Highers 5th choice

I've just completed my S4 prelims, and after the holidays we have to choose our course choices for next year. Which is horrifying! Anyways, I'm currently taking N5 maths, english, physics, chemistry, biology, business, computing, along with higher apps of maths and mandarin. (Predicted an A in all of them)

I'm thinking of pursuing medicine, and I'm going to take maths, english, chemistry and biology next year. I don't know what to choose for my fifth choice, plus I think the highers I did this year may not count for some universities, as they want the highers in one sitting.

I don't really want to take computing, given we were never given a strong foundation in it at our school, and I simply just don't get how our teacher teaches.
I'm also just simply not that good at physics, and the jump between N5 and higher seems really daunting :/ (plus I don't want to do three science projects consecutively again)
Business is what I was initially set upon, but the prelim has given me doubts, I finished with about 5 minutes left, haven written 12 pages of stuff I wasn't even sure was fully intelligible, idk, is business that relevant to med?

Reply 1

michaelwr

Original post

by C_MADEL

I've just completed my S4 prelims, and after the holidays we have to choose our course choices for next year. Which is horrifying! Anyways, I'm currently taking N5 maths, english, physics, chemistry, biology, business, computing, along with higher apps of maths and mandarin. (Predicted an A in all of them)
I'm thinking of pursuing medicine, and I'm going to take maths, english, chemistry and biology next year. I don't know what to choose for my fifth choice, plus I think the highers I did this year may not count for some universities, as they want the highers in one sitting.
I don't really want to take computing, given we were never given a strong foundation in it at our school, and I simply just don't get how our teacher teaches.
I'm also just simply not that good at physics, and the jump between N5 and higher seems really daunting :/ (plus I don't want to do three science projects consecutively again)
Business is what I was initially set upon, but the prelim has given me doubts, I finished with about 5 minutes left, haven written 12 pages of stuff I wasn't even sure was fully intelligible, idk, is business that relevant to med?

Really you should consult the Universities to identify which Highers are required for medicine and if you need to take in one sitting particularly as many complete 6th year first.
One option to consider is crashing higher PE, some courses consider PE and it is also a relatively easy subject as 50% of the final mark is practical performance. If you are sporty achieving 100% in practical means you just need to pass the written to get an A (or the opposite if you are not sporty).
Being an easier subject with little homework means you can focus more on the other subjects as they are likely the ones you could fail to get an A.
I know medicine is very competitive, particularly for Scottish students as limited funded placed. A friend's son didn't get the grades but is looking at paramedic science as an easier entry and then has the option to train later to become a doctor.

Hope this gives you some ideas.

Reply 2

Jackowacko09

Original post

by C_MADEL

I've just completed my S4 prelims, and after the holidays we have to choose our course choices for next year. Which is horrifying! Anyways, I'm currently taking N5 maths, english, physics, chemistry, biology, business, computing, along with higher apps of maths and mandarin. (Predicted an A in all of them)
I'm thinking of pursuing medicine, and I'm going to take maths, english, chemistry and biology next year. I don't know what to choose for my fifth choice, plus I think the highers I did this year may not count for some universities, as they want the highers in one sitting.
I don't really want to take computing, given we were never given a strong foundation in it at our school, and I simply just don't get how our teacher teaches.
I'm also just simply not that good at physics, and the jump between N5 and higher seems really daunting :/ (plus I don't want to do three science projects consecutively again)
Business is what I was initially set upon, but the prelim has given me doubts, I finished with about 5 minutes left, haven written 12 pages of stuff I wasn't even sure was fully intelligible, idk, is business that relevant to med?

Hey! I’m currently in fifth year, studying English, maths, chemistry, physics and computing science. Firstly, consider which subject you find most enjoyable and what you are most likely to get an A in. I also want to apply for medicine, and have done a lot of research into entry requirements and they honestly don’t care what subjects you take as long as you have chemistry and some require bio as well (I’ll be crashing bio in s6). You will need to sit 5 highers in one year, so I don’t think they will take into consideration your highers from this year unfortunately.
Personally, I went with computing science because I find that I don’t have to study much to do well, although it’s definitely not my favourite subject. It is worth considering if there are any crash highers you could potentially do, if your school allows you to. I’m crashing chem this year and if you do some work going over Nat 5 concepts crashing is definitely not impossible, though it’s obviously a little harder than doing a subject you have studied at Nat 5 level.
I absolutely love higher physics, I find that the theory is a lot more interesting than Nat 5 (it will boggle your brain at first but when it clicks it’s so worth it!). However, given that you are already taking two higher sciences that might be a lot to handle.
I wouldn’t worry too much about your prelim results for business. Only 3 people in my year got an a in the business prelim last year, and far more achieved it in the final exam. Lots of my friends take business and opinions are pretty mixed, though that’s mainly due to my school having some… questionable business teachers. I’d say if you enjoy it the most then that would be the one I would recommend you pick! My friends that really enjoyed business at Nat 5 are also enjoying the higher course and find it quite manageable.
Hope you enjoy whatever you end up choosing!

Reply 3

imxa6

Study Forum Helper

to add to this - your fifth higher doesn't matter at all, especially for medicine! pick something you think you'll do well in and you will enjoy - e.g. i picked higher physics. i'd wait till you get your business results to fully decide not to do it at higher - many people i know do higher business for medicine.
honestly if you're fully confident in your ability to crash a higher in 5th year go for it! but i think if i were you i'd just go for a more laidback higher - means a chill-er s5 🙂

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