Advice about college/university for new scots

Hi everyone! I'm moving to Scotland in a few days and considering studying law at university. However, I don’t want to become a solicitor, so I’m wondering if a law degree is still worth it. Are there entry-level jobs I could get with a law degree without needing further qualifications?

I prefer humanities subjects since I don’t enjoy science or maths. Ideally, I’d like to study something that leads directly to a job without requiring additional certifications.

I’m 22 years old with IGCSE qualifications, a multimedia diploma, and one year of work experience. Since I don’t have A-Levels, I believe I’ll need to study Highers at college before applying to university.

Questions:
1.Are Highers and Advanced Highers harder than A-Levels?
2.Since I’m moving to Scotland in February, will I need to wait until September to enrol in college for Highers?
3.How can I improve my university application? Are there specific courses, volunteer opportunities, or extracurricular activities that could strengthen my chances of getting an offer?
4. Is there anything I need to know about highers ?
5. Is it worth doing advanced highers when it is not required by universities?
6.Can I choose any 5 highers subjects in college or it depends on the available courses? I saw there's access courses and they have certain subjects.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

(edited 10 months ago)

Reply 1

Stormgrad

Since you're 22 look at access to Higher Education courses. I'm doing one in Humanities snd Social Sciences. As a 38 yr old and have recieved offers from a number of universities to continue my study to undergraduate level.

Where in Scotland are you moving I am a former Edinburgh resident

Reply 2

eqouzz

Original post

by Tealdandelions

Hi everyone! I'm moving to Scotland in a few days and considering studying law at university. However, I don’t want to become a solicitor, so I’m wondering if a law degree is still worth it. Are there entry-level jobs I could get with a law degree without needing further qualifications?
I prefer humanities subjects since I don’t enjoy science or maths. Ideally, I’d like to study something that leads directly to a job without requiring additional certifications.
I’m 22 years old with IGCSE qualifications, a multimedia diploma, and one year of work experience. Since I don’t have A-Levels, I believe I’ll need to study Highers at college before applying to university.
Questions:
1.Are Highers and Advanced Highers harder than A-Levels?
2.Since I’m moving to Scotland in February, will I need to wait until September to enrol in college for Highers?
3.How can I improve my university application? Are there specific courses, volunteer opportunities, or extracurricular activities that could strengthen my chances of getting an offer?
4. Is there anything I need to know about highers ?
5. Is it worth doing advanced highers when it is not required by universities?
6.Can I choose any 5 highers subjects in college or it depends on the available courses? I saw there's access courses and they have certain subjects.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

hi! highers are easier than a-levels whereas advanced highers are harder than a-levels.

i wouldn't recommend doing advanced highers as they're only desired by scottish universities for specialist degrees such as medicine or engineering. i'd recommend taking more highers compared to taking a couple advanced highers.

you can't enrol until september yes. your best bet is to get a part time job from february but also make sure you don't miss any deadlines for college applications.

Reply 3

stilllearning123

Original post

by Tealdandelions

Hi everyone! I'm moving to Scotland in a few days and considering studying law at university. However, I don’t want to become a solicitor, so I’m wondering if a law degree is still worth it. Are there entry-level jobs I could get with a law degree without needing further qualifications?
I prefer humanities subjects since I don’t enjoy science or maths. Ideally, I’d like to study something that leads directly to a job without requiring additional certifications.
I’m 22 years old with IGCSE qualifications, a multimedia diploma, and one year of work experience. Since I don’t have A-Levels, I believe I’ll need to study Highers at college before applying to university.
Questions:
1.Are Highers and Advanced Highers harder than A-Levels?
2.Since I’m moving to Scotland in February, will I need to wait until September to enrol in college for Highers?
3.How can I improve my university application? Are there specific courses, volunteer opportunities, or extracurricular activities that could strengthen my chances of getting an offer?
4. Is there anything I need to know about highers ?
5. Is it worth doing advanced highers when it is not required by universities?
6.Can I choose any 5 highers subjects in college or it depends on the available courses? I saw there's access courses and they have certain subjects.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Welcome to Scotland! Where are you from originally?
Your questions, by order:

Highers, no, Advanced highers are the same level ish

Probably, yes. There wouldn't be much point in starting highers this late in the year as we have already covered more than 2/3rds of the course, so you'd be too far behind for it to matter.

