maximising UCAS chances for S6 options

[GenieGenealogy]

DD is going into S6. She did OK in her Highers - ABCCC. She was hoping for ABBBB or ABBBC at the worst so was quite disappointed. Her grades are not ideal for the sort of courses she wants at uni (business management, international business, that sort of thing) so is trying to be smart about S6 choices.

She is going to do Advanced Higher business - business was the Higher she got the A in. She is also doing Higher Accounting.

She needs to do two more subjects to fill the timetable. The choices are :

1. Resit English (one of the Cs) and take a Nat 5 in something like Cake Craft or Woodwork.
2. Take 2 Nat 5s in things like volunteering and cake craft and go all out to maximise grades in Accounting and the Adv H.
3. Ditch the English and take up another Higher in Modern Studies or History, along with a non-academic nat 5.

Or option 4 - look into doing a Higher in Admin &IT at another local school but can see this being a nightmare with timetabling.

I’d say she needs to look at uni prospectus and what grades/ subjects she will need for her preferred courses. Then think about which subjects she feels she has a better chance of doing well in.
s6 should show progression so i don’t think that a cake craft n5 will improve her chances of getting into courses that she likes.

Absolutely- the Nat 5s are just non stressful timetable fillers.

One of my DCs friends was in a similar situation years ago and got advised by 2 unis she was interested in to upgrade 2 Cs and take 2 more subjects at H/AH. I'd also check whether unis she's interested in double count AHs if you have a higher.

I’d go crash highers rather than N5s

There are lots of issues around columns and timetabling. It's not a free choice of whatever - there are some subjects which are only in one column on the sheet and choosing one rules out doing others. Many of the subjects which are in the "free" columns are things like sciences and Maths which are a no-go, or Highers in Art, Music, Modern Languages when she doesn't have the Nat 5, and in the case of Art and Music, little talent.

Will take advice from teachers too.

upgrade the English, is she sporty can she do higher pe? Look at Aberdeen, Dundee, HW.

Or look at course like this. Higher National Diploma, do well and drop into 3rd year at Strathclyde. You could do this now if they gave places in clearing, ditch S6

www.cityofglasgowcollege.ac.uk/courses/diploma-higher-education-business-scqf-level-8-2025-09-01

Yeah the columns can be frustrating. I just think N5 is a bit of a waste though if it’s highers she needs for uni

well done your daughter for getting those highers.

my niece is away to start international business degree at Napier.
Over 5th and 6th year she got three highers ACC (PE, English, geography) and advance higher PE, but after 6th year she went to the local further education college and did an HNC in business. She did have a part time job all this time.

Getting top grades gives options but not the be all and end all.
I say this as a mum of two dc who were more academic focussed than my niece but had u turns of subjects they wanted to study at university so had conditional offers. They got firsts in their degrees and got those graduate jobs; but they had to learn to drive, work at least in their long summer holidays and had to take an enjoyable hobby focussed subjects in 6th year.

So, I would say get a part
time job, learn to drive and do option 2.

We always had fantastic grads from Glasgow Caledonian. I'd recommend looking there if you haven't.

Well said

in fact my eldest with 5 As was crippled with indecision because of the choice he had, went for the one that on paper was “the best”, loathed it, dropped out and is going back elsewhere this year

I have no idea re what would maximise chances but my two have both really got a lot out of Highers History, it was definitely one of their favourites. My eldest did not enjoy any part of Highers English so my youngest has avoided it (they are both STEM orientated too so this isn’t an area of strength for them). Maybe if she’s picking Highers let her ask around what your school has good teachers in and think about what she might enjoy (as much as possible given it’s still school and stressful) as that would probably also maximise her chance of success in the course.

When ds was at this stage we made up an excel with all the courses he was interested in and entrance criteria, then looked at the S6 options that would keep the most doors open for his most preferred courses. Obviously need to factor into that S6 options interest and capability (no point going for physics if no interest in it and find it tough).

A little hint when it comes to personal statements (assuming there is a PS still or something else written) is tell them to get onto The Student Room now and participate in some threads. Then once they have written their personal statement, as TSR member, they can share in a private area of TSR and get some feedback. Some of those that give the feedback are in admissions so it can be really helpful.

ds found it much more helpful than his schools feedback which was essentially - "that's good". The TSR reviewer had comments and advice on almost every line of his statement - such as remove this as not needed, expand on that, explain why you did this etc

I’ve spoken to a lot of uni admissions staff for a range of subjects. All highers are not equal.

I’d start by looking at whether the uni course is academic or not and how competitive it is. This should guide you as to how many ‘respected’ academic highers your child needs to take. You couldn’t get away with practical cake decorating as an A at higher to get into maths at a proper uni. For a course in something more practical you would.

Maths, physics, english, history, biology, chemistry, computing, geography, languages are respected as proper academic courses.

Engineering less so (too similar to maths and physics), graphic communication, modern studies, business, RMPS, psychology are less academically respected too.

More practical but show application art, music poss PE.

Not useful for uni cake decorating, application of maths.

To get into a hyper competitive degree you need to be doing at least 4 academically respected subjects, preferably 5. If something is less competitive you have a bit more flexibility.

I don’t think you can even do higher cake decorating, I think it’s only N5.

Applications of maths is fine at higher for uni entry as long as you’re not doing a maths/science/engineering type subject. My eldest has AH maths and he didn’t think his wee brother’s H apps of maths course was particularly easy.

Look outside of the box...she can research HNC/HND options at college then progress to uni later on if she chooses.

Not everyone needs to choose the exact same path.

There is more than one way to skin a cat.