Work experience / extra reading for a biological sciences degree

Hello
I’m currently in year 12 and am in the process of looking at unis at which to study biological sciences. I would really like to do some extra reading and work experience not only to boost my PS but to make sure that this subject is right for me, so any recommendations would be really helpful. Thanks

You don't need w/e and it will be very hard to get. Read around the topics that you will be taught. You can find out what they are from your course structure.

Hello
I’m currently in year 12 and am in the process of looking at unis at which to study biological sciences. I would really like to do some extra reading and work experience not only to boost my PS but to make sure that this subject is right for me, so any recommendations would be really helpful. Thanks

If you're interested in evolutionary biology I can recommend:

The Selfish Gene by Dawkins.

Stephen Gould's essay collections are good too, although he has some "idiosyncratic" views of evolution.

The Gene: an intimate history by Mukherjee got all sorts of awards recently although I haven't read it.

Matt Ridley's books are good.

Jared Diamond's book are excellent (he won the Pulitzer!), especially Guns, Germs and Steel. Merges history with biology.

Hello
I’m currently in year 12 and am in the process of looking at unis at which to study biological sciences. I would really like to do some extra reading and work experience not only to boost my PS but to make sure that this subject is right for me, so any recommendations would be really helpful. Thanks

Reading-wise, a good understanding of evolution will always be useful, so try something like "Your Inner Fish" by Neil Shubin. Good inspiring popular science might include "Power, Sex Suicide" by Nick Lane (cell biology), "The Serengeti Rules" by Sean Carroll (ecology). The OUP "Very Brief Introduction" series gives you an idea of basic U/G level science - for example, "The Cell", "Marine Biology", "Bacteria" - but they are a bit dry.

You could try volunteering at a local nature reserve - participate in an organised survey e.g. water vole monitoring, bird atlas surveys, so that you get a sense of the drudgery of going out in the field and getting freezing cold (!), or staff a stall for your local Wildlife Trust at a summer fair to do some "public engagement". Lab based stuff is harder to organise...but obviously, you could go to a Uni open day where they show you what happens indoors....