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Should I do higher English?

I am currently choosing my higher courses for next year. I want to do medicine so I will definitely do maths, chemistry and biology next year as well as French. My problem is I detest English and find it really hard. Consequently I'm wondering whether I would be able to choose Spanish over English since I am very good at languages ( I can speak two languages extremely fluently and I am learning French). This would mean I would have more fun, gain more valuable language skills, less stress and a basically guaranteed A.
So if I had Chemistry, Biology, Maths, Spanish and French at Higher (at A level) would I be deemed competitive for medicine?

Thanks for all your help!
:smile:
Original post by tinababy
I am currently choosing my higher courses for next year. I want to do medicine so I will definitely do maths, chemistry and biology next year as well as French. My problem is I detest English and find it really hard. Consequently I'm wondering whether I would be able to choose Spanish over English since I am very good at languages ( I can speak two languages extremely fluently and I am learning French). This would mean I would have more fun, gain more valuable language skills, less stress and a basically guaranteed A.
So if I had Chemistry, Biology, Maths, Spanish and French at Higher (at A level) would I be deemed competitive for medicine?

Thanks for all your help!
:smile:


As long as you have english at a high grade for nat5 it doesnt matter whether you did it for higher or not (for medicine). Check with your school and uni sites for entry requirements just to be 100% sure.
As someone who is looking to apply to medicine, I can confidently say that if I had the option to take something else over english, I would have done it. You really need a set of subjects in 5th year that you can get 5As in, so if english may be too hard then dont do it.

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Original post by tinababy
I am currently choosing my higher courses for next year. I want to do medicine so I will definitely do maths, chemistry and biology next year as well as French. My problem is I detest English and find it really hard. Consequently I'm wondering whether I would be able to choose Spanish over English since I am very good at languages ( I can speak two languages extremely fluently and I am learning French). This would mean I would have more fun, gain more valuable language skills, less stress and a basically guaranteed A.
So if I had Chemistry, Biology, Maths, Spanish and French at Higher (at A level) would I be deemed competitive for medicine?

Thanks for all your help!
:smile:



Original post by Pennyarcade
As long as you have english at a high grade for nat5 it doesnt matter whether you did it for higher or not (for medicine). Check with your school and uni sites for entry requirements just to be 100% sure.
As someone who is looking to apply to medicine, I can confidently say that if I had the option to take something else over english, I would have done it. You really need a set of subjects in 5th year that you can get 5As in, so if english may be too hard then dont do it.

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I vaguely remember that for Medicine applicants, some schools let their students choose not to take Higher English in S5. For Medicine, it's obvious that you usually need 5 As and because some students aren't as confident in English, it could compromise their whole application. It's possible I think but you should email the universities you're interested in and ask them if they need Higher English. If they don't, then ask your school. :smile:
Original post by tinababy
I am currently choosing my higher courses for next year. I want to do medicine so I will definitely do maths, chemistry and biology next year as well as French. My problem is I detest English and find it really hard. Consequently I'm wondering whether I would be able to choose Spanish over English since I am very good at languages ( I can speak two languages extremely fluently and I am learning French). This would mean I would have more fun, gain more valuable language skills, less stress and a basically guaranteed A.
So if I had Chemistry, Biology, Maths, Spanish and French at Higher (at A level) would I be deemed competitive for medicine?

Thanks for all your help!
:smile:


I didn't do Higher English and am studying medicine at Edinburgh right now (also had interviews at Dundee and Aberdeen) - it's not a requirement at all!

The only medical school that I know of that asks for Higher English is Imperial College London. Even then they say: "five Scottish Highers (or GCSEs) at grades AAABB in any order, in Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Maths, and English Language"

The fact that they equate GCSEs to Higher is a bit dubious, but e-mail them to check
Original post by Asklepios
I didn't do Higher English and am studying medicine at Edinburgh right now (also had interviews at Dundee and Aberdeen) - it's not a requirement at all!

The only medical school that I know of that asks for Higher English is Imperial College London. Even then they say: "five Scottish Highers (or GCSEs) at grades AAABB in any order, in Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Maths, and English Language"

The fact that they equate GCSEs to Higher is a bit dubious, but e-mail them to check


Thanks so much for your answer. :smile: You have really helped me because medicine at Edinburgh is the ultimate dream for me and I was worried that higher English is like the unsaid requirement to show you're a well rounded and culturally aware British citizen or something :tongue: but I really want to do Spanish instead. :redface:

What subjects did you take at higher....and advanced higher?

Thanks a lot! :biggrin:
Original post by tinababy
Thanks so much for your answer. :smile: You have really helped me because medicine at Edinburgh is the ultimate dream for me and I was worried that higher English is like the unsaid requirement to show you're a well rounded and culturally aware British citizen or something :tongue: but I really want to do Spanish instead. :redface:

What subjects did you take at higher....and advanced higher?

Thanks a lot! :biggrin:


Higher: Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Maths, Economics, Geography

AH: Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Pure Maths, Applied Maths (statistics)

(Obviously more subjects than necessary, but you just need to do 5Hs in fifth year and at least 2AH + 1H in sixth year for Edinburgh - there is no advantage application-wise in doing more)

Higher English is a good subject to have as you will have to do essays/papers in medical school and beyond, but by no means necessary. Any social science or language would also involve essay writing to some extent so Spanish is a good subject to do instead of English!


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