How hard are highers?

Everyone always says how the jump from standard grade to higher is enormous, and that it's such hard work. I'm hoping to get AAAAA as I want to study medicine/dentistry.

I'm doing
Maths
English
Physics
Chemistry
History

(All at higher level).

More specifically how hard are these individual subjects?

I'm currently 14 and I'm doing these highers over two years (school policy). Will this make them any easier?

Thanks! :smile:

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Reply 1

Slumpy

I feel the jump from SG to highers is often greatly exaggerated. Some disagree though. YMMV! But I'm sure doing them over 2 years can't hurt.

Reply 2

TheFOMaster

Depends on the Subject Naturally. I done Maths and Chemistry, Maths was easier in my opinion. Chemistry had a jump, but its not too bad. I can't speak for the other 3 personally but Biology was about the same jump as Chemistry so I'm assuming Physics will be ok aswell.

From friends who done Higher English and History last year I've been told that English was Hell, and History was alot harder.

Also the fact that you do them over 2 years may make them easier, but it could be a disadvantage for you when it comes too University applications. Are they done over S4 & S5 or S5 & S6?

Reply 3

DragonWalnut157

Personally I don't think the SG to higher jump is that bad, provided you don't start being lazy.

For maths the pace picked up a bit although the actual maths involved isn't difficult. We tended to learn a new 'concept' each lesson but some classes done it differently. In English you'll have to use more sophisticated language in your essays to improve on previous work. The close reading is two papers and is simple once you figure a method for answering the questions. I didn't notice a jump in Physics at all; sg flowed into higher quite well in my experience. Chemistry's a bit annoying because sg is simplified concepts which they now go into more detail with. There's no drastic changes though! For Unit 2 (The World of Carbon) make sure you don't fall behind. Once you've been taught a new reaction make sure you understand it for the next day cause it'll be expanded upon. I never done history so I can't comment :P

In saying all that I sat them over a year, so you'll probably find the pace of work doesn't really increase. I don't know if this will make them any easier unless you're stuck on a particular area, in which case having more time to ask for help would (obviously) be beneficial :biggrin:

Reply 4

golfpro14

From experience at my school, the jump between SG maths and Higher was very noticeable - many of those who passed well at SG struggled. I was good at maths so I didn't mind the sudden increase in difficulty, I enjoyed it actually. Provided you're good at maths, which you appear to be, if you're expecting an A, you should do just fine.

Higher English is much more testing than SG, you have to be much more sophisticated in essay writing, and quick at writing them too. The close reading is also a heck of a lot harder, no more 'which word means the same as this' etc. :rolleyes:

SG physics is extremely useful for Higher - the electricity topic appears again at Higher, using the same calculations, but is much more in-depth obviously. I'd say this subject has the smallest jump of those you are taking.

I never studied chemistry, so I can't help you there... :tongue:

History at Higher puts a lot more emphasis on arguing in your essays to reach a conclusion (e.g. the most important factor for the introduction of the Liberal reforms) using background knowledge as evidence to support your argument. If you don't argue, you don't pass... Essays must be a lot longer too; around 4-5 sides, unlike those 8-mark 'essays' you had to write at SG where you got a mark a sentence. :rolleyes:

However, I noticed little difference in difficulty for source questions from SG to Higher.

Original post by anthonyfl

I'm currently 14 and I'm doing these highers over two years (school policy). Will this make them any easier?

Is that because of that new Curriculum for Excellence thing? If so, thank God I finished sixth year this year...

But doing them over two years will give you a lot more time to go over topics in depth, as some subjects (at my school anyway) struggle to finish in time over one year. But two years of Higher English? That's my idea of hell... :eek:

Reply 5

Slumpy

Original post by golfpro14

Higher English is much more testing than SG, you have to be much more sophisticated in essay writing, and quick at writing them too. The close reading is also a heck of a lot harder, no more 'which word means the same as this' etc. :rolleyes:

Whilst this is true to some extent, the close reading at higher is still extremely formulaic, and not too hard to score highly on.

Reply 6

journalismus

I felt as though Highers were double the work in SG but with half the time!

You're doing it over 2 years though, which gives you a great advantage :smile:

My worst subjects were Maths and Physics, but it all depends on your individual strengths and weaknesses really. If there's a subject you struggled with at SG, I wouldn't recommend taking it at Higher, even if you did get a 1 in the end.

Reply 7

RoryRorrzShikari

I though the jump was pretty awful. I'd say I revised twice or three times as much for my highers compared to my sg's. Personally I found the jump between sg and higher history wasn't really that bad (but thats just me personally). I think doing them over 2 years will help. At my school you have the option to do higher maths over 2 years. The class that did, 90% passed, where as the class that did it over one year about 75% failed.

