Langages or Pharmacy:Biochemistry

It's always the best option to do what you love because in your case, Pharmacy and Languages are two VERY different career paths. If you really don't think you'll enjoy doing the sciences, you'll then most likely not do as well as you would want. I say go for languages, and you'll get good job opportunities if you work to the best of your ability and try to get into a Russell Group University (which would definitely set you up well)

This is what I’ve been thinking aswell, I’ve just returned from a residential trip to a local university where I spoke to modern languages students and people in admissions and they said not to worry about the jobs part as there are other things I can do

Hi there,
I’ve just started S4 and I’m in a muddle with subjects
I’m currently taking N5 English, Maths, Chemistry, Biology, French and Higher Music (fast tracking) with the hope to do Pharmacy or something related to Biochemistry at uni

Going into my new classes I’ve realised I’m not going to enjoy them as much as I hoped and I’m not sure whether or not to change to focus on Modern Languages.
I would drop N5 Chemistry or Biology and pick up N5 Spanish (studied in S2&3), the only issue is that my school has messed out our timetable and put French and Spanish in the same column meaning I would split my time between the two classes Andrade a free column go into another class within the department to self study the rest of the course, the school is okay with this. The only thing that is putting me off languages is getting a job after uni as I desperately don’t want to teach and sitting at a desk translating sounds like the most boring thing ever, I really want to travel though and I have a passion for languages.

Am I right in thinking this or should I just go with what I love?

Sorry for the super long post!

Any help would be much appreciated

Hi there,
I’ve just started S4 and I’m in a muddle with subjects
I’m currently taking N5 English, Maths, Chemistry, Biology, French and Higher Music (fast tracking) with the hope to do Pharmacy or something related to Biochemistry at uni

Going into my new classes I’ve realised I’m not going to enjoy them as much as I hoped and I’m not sure whether or not to change to focus on Modern Languages.
I would drop N5 Chemistry or Biology and pick up N5 Spanish (studied in S2&3), the only issue is that my school has messed out our timetable and put French and Spanish in the same column meaning I would split my time between the two classes Andrade a free column go into another class within the department to self study the rest of the course, the school is okay with this. The only thing that is putting me off languages is getting a job after uni as I desperately don’t want to teach and sitting at a desk translating sounds like the most boring thing ever, I really want to travel though and I have a passion for languages.

Am I right in thinking this or should I just go with what I love?

Sorry for the super long post!
Any help would be much appreciated

This is a little bit of a tricky one as what you enjoy isn't matching up with what you want to do...I think firstly you need to consider why you are not enjoying your sciences- is it you are disinterested in the content? Or you don't like the class/teacher? You are struggling to understand? Or something else? If you're not finding it interesting, then I think you should try and swap subjects. However the situation where you are unable to do both French and Spanish properly is not really ideal. It's difficult for me to comment without knowing you though, as you might be really able with languages and able to do it anyway!

In your situation, with the columns not working, and assuming you are leaning equally towards each option, I think that you should perhaps do the 2 sciences and pick a language (while keeping up some practice of the other in your free time), then in S5, you could do 2 higher languages (one would be a crash higher, which is feasible to do), along with 3 other subjects (I'm guessing Maths, English and a science). That would also leave both options open to you. Others will have different advice to this, but that's what I would suggest. Equally, you could be able to manage to do the 2 languages this year and then pick another science up later if you change your mind back to biochemistry again. It's really up to you to take as much as you would like from that and ultimately choose what you will enjoy and do well in.

Over the summer holidays, it might also be worth trying to get some work experience in both areas, as well as researching uni courses/jobs/speaking to current students and people in those areas of work. If you look in the relevant forums, there will be people here on TSR who are able and willing to help too You should be able make your final decision/change your decision after summer, so you should be able to do some of these suggestions before committing to which ones you will sit exams in.

Hope this helps

I think this is definitely related to teachers as my teachers for both Chemistry and Biology were much better last year than this (they both seem less enthusiastic and I know that one is going off sick for at least a term after the summer). In all honesty I don't think I would be able to keep Spanish (or French for that matter) up to a sufficient level without teaching for a year, I've spoke to teachers and they say this would not work. I've already done a lot of research into uni courses on UCAS and unfortunately as a Scottish student my options are very limited if I go down the Pharmacy route. There are other people splitting time between languages and the head of department is willing to let me do this.

As a very general statement, I would caution against shutting off an option just because the number of unis offering it is limited. But the fact you are says (to me at least) that you are not especially worried/bothered about the possibility of not studying it.

But, based on what you've said just now, it sounds like you have pretty much made your mind up then You just need to make the decision and stick with it for Nat 5- you can always pick up other subjects in S5/6 if you change your mind or want to keep your options open!