IB subject selection

[Wennie le Poof]

Hey guys -

I'm just about to start the IB.

For those of you who're taking both chem & bio, could you tell me which one take more effort?

Should I do ChemHL&BioSL or Chem SL&BioHL?

Sorry for the stupid questions...

[kiwi.at.heart]

It depends what your strengths are really. Take my friend and I. We take identical subjects apart from she does SL Chem and HL Bio and I do HL chem and SL Bio. This is because she is very good with remembering a very large amount of content which is what HL Bio is. The content is easy but it is a lot to remember. I opted on the other hand to do HL chem instead because though the concepts are harder to understand at first, once you do understand them, there is less to actually remember. Also chemistry is a bit more mathematical which is my strength.

So I would recommend HL bio if you are good at remembering a lot of facts and HL chem if you are good a applying concepts. Or pick whatever one you enjoy more to do at HL. If you enjoy it then the extra work compared to SL doesn't seem that bad compared to a subject which you don't like.

[Lero]

I take both at HL. As highlighted above Biology is pretty much a memorizing subject, many, many processes to remember whereas HL Chem is less memorizing, more applying concepts and understanding. Both are quite fun, my advice would simply be to take whichever subject you enjoy more at HL.

[suggaplum]

I take both HL biology and chemistry.

I like chemistry so I think its so much easier for me to learn it as a subject, as opposed to biology since there are just topics like plant science (HL topic) which I personally dislike. For chemistry, once you know it then you're fine and probably flipping through notes before tests/exams would already do you good. But for biology, even if you understand the topics or remembered it very well when you learnt it, more revision has to be done before the exams because you have to remember every single detail about different processes, mechanisms etc.

Biology HL is definitely more material to memorise and sometimes you don't only generally expand on what you have learnt, you learn new things. HL students also have to know more in depth knowledge for different topics.

Chemistry HL varies on different topics. Physical chemistry topics mainly involves calculations that SL students do not do while the opposite of physical chemistry (bio revision does this to you, don't remember the name for it ) builds up on what you have learnt.

I personally think chemistry HL is more interesting, but do it if you like it or if you're good at maths because if you don't, it won't be as easy as it can be. For biology, I don't think passion really matters, if you're willing to read the book and memorise everything then you're fine..!

In terms of hard work, it purely depends on you. Photographic memory? I'd say definitely bio HL. Good at maths/need to understand things? Definitely chem HL.

Good luck with IB!

Oh and, critical thinking is needed in both subjects.. for chemistry it's like deducing things or "thinking logically" as people like to call it. while for biology, there's data response, so more analysis of information presented and stuff.

Edited May 11, 2011 by suggaplum

[Wennie le Poof]

Thanks for the advice guys ;D

I think I'm going to do chem HL now.

I don't know if I'm going to struggle through it. Guess I'll find out.

I'm more a mathematical person than literal.

[dessskris]

why don't you take physics instead then, if you are a mathematical person? I suggest physics HL and chem SL, or the other way round.

I am a completely mathematical person and I suck at memorising. this is why I sort of failed biology last year (before IB) and I opted for physics HL and chem HL. however chemistry was kind of too hard for me so I dropped to SL.

objectively, I'd say biology HL is easier than chemistry HL. but subjectively bio is harder than chem.

[Mahuta ♥]

Chem SL& Bio HL or Chem HL & Bio SL?

Definitely the former.

I did both at HL, and I am telling you unless you really like chemistry, Chem HL is going screw you over, the difference between HL and SL chem is huge especially in Organic chemistry. Biology HL and SL are quite different, but I think it's much easier. Yes biology requires memorizing but it wont be a problem at all if you understand it. I assume you're a scientific person? If so, then Biology HL & Chem SL will be the best option in my opinion.

Do you have an idea about what you want to major in?

[Wennie le Poof]

Dessskris: I do enjoy physics very much, but I like chem and bio even better. I had a hard time cancelling physics out. I'm going for the life sciences careers, so I figured biology would be more use to me than physics.

Mahuta: I'm heading towards the health/life sciences. All of my desired courses only require chemistry, not biology. (except for vet science) I think I'm going to try out both at HL, then maybe drop one to SL next semester.I guess then I'll find out which I'd like to carry on studying at HL.

[Guest Soiboist]

Dessskris: I do enjoy physics very much, but I like chem and bio even better. I had a hard time cancelling physics out. I'm going for the life sciences careers, so I figured biology would be more use to me than physics.

Mahuta: I'm heading towards the health/life sciences. All of my desired courses only require chemistry, not biology. (except for vet science) I think I'm going to try out both at HL, then maybe drop one to SL next semester.I guess then I'll find out which I'd like to carry on studying at HL.

Most people take both at HL without any problems, I think you'll do fine without dropping. With that said, I think it is much more likely (though I'm guessing a bit) that you'll eventually drop Maths HL. Anyway it's good that you're starting out with 4 HLs, because in case of a drop down you'll be more prepared.