Time at Bo’ness Academy: 2015 – 2020 (Profile completed June 2020 - days after leaving the school)

 

What will be your destination be now you are leaving Bo’ness Academy? 

This September I plan to start my degree in Life Sciences at the University of Glasgow. This is a 4 year honours degree with the option of a completing a masters between my final two years. After second year I must specialise in a singular aspect of Life Science and currently I am most interested in Neuroscience. All of this is dependent on my exam results due to being an S5 leaver and holding a conditional offer. 

 

What school subjects do you feel have helped you most with your career plans?

Due to the University course being Biology focused, Biology was naturally an important subject for me to have studied throughout school. The teachers in this department were particularly enthusiastic and full of encouragement when I expressed an interest in their subject. I did not take Chemistry as this was not a requirement for Glasgow. I'd recommend anyone considering going onto further/higher education to check entry requirements so you know which subjects you must take in school. Having taken Maths and Physics as other sciences these were sufficient for Glasgow’s conditions but this is not the case everywhere. I studied a wide range of subjects from History to Drama which really broadened my options too.

 

Within school you got heavily involved in leadership opportunities. How do you think they have benefited you as you leave school?

At school I had many leadership opportunities through being a dance leader, young leader and then Sports Captain. These have allowed me to experience many different sports through volunteering and also to meet new people. Without them I doubt I would have made it to University as they made up the bulk of my application. It was important to highlight to Universities that although I was interested in a STEM career, I also had interests elsewhere that provided me with transferable skills. Teamwork, confidence and organisational skills are amongst many things I gained from leading. It is so important to have these as they are used almost daily in all kinds of careers so I would encourage people to volunteer where possible and take all opportunities that come their way.

 

What support did you receive from the school in relation to applying for University?

The majority of my support came from my UCAS Mentor Mr Latimer who helped me greatly with my personal statement and wrote a fantastic reference for me. The rest of the Pastoral Team also took an interest in my application and future, offering their help where needed which was much appreciated. Mrs Hill and Mr McFarlane who were in oversaw the UCAS process helped with the rest of my application and with gathering references from all of my exam level teachers. Mr Ramsey also offered valuable input and support when writing about Biology in my statement as he knew what Universities would look for in a Biology student. In general I had support from teachers all across the school through writing references and I am so grateful to have had such a huge support base.

 

What advice would you offer to any pupils when they are choosing subjects at school?

As everyone will say, choose subjects you enjoy as you are far more likely to succeed in them as working for them will not feel forced. These subjects should motivate you to work hard for them and you should want to achieve in them. Alongside this, if you are unsure on what you want to do, I would recommend taking a variety of subjects as that will allow you to have access to many different careers. If you have a career or further education course in mind, make sure to look out for subject requirements as well before it’s too late to change them. I wouldn’t choose subjects based on your friends interests as you may not be placed in the same class. You also shouldn’t choose a subject because you like a certain teacher either as again you may not get taught by them.