• Question: What is the best advice for someone studying science at our age (15-16)

    Asked by shut532mean84 on 13 Feb 2026.
    • Photo: Pete Webb

      Pete Webb answered on 13 Feb 2026:

      The best advice for someone studying science is the same for any subject:
      Work hard.
      Learn as much as you can.
      Never be afraid to ask Qs.
      Follow up school classes by going online, there’s an amazing amount of data out there.
      Socialise with your friends, share your learning experiences with them.
      Get enough exercise.
      Get enough sleep – don’t spend hours on your phone at night.
      Eat sensibly – maximum fruit and veg, some meat and fish, minimise sugar and processed starch.

      If you need any more advice, contact me through IMAS. Good luck!

    • Photo: Charlotte Gale

      Charlotte Gale answered on 17 Feb 2026:

      I think it’s useful to properly understand the topic you are studying the best you can. For example, I struggled with Physics and Chemistry because I found them quite abstract, but I realised that if I could draw out e.g. reactions and see what was happening then I could understand rather than just trying to memorise the answers, which then made it easier to learn the next thing.

      I can be frustrating to work out what is the best way for you to learn, but I’d definitely recomment reframing any material you don’t understand or at least formatting it in a different way – e.g. key points, flashcards etc.

      There is also a lot of great support online, I found bbc bitesize and youtube very handy!

Comments

  • Photo: eleanormerson

    eleanormerson commented on :

    Don’t underestimate how useful the knowledge you are gaining now is. I have a PhD in materials science, but a lot of my best ideas have been applying things I learnt at GCSE in new ways. If I was learning now, I would be going online / using AI to ask ‘why is this useful’ about everything – it makes it more interesting and helps you to learn better.