I'm really scared I won't pass higher maths but I really need the points what should I do
Ok well first things first, take a deep breath. The most important thing is to stay calm both while you’re studying and while you’re taking the exam.
As long as you stay calm and do your best you should be fine. Try to focus on the subject and not your fear of failing. Stress management and trying to breathe and relax is definitely something you have to try to do, especially with maths. Maths doesn’t work very well with emotions, unfortunately, as its a very logic based subject. With English or Art, you can use the emotion in your work. With Maths, try go in with the attitude “There is no right or wrong; its logic. You can figure out the answer if you’re given the information and you’re always given the information. You just have to see it.”
If you can afford it I suggest definitely taking extra grinds. This website has a lot of free courses on the various sections if you have a look through it you might find some on the areas you’re most worried about http://alison.com/courses/Strand-1-Higher-Level-Probability-and-Statistics
You might find some other useful stuff here:http://outcastmagazine.tumblr.com/tagged/maths
Try stay relaxed and calm because any sort of tension can affect your capacity to think and remember and learn, so when you’re going to study maths make sure you’re in a calm and content mood. You can do this by taking a bath or maybe just take five minutes beforehand to lie on the floor in a ball. And if you get frustrated while studying and need to cry, let yourself cry (if you’re alone of course….) letting it all out will help reduce tension too. The same if you get overwhelmed in the exam. Go into the bathroom and give yourself a few moments to gather your nerves. Splash some cold water on your face, cry for a minutes or two in the stalls, ask whoever’s job it is to accompany people to the bathroom for a hug etc etc. It’s ok to give yourself that moment to break down and then build yourself back up again and get back on the horse.
Focus on areas such as theorems and formulas because they’re guaranteed marks. Even if you go in, recognise the problem and see that its a quadratic equation, or differentiation, but have no idea how to go about solving it, write down the equation formula. That alone will get you marks. The person correcting the paper will see you knew what you had to use but maybe you just wern’t sure of the information to go into it. Give it a bash anyways; a wrong answer with the right formula will still give you marks (I think you only lose like 3-5 marks out of a 15-20 mark question for a wrong final answer, once the method is right)
If getting a high score in ordinary maths will get you enough points then I suggest dropping down for your own sanity, since an A1 in ordinary equals a D1 in higher… but if that’s not an option then just do your best in higher. No matter what, your best is good enough and it’s all you need. (Keep in mind tho that there are different questions in the ordinary level paper, such as graphs (which, if you’ve kept up higher level all the way through, you probably haven’t done one of them since JC!) and different theorems etc.)
Please remember that even if you do fail it’s ok. I really really mean that, it’s ok. It SUCKS but it’s ok. I know right now that the most important thing in the world is getting the marks and getting into that course but I promise you that if it doesn’t work out it doesn’t mean you still can’t have your dream job. There’s a lot of options open for you. The main one being repeating the LC. I know the thought of being stuck in school for another year seems like hell but you’ll be much more capable this time around.
If you’re really worried talk to your school councillor and they’ll go through all your available options with you incase it doesn’t work out the way you hope.
Above all stay healthy, be good to yourself, and if you do fail it is not the end of the world. There are other options and you can always make up the points somewhere else. Sure my friend failed maths in the leaving and is now making parts for planes as an engineer! It can be done
