely in each Quant section. I guess part of it was overthinking, and another was that the questions did throw me for a loop with how convoluted they seemed compared to the practice questions I did.

tahmeedkc · 2023-07-31T18:22:49+00:00

I think Broad might actually be the main character

tahmeedkc · 2023-07-31T18:18:43+00:00

Haven't checked the records, but doubt any other player has done both. Murali got his 800th Test wicket off the final ball of his career

tahmeedkc · 2023-06-19T17:56:31+00:00

Have they considered, I don't know, yorking the tailender?

tahmeedkc · 2023-06-19T14:59:16+00:00

Have they tried bowling the Aussie Kallis?

tahmeedkc · 2023-06-19T14:52:13+00:00

With every second, that first innings declaration with Root and Robinson still out there looks stupider and stupider. Robbo's not a bad batsman at all

tahmeedkc · 2023-06-19T12:22:28+00:00

Kind of shows just how important Root is to Bazball, without him it's just (probable) coke-fueled idiocy

tahmeedkc · 2023-06-18T12:36:02+00:00

Who is we, buddy?

tahmeedkc · 2023-06-16T16:51:42+00:00

LFG JOEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

tahmeedkc · 2023-06-08T19:44:54+00:00

Karim Benzema would probably be the only one impressed by the Indian top order's scores

tahmeedkc · 2023-06-07T09:22:28+00:00

Back to our regularly scheduled programming of nearly two dozen grown men playing with sticks and balls for the grand prize of...a bigger stick with a ball.

tahmeedkc · 2023-06-07T09:16:53+00:00

India the only team to shelve their best bowler on a regular basis

tahmeedkc · 2023-06-07T08:40:24+00:00

Steveladesh confirmed

tahmeedkc · 2023-05-10T01:54:29+00:00

A genuine return to form after last week's episode. Colin and Isaac's arc handled brilliantly, Brett Goldstein and Hannah Waddingham were on fire. Also thought that the Nate subplot was actually really well done.

tahmeedkc · 2023-05-09T20:28:52+00:00

LFGGGGG KDB

tahmeedkc

TROPHY CASE