How many Advanced Highers can you take

I'm only 4th year but I want to be prepared so there are no big surprises when it comes to AH's in 6th year. I'm in Scotland so I don't know if that makes a difference as to how many I can take I just want to know the maximum so I can work towards getting AH's in my favourite subjects.

Reply 1

PQ

Clearing and Applications Advisor

21

Original post by jammiedodger1708

I'm only 4th year but I want to be prepared so there are no big surprises when it comes to AH's in 6th year. I'm in Scotland so I don't know if that makes a difference as to how many I can take I just want to know the maximum so I can work towards getting AH's in my favourite subjects.

The upper limit will depend on your college/school and whether they're willing to enter you for more than 2-4 (and if they are willing whether it's possible for you to be timetabled in to enough lessons).

Reply 2

Puppo

15

Posted from TSR Mobile

3-4, 4 maximum unless you are really intelligent. Any more than 4 is unnecessary - 4 itself is unnecessary as I'm pretty sure the most unis will ever ask for are 3 advanced highers and so any more will just be ignored and all they will do is reduce your performance in other subjects (unless you are V smart).

Reply 3

leoq8

16

Original post by jammiedodger1708

I'm only 4th year but I want to be prepared so there are no big surprises when it comes to AH's in 6th year. I'm in Scotland so I don't know if that makes a difference as to how many I can take I just want to know the maximum so I can work towards getting AH's in my favourite subjects.

Even doing 3 Advanced Highers is quite unnecessary if you ask me, I'd say 2 is the best number; unless of course, you want to study in England. 2 AH and some Highers is just simply better and more appealing to 'most' Scottish universities.

Reply 4

Teenie2

11

Before you think about how many advanced highers to take, you should contact a variety of universities regarding how they view them. For example, according to the Edinburgh University entry requirements

"While Advanced Highers, with the exception of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine, are not required for entry, we strongly recommend that you pursue your studies at a more advanced level by taking at least one subject at Advanced Higher. This is because study at Advanced Higher level is excellent preparation for study at Edinburgh. Achievement in Advanced Highers can also contribute to entry requirements for Highers, with Grades B and C at Advanced Higher equating to Grades A and B at Higher respectively. Please note however, that we do not count both the Higher and Advanced Higher in the same subject, for example History at Higher and History at Advanced Higher, in meeting the requirement to have qualifications in at least four subjects at the required grades. Achievement in specific Advanced Highers may allow students to enter certain programmes within the College of Science and Engineering directly to the second year."

Whereas, for certain subjects, Glasgow Uni will double count Highers and Advanced Highers - "Double-counting of Advanced Highers and Highers to meet entry requirements is allowed for Accountancy & Finance and all Arts, Engineering, Science and Social Sciences subjects, and may be accepted for other subjects"

And just to complicate things further, there are also some Scottish university courses that allow you to start in 2nd year if you have good advanced highers.

Reply 5

Puppo

15

Posted from TSR Mobile

Yeah I agree. Be sure to research your desired course and email unis for specific advice! That said, I'd always recommend at least doing one advanced higher in the subject you want to study at uni.

Reply 6

___Sophie___

12

As many as you please. Although your school won't let you do more than 3, or sometimes 4. I wouldn't advise doing any more than 4 cause it's stupid. Although you could sit additional advanced highers as an external candidate at a college and self teach. If you look at the statistics there are a couple each year who do 5, I think 6 has even been done once or twice lol

If you are looking to go to university in England or apply for something like medicine then 3 advanced highers is what you need. 4 if you really want to but it's not at all necessary.

If you want to go to uni in Scotland you don't need any, only highers. Although as others have said you get quite a few people doing combinations like 2 advanced highers and 2 highers in S6.

Reply 7

Ring_Zero

4

If you have 5 columns of timetable, I'd recommend not doing more than 3 of those at Advanced Higher. I attempted too much in my sixth year, and it didn't go well. By all means, crash another Higher in the fourth column, but be prepared to dump it if things get too much. Your fifth column should be left clear for extra study time - extra work towards your other four subjects. I'm not a huge fan of DofE, "Personal Development", and similar cutting into that extra study time: Doing them as extra-curricular activities is fine, but you'll need all your school time and more for studying.

Reply 8

username3466480

8

Usually two or three, in my school we are only allowed to do three at the most - I would like to do four though. Pick the subjects that are most important for the courses/ jobs you'd like to do in the future as they take you to a higher level of learning and knowledge.

Reply 9

langlitz

17

Original post by jammiedodger1708

I'm only 4th year but I want to be prepared so there are no big surprises when it comes to AH's in 6th year. I'm in Scotland so I don't know if that makes a difference as to how many I can take I just want to know the maximum so I can work towards getting AH's in my favourite subjects.

I really don't understand people that try to get as many AH's as possible. It doesn't help you for university, and for most subjects the level is not that high in the grand scheme of things.
Personally I did Advanced Higher maths and chemistry, and also crashed higher computing in my final year. (I got 3 As)

Reply 10

Asklepios

19

Original post by jammiedodger1708

I'm only 4th year but I want to be prepared so there are no big surprises when it comes to AH's in 6th year. I'm in Scotland so I don't know if that makes a difference as to how many I can take I just want to know the maximum so I can work towards getting AH's in my favourite subjects.

You can do as many as you want. If you look at the statistics from 2016, of all people who took AHs, the average was 1.7 and the most anyone did was 5 (5 people, of whom 2 got 5As).

They're not really that difficult, especially for science subjects and maths I found, the step-up from higher to Ah is probably less than the step up from N5 to higher. Can't comment on arts/language.

Reply 11

calumarnott

It really depends on the school. At mine they are fairly open to u doing whatever u want as long as they can timetable it, I'm currently down to do 5 AH and a higher (maths, mechanics, physics, Spanish which are all necessary music and H bio out of interest). I did 7 H last year and predicted A's so if all goes well it shouldn't matter what I do this year. However if ur thinking of oxbridge, they'll ask u for A's in everything u do so if I decide to apply I'll definitely drop the unnecessary subjects so I don't get a ridiculous offer

Reply 12

Asklepios

19

Original post by calumarnott

It really depends on the school. At mine they are fairly open to u doing whatever u want as long as they can timetable it, I'm currently down to do 5 AH and a higher (maths, mechanics, physics, Spanish which are all necessary music and H bio out of interest). I did 7 H last year and predicted A's so if all goes well it shouldn't matter what I do this year. However if ur thinking of oxbridge, they'll ask u for A's in everything u do so if I decide to apply I'll definitely drop the unnecessary subjects so I don't get a ridiculous offer