Should I drop an Advanced Higher?

At the moment I'm studying AH Maths, AH Physics and AH Biology, and have gotten an unconditional for Biomedical Engineering at Glasgow and a conditional for a B in Physics for Strathclyde. Not 100% sure but I think I'm going to choose Glasgow. I'm also studying for a BTEC certificate in Aviation Studies, running a club at school, writing a book and trying to work on some inventions for the field I want to go in to. The workload at school though is just proving to be an awful lot so I'm thinking about dropping Maths, since I've still got a lot of my Physics project to do and don't want to risk messing it up. However I can manage if its genuinely going to affect my future employment. Does anyone have any experience with this or advice? Thanks

Reply 1

Cluck1519

12

Original post by Igotintouni

At the moment I'm studying AH Maths, AH Physics and AH Biology, and have gotten an unconditional for Biomedical Engineering at Glasgow and a conditional for a B in Physics for Strathclyde. Not 100% sure but I think I'm going to choose Glasgow. I'm also studying for a BTEC certificate in Aviation Studies, running a club at school, writing a book and trying to work on some inventions for the field I want to go in to. The workload at school though is just proving to be an awful lot so I'm thinking about dropping Maths, since I've still got a lot of my Physics project to do and don't want to risk messing it up. However I can manage if its genuinely going to affect my future employment. Does anyone have any experience with this or advice? Thanks

You’re at a tough point now, trying to get projects written up and assignments finished. You probably have 6 weeks of teaching to go until all the courses are just about finished. I had a look at the SQA exam timetable for you and saw Physics is on 30 April and then Maths is 11 May and Biology is 13 May (double check the dates to be sure) so there is over a week between Physics and Maths. Perhaps if you hang on till Easter and get things submitted by then, things will get a bit better. You know you’ve got a definite unconditional for Glasgow, but getting as many passes at AH as you can would be good, and it might give you another option in the future if you decide to explore another route. See how things work out and hang on in with the Maths if you can manage to do this. Taking a break from the book writing and the inventions until you get your Biology, Physics and Maths assignments completed might help and getting assistance from a friend or teacher for a week or two with the school club might also be useful. Good luck!

Reply 2

Rizzler72

10

Original post by Igotintouni

At the moment I'm studying AH Maths, AH Physics and AH Biology, and have gotten an unconditional for Biomedical Engineering at Glasgow and a conditional for a B in Physics for Strathclyde. Not 100% sure but I think I'm going to choose Glasgow. I'm also studying for a BTEC certificate in Aviation Studies, running a club at school, writing a book and trying to work on some inventions for the field I want to go in to. The workload at school though is just proving to be an awful lot so I'm thinking about dropping Maths, since I've still got a lot of my Physics project to do and don't want to risk messing it up. However I can manage if its genuinely going to affect my future employment. Does anyone have any experience with this or advice? Thanks

I actually study the exact same courses as you right now, got an unconditional for Biomedical Engineering at Strathclyde and Dundee. I'd encourage you to focus on school work and stop the book writing, perhaps even the inventions. The idea being that you'll have plenty of time to focus on these things in first year at Uni or when everything is a little less stressful. Congratulations on your offers though, love to see it, unconditionals alleviate alot of pressure but stick in! Just think about the end product.

Original post by Igotintouni

At the moment I'm studying AH Maths, AH Physics and AH Biology, and have gotten an unconditional for Biomedical Engineering at Glasgow and a conditional for a B in Physics for Strathclyde. Not 100% sure but I think I'm going to choose Glasgow. I'm also studying for a BTEC certificate in Aviation Studies, running a club at school, writing a book and trying to work on some inventions for the field I want to go in to. The workload at school though is just proving to be an awful lot so I'm thinking about dropping Maths, since I've still got a lot of my Physics project to do and don't want to risk messing it up. However I can manage if its genuinely going to affect my future employment. Does anyone have any experience with this or advice? Thanks

If you do decide to drop one of them, it's absolutely vital that you let the unis know you intend to do this, and get them to confirm that your offer will still stand.

While they have given you an unconditional, this is on the basis that they expect you to complete 3 advanced highers - any change you make to that is a change in your side of the deal (the UCAS/uni process does actually involve contracts). It's unlikely they'll say no, but if you do decide to not continue the course, it's super important that you let them know & check they're still happy to give you the offer!

