The Student Room Group

Advanced higher and 4 higher courses

This year I am taking forward an advanced higher and 4 higher courses. I am getting stressed out as this is too much for me to deal with but I’m scared that my school won’t be understanding enough to let me drop it. I took the advanced higher as I wanted to go into law but I have changed my mind and want to go into business management. I received 5 A’s at higher last year but I’ve heard that dropping an advanced higher would make you look unprofessional and universities may not consider you for a course.
I don’t know what to do?
Original post by TM2300
This year I am taking forward an advanced higher and 4 higher courses. I am getting stressed out as this is too much for me to deal with but I’m scared that my school won’t be understanding enough to let me drop it. I took the advanced higher as I wanted to go into law but I have changed my mind and want to go into business management. I received 5 A’s at higher last year but I’ve heard that dropping an advanced higher would make you look unprofessional and universities may not consider you for a course.
I don’t know what to do?


:wavey:
I would definitely recommend dropping a subject if the workload is stressing you out. If you haven't submitted your UCAS application, the universities will have no way of knowing (unless you include it in your application) that you dropped a subject :smile: 5 As at higher will definitely meet the grade requirements for business management courses in Scotland, and is also enough for some law courses. Is it the AH specifically that is causing you stress, or another of your subjects?
Original post by TM2300
This year I am taking forward an advanced higher and 4 higher courses. I am getting stressed out as this is too much for me to deal with but I’m scared that my school won’t be understanding enough to let me drop it. I took the advanced higher as I wanted to go into law but I have changed my mind and want to go into business management. I received 5 A’s at higher last year but I’ve heard that dropping an advanced higher would make you look unprofessional and universities may not consider you for a course.
I don’t know what to do?

Whoever told you it would look unprofessional knows nothing. Why are you taking 4 Highers if you already have 5 A grades? If I were you, I'd take maybe 1 or 2 Highers + 1 or 2 Advanced Highers, just for variety. However, if you really don't want to do AH, that's completely fine. Just do a few more Highers.

Again, no-one cares or will even know if you drop subjects. Universities will only look at what they require. Nothing more and nothing less.
Original post by TM2300
This year I am taking forward an advanced higher and 4 higher courses. I am getting stressed out as this is too much for me to deal with but I’m scared that my school won’t be understanding enough to let me drop it. I took the advanced higher as I wanted to go into law but I have changed my mind and want to go into business management. I received 5 A’s at higher last year but I’ve heard that dropping an advanced higher would make you look unprofessional and universities may not consider you for a course.
I don’t know what to do?

They might not know that you dropped the Advanced Higher, but many (competitive) universities will look for an advanced higher and are more likely to condition you on your advanced higher(s) than your highers. If you're planning on applying to an English university I'd say that an Advanced Higher is a must have for most of the major unis.

Scottish unis may not be as strict but the big ones like Glasgow, Edinburgh, and St Andrews may look for an advanced higher. It's definetly worth it to check the requirements for the course you want to do in the universities you want to apply to.
Reply 4
Original post by Quick-use
Whoever told you it would look unprofessional knows nothing. Why are you taking 4 Highers if you already have 5 A grades? If I were you, I'd take maybe 1 or 2 Highers + 1 or 2 Advanced Highers, just for variety. However, if you really don't want to do AH, that's completely fine. Just do a few more Highers.

Again, no-one cares or will even know if you drop subjects. Universities will only look at what they require. Nothing more and nothing less.


This year my school Is only letting those who are doing advanced higher get free periods meaning I have to do five subjects.
Original post by TM2300
This year my school Is only letting those who are doing advanced higher get free periods meaning I have to do five subjects.

Why don't you do an Advanced Higher then?
Original post by snazzles
Scottish unis may not be as strict but the big ones like Glasgow, Edinburgh, and St Andrews may look for an advanced higher. It's definetly worth it to check the requirements for the course you want to do in the universities you want to apply to.

Glasgow, Edinburgh and St Andrews will only ask for AH grades if the course requires it. Otherwise, they really don't care if you take them or not. Doing AH subjects even if your university course doesn't require it will not make your application look more 'impressive' or 'competitive'. Universities really don't think that deeply - all they care about are the grades they ask for (as well as the personal statement and references). No more, no less. Of course, this doesn't mean you should waste time in S6 doing absolutely nothing; but, doing a couple of extra Highers is perfectly fine.

I say this from experience having stressed myself to the max in S6 doing 3 Advanced Highers, self-learning 2 Highers, 1 Higher + self-learning a Nat 5 subject... :facepalm:

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