Jonathan Suter was Warwick Academy's top student when looking at results of the General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) exams.

The same questions were put to Saltus' Christopher Pullen and Bermuda High School for Girls' Aziza Ahad were answered by Jonathan this week.

Q: How much time did you devote to studying for these exams?

A: I am currently studying at Warwick Academy Sixth Form for my AS level examinations. Unlike AS levels, where one is recommended to spend two hours studying for every hour spent in class, IGCSE's, due to the number of subjects you take, is much less.

Instead of cramming in the two week period before the exams I made sure that in the last term, when class time was spent doing past papers and reviewing, that I put extra effort during class so that I would have more time at home for doing other activities. In the period I probably spent an hour a night studying. Then, during study leave, which began from the day of our first exam, I would normally spend an hour or so looking over notes and refreshing everything we had been doing in class.

Q: Did you set a grade goal for each exam?

A: For each exam I set a grade for myself, so that I had something to aspire to. I was aiming for seven A's and three B's. After finishing all of the exams I decided to forget about them as I thought that I hadn't done as well as I had hoped to.

Q: How did you decide which subjects you would sit?

I decided on the basis that I wanted to keep my options open, which doing History and Geography along with two sciences provided.

Q: Do you find time for other activities? If so what?

A: As being an individual who gets involved in too much as is, I found it rather difficult to try to cut back so that I could study for exams, which actually influenced me to work harder in class so that I would have to study outside of school less. I still managed to attend National Youth Council Meetings, play basketball, go to dance classes, play the cello, attend debating and help with the Anchors at Boys Brigade every Friday. During the exam period in between studying and sitting the exams, I took advantage of the extra time, to exercise and write, which helped clear my mind.

Q: Do you feel you are making any sacrifices? If so what are they?

A: I feel I didn't sacrifice any of my prior commitments or hobbies. I actually found that the study leave was the best thing that could have happened to me. I caught up on sleep and relaxed, while of course studying in between.

Q: What are your plans now?

A: I am currently debating what to do next year, whether to stay at Warwick Academy Sixt5h Form for a second year and do some different subjects, or to study in the US. Q: What are your career aspirations?

A: I am not entirely sure what my career aspiration is. I have thought about the possibility of becoming a doctor or a primary school teacher. Those are the less extravagant career aspirations. I also love the idea of acting, singing and dancing though at the moment am leaving my options open.

Q: Give a studying tip.

A: I find that to study well you should find what works best for you and go with it because what may help one person may hinder another. Don't work too hard. Find time to relax and find what is best for you, and get enough sleep.

Q: What's the best advice you've been given? (about absolutely anything! It doesn't have to be about studying)

A: The best advice I have been given is the knowledge that I have gained from my life experiences. This is basically that you are an individual, you have been given your own gifts. If people dislike you for who you are then they aren't worth your time. "You are your own rainbow," as Molly Shannon said in the movie Superstar. "That movie basically sums up the advice that I have gained, `If you believe in yourself then nobody can hurt you'."

I have also learned that you should not be afraid of the world as you can't change the past and can't predict the future, so live for the moment and make the best of what you have been given, instead of dwelling on the past and fearing for the future.

Be thankful for what you have as many people have much less than you. Love your enemies. The concept `mind over matter' which was introduced to me by Susan DeCouto, where there is a will there is a way. Finally and very importantly, to stand up for what you believe in (thank you mum!!!).