Volunteering is always good, no matter where, and if it is law you are interested in, you could see about getting some work experience with solicitors or just sitting in court rooms. Even if it isn't this kind of law you are interested in, it gives you something to talk about in your personal statement.

Highers are decently easy if you put in the work, regular revision and do all your homework. If you can keep these up you should get top grades.

Usually, Highers are entry requirements, but uni's give out conditional offers that state you will need to have advanced higher whatever at a B to receive an invite to study at the university. You should look on the uni's websites that you are interested in and look at the specific entry requirements.

Usually, you can choose any subject, unless it is a course taken by basically no one else. You should again have a look on the uni websites for specific entry requirements to decide on which courses you should take.

Best of luck, if you have any more questions I'll do my best to answer them!

Reply 4

Tealdandelions

Original post

by Stormgrad

Since you're 22 look at access to Higher Education courses. I'm doing one in Humanities snd Social Sciences. As a 38 yr old and have recieved offers from a number of universities to continue my study to undergraduate level.
Where in Scotland are you moving I am a former Edinburgh resident

Hi, thanks a lot for taking from your time to write under my post! I will look into access to Higher Education. Some people told me to take HNC & HND legal services to be able to go to university... I dont know what to choose but will see how it goes :biggrin:

I moved to West dunbartonshire! Nice to hear from a former Edinburgh resident. I actually visited Edinburgh in the weekend and I absolutely loved it. It's veryy beautiful!

Reply 5

Tealdandelions

Original post

by eqouzz

hi! highers are easier than a-levels whereas advanced highers are harder than a-levels.
i wouldn't recommend doing advanced highers as they're only desired by scottish universities for specialist degrees such as medicine or engineering. i'd recommend taking more highers compared to taking a couple advanced highers.
you can't enrol until september yes. your best bet is to get a part time job from february but also make sure you don't miss any deadlines for college applications.

I see! Thanks a lot for your time!!

Reply 6

Tealdandelions

Original post

by stilllearning123

Welcome to Scotland! Where are you from originally?
Your questions, by order:

Highers, no, Advanced highers are the same level ish

Probably, yes. There wouldn't be much point in starting highers this late in the year as we have already covered more than 2/3rds of the course, so you'd be too far behind for it to matter.

Highers are decently easy if you put in the work, regular revision and do all your homework. If you can keep these up you should get top grades.

Best of luck, if you have any more questions I'll do my best to answer them!

Hi, thank you so much !! I'm Sudanese and I moved from Sri lanka ! I really love it here but I will need to get used to the cold weather XD

Thanks a lot for your detailed answer! I'm currently looking into access program and HNC/HND. I feel that I'm way behind others because I don't have A levels or highers and it's kinda stressing me out haha.

My question is would you recommend doing highers or A levels over Access, HNC & HND ? And are A levels even an option if you are located in scotland ?

Thanks again!

Reply 7

stilllearning123

Original post

by Tealdandelions

Hi, thank you so much !! I'm Sudanese and I moved from Sri lanka ! I really love it here but I will need to get used to the cold weather XD
Thanks a lot for your detailed answer! I'm currently looking into access program and HNC/HND. I feel that I'm way behind others because I don't have A levels or highers and it's kinda stressing me out haha.
My question is would you recommend doing highers or A levels over Access, HNC & HND ? And are A levels even an option if you are located in scotland ?
Thanks again!

It really depends on what you want to go to university for, look on the uni websites for the courses that you are interested in and see what the entry requirements are for them.
A-levels are basically the same thing as Highers combined with Advanced Highers so I don't think there would be much point. English universities accept them the same as A-levels.
Best of luck!