SCOTLAND: sqa s6 minimum number of subjects

Hi, what is the minimum number of subjects i can take at S6? I am hoping to take Advanced higher in History and Drama and a third subject of a Higher in Photography. The school suggest 4 minimum. Is there any flexibility in the number? I know if you do 3 advanced highers, you can just do those 3. Is anyone on here only doing 3, where they are not all advanced highers.? At a push i could begin a fourth topic and drop out if i cannot manage it. Do schools allow you to drop subjects part way through the year? Any advice appreciated.

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(edited 3 years ago)

Reply 1

username4250206

Honestly if you only want to take 3 but your school is making you take 4, take a subject that you can just not turn up to, my school does stuff like N4 bakery, leadership , mental health (which is literally just filling out a booklet) . Your school will probably let your drop it a month in anyways. You could just take another higher or N5 and then not put any effort in if you don't have any 'pisstake' subjects.

Reply 2

Labrador99

Volunteer Team

Original post by boc_man_orkney

There's no mandatory number nationally, only numbers that specific schools set, generally because they want people to be getting as much as they can out of the year...Speak to your specific school if you only want to do 3 subjects, but also do some thinking about how you might want to spend the rest of the time in the week - if you can go to them saying that you think 3 subjects and a work placement/leadership award/project work/Open Uni module/etc. would be best for you and why, they're likely to be less resistant to the idea of it. As for dropping subjects, generally schools want people to keep them up, but the greater driver is usually what will result in the best outcome for you - if they think that you're dropping it for an easy time, they may well be resistant, but if it's because you're having a hard time, it's generally a sensible option.

As above, the other option is to do something that you'd find easy and/or enjoy as a 4th subject to fill the space

Hopefully this helps :smile:

Reply 3

BlackLab

I am in the same situation I want to do Engineering at uni and I am doing AH Maths, AH Physics with Crash Higher Geography which feels like a lot and have no idea what to pick for the 4th column that's not going to overload me.

Worried about doing another AH (chemistry) or a another crash higher which would be graphic comms, and the only Nat5 subject I have left I can take to higher is PE (or modern studies, but didn't enjoy that at nat5).

I asked the Unis, careers advisor, pupil support teacher and they haven't been very helpful, just say pick 4 subjects then say don't overload 🤦🏼*♂️

I might take higher PE so I at least get a run around, don't know how much more is classed based at higher.

Reply 4

crayonsrcool

Original post by BlackLab

im currently picking S6 options as well and our school is EXTREMELY keen on making you do FIVE subjects in S6 for whatever reason, however because im choosing two AH's, i get to drop a column. our school is also heavily putting us off doing advanced highers for whatever reason, and they are trying to tell us that unis dont accept them etc etc.

for me, i spoke to people about the workload of AH's and ive looked into what i needed for uni, so i settled on two AH', a crash higher and a N5 equivalent college course as it seems interesting, but pretty easy.

im not sure what to recommend, but i feel like, think about the workload of s5 and decide if 5 highers was enough, or if you could potentially manage more! i guess its down to preference and what you think you'll enjoy doing.

Graph com is a good one to crash too, as i did it this year, but it is quite a fair amount of work to learning how to use brand new softwares etc

Reply 5

mspratt1

I’m currently picking my s6 options too and i would say definitely speak to your teachers because 2 AH and a higher should be fine, they can’t force you to take 4 subjects and just say you need the extra free periods for studying

Reply 6

BlackLab

Original post by crayonsrcool

When I spoke to the uni about my engineering course they said AH maths and AH Physics were not needed for entry but they were good preparation for 1st year work. They also said if I don't get the As required at higher a good grade AH (A/B) might be considered.

I really worry about the extra level of independent study and coursework in the physics AH, as we haven't done an assignment at higher level due to covid and it will be a huge jump up from nat5. Maybe that is why the school is putting you off. Or maybe it's because so few do AH at our school it means a teacher needs to support when they are already stretched with covid.

Reply 7

crayonsrcool

Original post by BlackLab

yeah, i think you'll get used to the independence so it shouldn't be too bad when you get further into the year.

i know for me, that in Higher modern studies, the way our school structure it is so its very independent. i'm also someone who likes independent study, but i also like reassurance that im doing something correct.

as you say, AH's will prepare us all well for uni, so i think they are very much worth doing in my opinion!

ive also heard/seen on uni websites that a B at AH is the equivalent to a higher A. one of my teachers said that a N5 A, is a Higher C, but im not sure how true that is? but a B at AH will be very good still :smile:

Reply 8

cchloepx

Some schools want you to PICK 4 or more but then allow people to drop subjects throughout the year if it’s too much work.

My school makes people pick 5 subjects at first! 5! It’s ridiculous- I don’t even know why they bother. Like yeah maybe 5 if you’re resitting highers or doing nat5s or whatever..
They wanted me to take 2 advanced highers and 3 highers at the beginning of the year. I do 4 now- I dropped one of the highers- but it’s still a lot of work :/