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S6 Choices - Am I taking on too much?

Hi there!

I'm hoping to apply for medicine, and am planning on doing Advanced Higher Chemistry, Biology and Maths, and then Higher Politics. Is this too much? I really don't want to end up struggling because of the course load, but I really want to take Politics as it's something I'm really interested in. Also, how do the Advanced Higher courses compare to Higher - is there a big step up? Would you say the courses are more or less interesting at AH?

Thank you! :smile:
I can tell you a bit about the work load. AH chemistry and bio both require you to do your own investigation and these take time but lots of schools will schedule time for you to complete them in class but time outside of class will be necessary for most. If you are applying to Scottish med schools do have look at the entry requirements as a lot of them only want bio and Chem at advanced higher rather than 3.
While they are both a step up it is totally manageable but in chemistry there is a bit of a overhaul as you completely relearn aspects such as atomic structure in more depth.
3 advanced highers and then a higher that is useless for you is too much. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy politics and it is an interesting class but you’re doing yourself a disservice taking 4 subjects when it’s not necessary for you to have that higher. None of the unis will be particularly impressed by it. They want you to focus on your advanced highers because that’s what they’re asking for.
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jess4815
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Original post by cchloepx
3 advanced highers and then a higher that is useless for you is too much. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy politics and it is an interesting class but you’re doing yourself a disservice taking 4 subjects when it’s not necessary for you to have that higher. None of the unis will be particularly impressed by it. They want you to focus on your advanced highers because that’s what they’re asking for.

I meant to say, my school forces us to take 4 subjects so I have to choose something else, whether it is a Nat 5 or Higher. Unfortunately my school doesn't offer Nat 5 Politics otherwise I would've considered that.
Original post by jess4815
I meant to say, my school forces us to take 4 subjects so I have to choose something else, whether it is a Nat 5 or Higher. Unfortunately my school doesn't offer Nat 5 Politics otherwise I would've considered that.

Is it possible for you to explain that with you doing medicine you'll be busy with other stuff like preparing for the UCAT, so you really don't have time to do a 4th subject. My friends who are doing the same subjects as you this year for medicine definitely couldn't manage having an additional higher
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Original post by thepunmaster.e
Is it possible for you to explain that with you doing medicine you'll be busy with other stuff like preparing for the UCAT, so you really don't have time to do a 4th subject. My friends who are doing the same subjects as you this year for medicine definitely couldn't manage having an additional higher

Unfortunately not they're being firm on it. I'm not quite sure why but even with medicine we have to pick a 4th
Original post by jess4815
I meant to say, my school forces us to take 4 subjects so I have to choose something else, whether it is a Nat 5 or Higher. Unfortunately my school doesn't offer Nat 5 Politics otherwise I would've considered that.

you should really talk to your school / year head / etc. about that because expecting students to take on more than they can handle is not okay. 3 advanced highers in itself is a LOT. My school is the same where pupils had to take four subjects unless they were doing 1-3 advanced highers, then they were allowed to only take 3 and possibly something like leadership.

Are there any non-exam subjects you can take? A lot of people in my year do leadership. They get a qualification but there’s no exam to stress over and just some random coursework that isn’t too hard.

If not, politics isn’t the most difficult higher ever. Did you do higher modern studies? If so, it’s very much like higher mods but imo a lot easier. Very typical essay subject, consists of one paper of three essays, 2 20 mark and 1 12 mark and then your source paper. Only difference to higher mods is that with the sources instead of 2 10 mark questions and 1 8 mark question, you have 1 8 mark question and 1 20 mark. (20 mark sounds very daunting, it’s really not).

Sucks you have to do 4 though, especially considering how demanding advanced highers are. I was doing advanced mods, English, and then higher French and politics but I ended up dropping English last month because it was too much work.

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