IB Subject Choices

[ad astra.]

I'll be taking IB next year (I'll be part of the May 2013 candidates), and here are my choices:

Higher

English A1 Lang and Lit

Biology

Chemistry

Standard

Maths (not Studies)

Spanish B

Psychology

At the moment, I am most likely to go to a US university, but if I go to the UK my choices will set me up for a more scientific career. Do you think, with my choices, I could go into a non-scientific route? (Especially since sometimes psychology is considered a science, depending on who you ask.) I want to keep my options open, as I don't know what career I want to do in the future, but I could be limiting myself for all I know.

Also, I don't mind swapping English and Spanish, but I'm worried because I have heard that a language B Higher is very difficult and I'm not sure if it's advisable to take it, particularly because I am taking 2 science HLs. And I have heard that the Group 2 courses are changing for May 2013, but from what I have heard it's only changing by getting rid of the A2 courses in Group 2. Does anyone have any information on the changes that will be taking place for May 2013? (I've already read this and this.)

I have also heard that Psychology is difficult, as the average score for May 2010 was SL was 4.27 according to the IB Statistical Bulletin. Does anyone have any opinions on this?

My grades are good (I'm an all-rounder), so that doesn't help me narrow down my courses, unfortunately.

What do you think of my subject combination?

[Guest Soiboist]

What kind of career would you be interested in except for science?

For UK at least your subject should reflect your interest towards the course that you'll be studying, for instance if you want to study History the admission officers will wonder why you didn't choose it as a HL subject. The HLs are most important for UK as it is equivalent to A levels.

There are still two different language options apart from B and ab initio. You can pick English A Literature (equivalent to A1) or English A Language and Literature (roughly equivalent to A2). Keep in mind that English A Literature is considered one of the toughest subjects for getting a 7, but Spanish B HL will probably also be quite a lot of work, depending on your prior level of language.

I don't think Psychology is hard compared to other subject, all the average grades are low as there are a lot of people around the world not taking the IB as seriously as others.

Your subject combination is great if you like science and want to study it at university, and for US it is probably fine for both as they don't mind your subjects to much (at least what I've heard). Out of English, Spanish or Psychology you should just choose the one you like most and you think you'll be willing to spend time with. In the end that is what is most important, to study something you like.

[ad astra.]

I'm not quite sure what career I want... It's just a possibility that I could go into medicine etc, and if I don't take Chem(/Bio) at Higher then I can't get a degree in medicine in the UK. Just trying to keep my options open, at the moment.

And thanks, very helpful advice! Will keep that in mind.

[AnitaK]

Hey, I'm quite in the same situation as you are.

All of the subjects are the same, except for the B language.

I think that this combo is great for Biomedicine and etc. as this is what I would be doing with these subjects and I have checked a lot of UK universities, which all accept our subjects to medicine and biological sciences.

[dubyawhy]

Psychology is not hard. Easiest out of the group besides ITGS or Business and Man.

In my school, psychology is an easy 6/7.

[Guest Soiboist]

Psychology is not hard. Easiest out of the group besides ITGS or Business and Man.

You cannot rank the difficulty of subjects like that obviously, it is very much subjective whether a course is difficult or not. For example, one year there was none that got a 7 in ITGS, which you say is the easiest in Group 3.

[dubyawhy]

Psychology is not hard. Easiest out of the group besides ITGS or Business and Man.

You cannot rank the difficulty of subjects like that obviously, it is very much subjective whether a course is difficult or not. For example, one year there was none that got a 7 in ITGS, which you say is the easiest in Group 3.

Well in my opinion, obviously. I was speaking for the subject's reputation at my own school, and ITGS and B&M are both regarded as mickey mouse courses. Universities like LSE discouraged B&M for a while, and only recently has that stance appears to have changed.

ITGS is also the least popular - something like 3000 people took it last year? Smaller pool of talent = less 7s.

Anyway, Psychology is definitely not difficult unless you are the tiny minority that happens to hate psych. General consensus is that its less demanding and "academic" than History. Don't worry.