To answer your actual question...Assuming the unis are happy to still give you an offer, I wouldn't stress about how it might impact future employment- 2 AHs is still well above what's standard/expected and once you've got a degree, the relevancy of what you did at school decreases quite a lot. I'd do what you feel is best for you, and would say that in general there is nothing wrong with giving yourself a slightly lesser academic load to be able to pursue other things...That said, we are at a point where we're getting close to the exams, so I think you'd probably be worth sticking in, getting the projects done (as if it would be maths you'd drop, you'll still need them anyways!) & out of your life and then you can always reassess if you're still finding it a bit much at that point.
The other option (since I sense something has to give) would be if there is something else you can temporarily press pause on to free up more time for your exams? Ultimately though- it depends what you feel is most important to you. Hope this helps :smile:

Reply 4

username1978099

6

Original post by Igotintouni

At the moment I'm studying AH Maths, AH Physics and AH Biology, and have gotten an unconditional for Biomedical Engineering at Glasgow and a conditional for a B in Physics for Strathclyde. Not 100% sure but I think I'm going to choose Glasgow. I'm also studying for a BTEC certificate in Aviation Studies, running a club at school, writing a book and trying to work on some inventions for the field I want to go in to. The workload at school though is just proving to be an awful lot so I'm thinking about dropping Maths, since I've still got a lot of my Physics project to do and don't want to risk messing it up. However I can manage if its genuinely going to affect my future employment. Does anyone have any experience with this or advice? Thanks

I have just graduated from the university of Glasgow with a degree in biomedical engineering. My best advice is to stick with all the advanced highers. I personally during high school undertook AH math, physics and chemistry and I found the courses (excluding chemistry) invaluable to beginning my undergraduate.
Starting a uni course is quite overwhelming so having a solid foundation is a pretty great start. I know that if you go to glasgow for BME the maths you learn in AH will vastly help your initial understand of engineering mathematics 1/2 and engineering statistics, the same with physics and engineering dynamics. Moreover the projects you will undertake in AH are quite similar to the first assignments you do in uni. AH biology i think would also help, before starting BME I had no experience in biology and found the courses such as intro to BME and physiology rather difficult, I would imagine with AH biology you would find them rather easy.
Overall I would definitely suggest sticking to doing the AHs, even if you don't get the best marks in the exams the experience and knowledge gained will be valuable, and help give you an easier first year in uni, and trust me if you decide to do an engineering degree you will never get the chance at an easy year again hahahha.

best of regards and best of luck

Reply 5

Rizzler72

10

Original post by Kenney

I have just graduated from the university of Glasgow with a degree in biomedical engineering. My best advice is to stick with all the advanced highers. I personally during high school undertook AH math, physics and chemistry and I found the courses (excluding chemistry) invaluable to beginning my undergraduate.
Starting a uni course is quite overwhelming so having a solid foundation is a pretty great start. I know that if you go to glasgow for BME the maths you learn in AH will vastly help your initial understand of engineering mathematics 1/2 and engineering statistics, the same with physics and engineering dynamics. Moreover the projects you will undertake in AH are quite similar to the first assignments you do in uni. AH biology i think would also help, before starting BME I had no experience in biology and found the courses such as intro to BME and physiology rather difficult, I would imagine with AH biology you would find them rather easy.
Overall I would definitely suggest sticking to doing the AHs, even if you don't get the best marks in the exams the experience and knowledge gained will be valuable, and help give you an easier first year in uni, and trust me if you decide to do an engineering degree you will never get the chance at an easy year again hahahha.

best of regards and best of luck

Hey, if you dont mind me asking, how abundant are the job opportunities for biomedical engineer graduates? Or do most go into research or postgraduate studies? Thanks :smile:

Reply 6

username1978099

6

Original post by Rizzler72

Hey, if you dont mind me asking, how abundant are the job opportunities for biomedical engineer graduates? Or do most go into research or postgraduate studies? Thanks :smile:

The jobs are very abundant cause its such a versatile degree. I personally decided to continue with a postgraduate in precision oncology. It is a good degree for job opportunities.

Should I drop an Advanced Higher?

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