Reply 8

golfpro14

Original post by Slumpy

Whilst this is true to some extent, the close reading at higher is still extremely formulaic, and not too hard to score highly on.

Yeah, I'd agree with you. I'm just slightly biased that's all - I got a C in English... Its my nemesis - the only SG I never got a 1 in, and the only Higher I never got an A in. :frown:

I still maintain that Higher English is the most pointless subject of all time... :rolleyes:

Reply 9

I am Ace

In my opinion, you only really learn how to study when you hit your highers, and when I sat, "hit" I mean, you give it your all. In my experience, most people resit most of their highers, and that's when they learn to study. But in all honesty, if you go to all your classes, do all your homework on time, pay attention in class and (when you get to higher level you won't talk when the teacher's talking anyway - unlike what I and most others done in Standard Grade) if you do stay on top of the work it's not that hard. My English teacher said to my class at the start of my English higher, "It's not difficult to stay on top of it, if you stay on top of it." Which sounds simple, and in theory it is, just keep a high work ethic year round and you'll be absolutely fine. I'm assuming you're doing 4/5 highers - less of a break than if you had some int 2's to relax with (given that you were at a level where int 2's aren't challenging you anymore). If you work hard, pay attention and persevere through the jump from SG to higher, I have faith you'll nail 'em!

Reply 10

daviddd!1994

I found Highers pretty difficult mainly because SG's weren't challenging at all so I didn't really expect I'd have to revise...soon found out I did! I did English and History at Higher, both were easier than most I'd say so I'm sure you'll be fine. Although I've heard Chemistry at Higher is a bitch!

Reply 11

Slumpy

If you pay attention in class properly, some people can get away with this.

Original post by I am Ace

In my opinion, you only really learn how to study when you hit your highers,

Try uni

Reply 12

golfpro14

I always thought my English teacher was making up half the stuff she was teaching us... I think she just got a little too carried away with the colour symbolism in our novel... :rolleyes:

Reply 13

I am Ace

Original post by Slumpy

If you pay attention in class properly, some people can get away with this.

Try uni :wink:

can't wait!

Reply 14

rawragee

awh are you at one of the schools who do SG in S3 then Highers over two years in S4&S5? Sorry, met someone from one of them and thought it was odd at the time :redface:

basically, doing your Highers over two years means that you might have to revise more regularly for the actual exams so you don't forget each aspect of the course, because basically everything is tested in Higher exams, but honestly it will make your life much easier :rolleyes:

For example, it's well known that it is almost impossible to cover everything in H Maths in the one year (every teacher I know complains) but over two years you'll be able to work at a slower pace and therefore cover everything much more in detail. Also, the same for English, you'll either be able to study more texts than normal or in more detail than most people too aha.
Honestly the jump between SG and Higher for me was actually just the pace we worked at, at SG we were very laid back and relaxed but in Higher it was constant work and homework and I was always behind :s-smilie:

but that could be because I moved schools and just everything was completely different..

I did mainly the same Highers as you, but with French rather than History. Chemistry requires looaads of solid knowledge for all those one mark questions, although the explain questions has been increasing, but if you're good at memorising one sentence facts you should be fiiine. Also in Physics, I discovered you can do actually quite well if you know how to do all the calculations but have no actual grasp on how the theory works or are unable to explain it at all :colondollar:

Reply 15

golfpro14

Ahh, that takes me back... :mmm:

Our novel, The Great Gatsby, had loads of colours - the green light at the end of Daisy's dock (for anyone who has read it :tongue:

) represents about four different things (apparently) - envy, new beginnings, you name it. Yellow in our novel symbolised 'extravagance of the rich in society.' Yeah, I'm sure it did... :rolleyes:

Reply 16

Slumpy

Original post by rawragee

Disagree. I think we finished the course like a month before the exam, and by uni we went over pretty much the whole of AH in 2-3 lectures or so :p:

Reply 17

123maz

well it is a big jump you just hve to be ready for the work and make sure that you don't leave it to the last minute. The grade boundaries at GCSE are easy.
A grade A* at GCSE is a grade E at A-level.

Reply 18

golfpro14

Original post by rawragee

Also in Physics, I discovered you can do actually quite well if you know how to do all the calculations but have no actual grasp on how the theory works or are unable to explain it at all :colondollar:

This sums me up at Higher Physics completely. :rolleyes:

I had no idea what my teacher was going on about in class, I just knew how to do the calculations using the equations. I just made up all my answers to the theory questions in my exam, but somehow got away with an A... :colondollar:

Reply 19

123maz

Original post by Slumpy

I feel the jump from SG to highers is often greatly exaggerated. Some disagree though. YMMV! But I'm sure doing them over 2 years can't hurt.