New player and Arcanist.

[LunaFaye]

Scholar and SMN share the same base class, Arcanist, that means that they both gain the equal amount of exp, no matter if you're on either SCH or SMN. All you have to do later on, pick up your job quests, these are separate. That is one reason, lots of people picking it, because you get 2 jobs (dps/heals) out of 1 leveling progress. While SCH isn't a very beginner friendly job, due to the micro managing of the fairy and the knowledge of fights, can be overwhelming for newer players. However while it does need practice compared to other healer roles, it isn't that bad/difficult, that you wouldn't be able to get into it. It also gives you the possibility to do your daily roulette faster, since you could queue as healer (sch) and go back to leveling with your dps (smn).

One thing I would like to mention, take a look at the changes made with the new stormblood expansion, especially at higher level. While I am not telling you what to play, all I can say is this, you might not enjoy it later on. Sadly that's all I can say, since otherwise my comment would be utterly bias, having played a SMN in HW but abandoned it now in SB.

But if I did have a say in it, level SCH/SMN till 50, pick up Astrologian after you have unlocked heavensward, or pick up red mage, after you reached 50, since that job starts at 50 and you probably have a better time with it.