5th Year, Biology or Computing

After 6th year, I want to apply to Cambridge to study Natural Sciences (Physical). I was looking on the Trinity College website recently, and I saw that they 'respected' Biology more than Computing, as it was only suitable as a fourth subject.

For what it's worth, the reason for that is that it's based on the English system. Very few English schools offer the actual 'Computer Science' A-Level, instead plumping for the rather-less academic ICT. The Scottish qualification is somewhat better in this regard. This is also why it talks about 'as a fourth subject' rather than 'fifth' (it's talking about AH level, effectively).

Additionally, it's not as if it instantly rules you out. I have an offer from Trinity for Computer Science, having taken Computing at Higher (and at Advanced Higher, although it's explicitly irrelevant).

Having said all that, Higher Computing is extraordinarily dull. Take biology.

Hello Newbie here.

I'm having a bit of trouble choosing subjects for 5th year.
This year, I am currently studying: English, Maths, Geography, History, Computing, Biology, Chemistry and Physics, all at Standard Grade level.

For my choices next year, I have decided on Physics, Maths, Chemistry, English, all at Higher, but I am struggling to choose between Higher Biology and Computing.

After 6th year, I want to apply to Cambridge to study Natural Sciences (Physical). I was looking on the Trinity College website recently, and I saw that they 'respected' Biology more than Computing, as it was only suitable as a fourth subject.

In 6th year, I am planning to take AH Maths, Physics, Chemistry and Applied Maths.

So I was wondering if anyone could help me choose between Higher Biology & Computing

Thankyou
Calum.

Oh and despite what Unbeliever will tell you, Trinity is not as good as Christ's

Trinity's library lacks showers. If you find this a disturbing oversight, then perhaps Christ's is the place for you.

I'd go for Biology. Everyone I know says that higher computing is a waste of time. I taught myself more programming than anyone taking the subject did (forgot it all now!) in a very short space of time.

The main thing for computing (especially at places like Cambridge) is mathematics. For instance, Unbeliever has step in his offer = hard. I'd focus on this more than anything else.

I am envious of your option to take applied maths - I only get pure!

Oh and despite what Unbeliever will tell you, Trinity is not as good as Christ's

Edit: See it's actually physNatsci - Sorry about above, but maths is still obbviously very important

I've noticed a few people with offers with step included - what is it? Never heard of it before :|

Sixth Term Examination Papers: they used to exist in lots of subjects, but maths is the only one remaining, incorporated into offers from Cambridge and Warwick for relevant subjects (although lots of universities apparently encourage them to be taken, purely for the practice).

Essentially it takes the A Level maths syllabus (which is very similar to the Advanced Higher) and makes the questions non-trivial. A greater level of ability and insight, but not knowledge, is expected.

You have 3 hours to complete 6 questions; in practice, 4 completed reasonably well will earn you the second top grade (which is the standard offer, I believe). Paper 1 is substantially easier; papers 2 and 3 are, nominally, the same difficulty but with slightly different syllabuses. Papers 1 and 2 share a syllabus, whilst paper 3 includes a 'representative' Further Maths syllabus, comparable to taking both pure and applied maths at AH.

Sounds challenging, so when do you have to do it/have you had much practise with the sort of questions?

It is. I do them for fun, when I want a challenge. They are designed for the top 2% of A - level candidates and are therefore hard. Lots of the questions are set in an unusual context requiring logical thinking rather than learned techniques.

You have to do it for maths at cambridge/warwick although I think warwick only requires step I. Some other subjects - engineering, occasionally natsci - ask too on rare occasions.

You can download the past papers here:

http://www.admissionstests.cambridgeassessment.org.uk/adt/step/Test+Preparation

If you can complete the odd question here and there you are doing well.