Any engineers out there? Need a bit of advice re son's subject choices

[SirChenjin]

Looking for a bit of advice. DS1 excelled (honestly never though I would say that!!) in his standard grades and will now continue in his Higher physics, chemistry, product design and maths classes. He was also in the Higher English class but didn't get the right grade in his exam so there is a question mark over whether or not he will continue at this level.

We're looking at a couple of options including an appeal or dropping English to take computing at Higher instead. He's currently thinking of chemical engineering, but might do a general engineering degree specialising later. As an engineer, would you definintely want to see a new graduate with an English Higher or A Level, or would you be happy with them having computing instead?

English A'level not required for Chem Eng.

Nearly everyone I know has Chem Phys and Maths (we're form England, and old enough for most to have 3 A'levels, the really cleaver ones have 4). Further maths is the commonest 4th A'level.

Computing sounds reasonable tho if engineering and science required A'level English it wouldn't have been my career path so I'm biased

Simply because in Scotland most people do Maths and English at higher I think it might look odd if he didn't do English in 5th year. Also would the school allow this? At most places English is more or less compulsory. If he can't do Higher English could he do Int2?

I agree with jellicalcat that there is an expectation of higher English in the Scottish system. My advice is to check the uni prospectuses for entry requirements for chosen uni's and courses. I took higher english but can't remember if it was a prereqisite to my BSc Electronic Engineering. The RAF (i'm an engineer officer) didn't care I had higher English (they wanted my degree), and looking at my RAF training, computing would have served me better.

I checked with Edinburgh and Heriot Watt today, and both said that English was not a core subject so as long as he had maths, chemistry and physics at A then the other 2 subjects would not matter (within reason) and that computing would be welcomed - he wouldn't be disadvantaged as such by not having Higher English.

I'm loathe to put him forward for English Int 2 in 5th year/Higher in 6th as I feel it's dragging things out in a subject which he doesn't enjoy at the expense of Higher computing (they can only take 5 subjects) which he does enjoy and should certainly pass - it also opens up new avenues should he decide not to go into engineering. The school has said that he can drop English.

I wonder if he should drop English in 5th year and swap it for computing Higher, then do Int 2 in 6th year along with any Advanced Highers he choses?

As an engineer, would you definintely want to see a new graduate with an English Higher or A Level, or would you be happy with them having computing instead?

From an English POV, hardly any Y13 students heading for engineering courses would have studied English at A level. They would be taking Maths, Further Maths, Physics etc. English wouldn't be on the list at all.

It sounds completely different in Scotland.

I'm not sure if it is different judging from what the 2 universities said - although I'm aware that JellicleCat's view as an engineer is different. Argh, what to do, what to do...

My DS has just done his Highers, but when he was choosing, school said it was best to do the ones you'd get best marks in. The grades req for engineering are higher this year than last, and the feeling is that it will soon be a "five As at one sitting" subject.

As an aside, my friend's son wants to do medicine, so needs five As. He's not doing English, as it was one of his weakest standard grades.

My DH is a mechanical engineer, in Scotland, and he didn't have higher English.....didn't need it for his uni place at all.

He was offered a place at the end of fifth year on the basis of his results in physics and maths...he went on to do (at the time) Csys (sixth year studies, think theyre advanced highers now?) maths and physics in 6th year for fun (!). He got his current job as a graduate engineer and has now risen to the top of his field and lack of higher English has not held him back. Only thing is, this was back in 2000 so things may well be different now.

I however, did csys english and almost went on to do an English degree ( chose another subject in the end) and I correct his spelling all the time (grin)

Thank you for all your advice - it's much appreciated

I think from an admissions point of view Computing and English will have the same standing, provided neither is a specified requirement. Personally I would prefer English; writing skills are so important in engineering degrees and English would probably develop these more than computing. Most applicants to my department have higher English but it isn't required. What about higher Biology, could he do that? That is really useful for the biochemical parts of chemical engineering. That might seen as more relevant than computing ay some universities.

We're not Scottish so can't comment on university requirements - is he set on chemical?

I ask because if he was thinking design/systems/electrical/mechanical/aeronautical etc then CAD work flows quite naturally from that and seems highly sought after in the job market - computing would probably work well with that. The design/CAD specialists I know are highly valued and generally did physics, maths, ICT type options.

PS I'm not an engineer, I just married into a family of engineers so picked up lots!

No, he's not set 100% on chemical engineering, although that's what he's interested in at the moment. His thinking is that by changing to Higher computing he could then apply for aeronautical engineering (his other main interest) or an IT related degree course if he decided next year that he didn't want to do chemical engineering - whereas if he continued with his weakest subject (ie English) he wouldn't necessarily have that option open to him. He categorically does not want to apply to any English, biological sciences or humanities based degree.

All your help and advice has been invaluable, I can't thank you enough

Sorry - should have added that he can't do biology at Higher as he didn't take it at Standard Grade.

If the courses he is interested in do not require English, and English is his weakest subject, higher computing seems like the most sensible option. I think he'd enjoy it more and therefore get a better grade that is linked to a profession he is interested in. It's never easy navigating through all this stuff... :)

Thanks EveryDay - that's our (and his!) thinking too. I had no idea it was going to be this difficult, between waiting for the exam results and now this I'm going greyer by the day - and this is only the start of it! My parents weren't terribly interested in my Highers and University sadly, and I was pretty much left to my own devices, so I really want to support and guide him as much as I can.

My DS is doing Chem Eng though at an English uni. He did 3 scoiences and maths. he says Further maths would have been more helpful than biology. Its a LOT of maths in CHem Eng so I think Further maths wd be useful.

Thanks Sandripples

He's decided to drop English and take Computing in its place - we felt that it was more important to get 5 Highers at A, and given his past performance in English that wasn't going to happen if he took it at Higher.

Another vote for Further Maths.

Engineering is very maths heavy, and believe me the maths lecturers from the maths dept can be less than enamoured at having to teach 1st year engineers, "basic" differential calculus, matrix algebra, fourier transforms.

So very much pays to have that background covered.

Also it allows potential engineers to see if heavy maths is really what they want in a subject.