Choosing your Options for Biology

[elmar]

I'm sure this has been answered numerous times, but I just can't find it in the search bar, so...

Are you allowed to choose your own options for the examination?

My teacher selected 2 that he assumed were the easiest, and while I may agree, I want to challenge myself, and perhaps even enjoy learning about something else (I don't know why, but human physiology is so interesting)!

If it is possible and I do end up studying, let's say, Option H, does the teacher/IB coordinator have to approve of it before the exam? It'd be such a hassle to do that, and I can only imagine the scene both of them would pull for my wanting to be just a bit different.

[ILM]

i don't think so, you can choose whatever you want in the day of the exam. and i heard cases where students from the same class do different options.

[Katerine]

We were also told that when we get to the exam we can choose what ever options we like. You get the exam with questions for all the options and then you choose what question you would like to answer.

[Mahuta ♥]

Yes you can choose whatever options you want and you can change your mind the day of the exam (though a horrible idea). To be honest with you, it's always better to choose the two your teacher is teaching, but if you are sure you're capable of handling an option on your own, go ahead. That being said, unless you are major Bio nerd, Further Human Physiology is not easy. Very interesting and I loved it so much, then again I used to study Biology for fun..

If you want to study medicine or anything of that sort in uni then I encourage you to choose option H. If not, then you should guarantee a 6 or a 7 in Biology HL by choosing easy options. Which options did your teacher choose?

[vids.10]

what are the easy options then? if not further human physiology? Is ecology and conservation, Evolution easier ? because that's what my teacher chose, but i told her wanted Option H. Can u please guide me, which two options are the easiest to score?

[Mahuta ♥]

It depends on you and what level you're taking. I did options H and F (Microbes and Biotechnology), so those are the only ones I can advise you about. Like I said above, if you really love biology and like the Human Physiology chapter, then you're going to love option H and wont find it hard.Option F, is pretty different and it's not that bad, just a little more plain memorization, but it's pretty interesting.

If you are looking to score high on them, consider 2 things: Which two is your teacher going to do in class? (If you don't hate them, you're better off doing what the teacher chooses), and Which options have a lot in common or an extension of a chapter in the previous chapters? For example, option F (Biotechnology) isn't an extension of any chapter, so it's all new material, whereas option G, ecology and conservation is an extension of Chapter 5: Ecology and Evolution. Same goes for option H, it's directly related to the Human Physiology chapter of the HL material. Our teacher taught the SL,HL and Option material all together and it made much more sense with the option part.

Bottom line, if you are a biology fan, do Further Human Physiology and another easy one (like Ecology). If you are just taking Biology because it's a science, do whatever your teacher is choosing, it's your best and probably only way to score good on Paper 3.

Also, you may want to take a look at some of the other topics discussing Biology options, here are two (You can search for more):

Options 1

Options 2

[Sandwich]

In my opinion the easiest options are the ones that interest you most, because at the end of the day, you have to memorise it all and it's less painful if you at least are curious about what you're learning.

If you like option H you'll probably like option E (the behaviour one). I did those two and liked them both - Option E maybe slightly better, they have some interesting stuff in there. TBH none of them are really difficult in any way, the only difficulty is boredom. For that reason I actually think the additional Ecology one would destroy me haha. Technically easy, mentally deadly to the attention span! We started doing that one and then changed.

All of the options are perfectly possibly to self-teach if you don't like what your teacher is doing, all you need is the syllabus and a textbook, just don't self-teach at the last minute, try and do it a bit in advance!

[elmar]

Going with what many of you guys said, I decided to choose Options E (Behaviour) and G (Ecology).

My teacher taught Options D and G. After discussing it with him, he suggested I do Option G since I seemed to understand it well (and somewhat was interested in it). Since I did badly on Option D in class, it would be the same as choosing any other option. After telling him I was interested in Option E, and knew some of it from AP Psychology, he said it might be better. Regardless, I'm interested in both of my options and they're not going to kill me! Thanks everyone.

[Drake Glau]

Psychology and Option E overlap a lot and since you're in psychology I'm assuming you're interested in it. I'd just stick to it then. There is a little anatomy in it but I believe it's over the eye, ear, and some brain parts. For the eye and ear there is a part about how you hear/how you see also but really not that bad. The behavior is the bigger parts.

[Artoth]

If you want to study medicine or anything of that sort in uni then I encourage you to choose option H. If not, then you should guarantee a 6 or a 7 in Biology HL by choosing easy options. Which options did your teacher choose?

Not really true as most of knowledge in med uni you will learn again, but way more extended so the basics are not as important as achieving better grade and getting into the uni you want to go ; d

[Mahuta ♥]

If you want to study medicine or anything of that sort in uni then I encourage you to choose option H. If not, then you should guarantee a 6 or a 7 in Biology HL by choosing easy options. Which options did your teacher choose?

Not really true as most of knowledge in med uni you will learn again, but way more extended so the basics are not as important as achieving better grade and getting into the uni you want to go ; d

I am going to disagree with you. Yes, it's important to get better grades, but the basics are really important. It's more extended and you're going to learn it all over again, but it is important. It makes a huge difference between going there with the basics of the basics and going there with a little/lot more. I believe it makes a difference. The difference between the HL material and Option H material is pretty significant. Also, to be honest with you, if someone is too afraid they can't do option H (which is nothing compared to the first year(s)) and get a 6 or a 7,, then I don't think they can handle med school without major difficulties. This is just my opinion.

[Artoth]

If you want to study medicine or anything of that sort in uni then I encourage you to choose option H. If not, then you should guarantee a 6 or a 7 in Biology HL by choosing easy options. Which options did your teacher choose?

Not really true as most of knowledge in med uni you will learn again, but way more extended so the basics are not as important as achieving better grade and getting into the uni you want to go ; d

I am going to disagree with you. Yes, it's important to get better grades, but the basics are really important. It's more extended and you're going to learn it all over again, but it is important. It makes a huge difference between going there with the basics of the basics and going there with a little/lot more. I believe it makes a difference. The difference between the HL material and Option H material is pretty significant. Also, to be honest with you, if someone is too afraid they can't do option H (which is nothing compared to the first year(s)) and get a 6 or a 7,, then I don't think they can handle med school without major difficulties. This is just my opinion.

Ok, to I can agree only up to certain point with you, due to differences in what they teach in polish schools and IB syllabuls I had some lacks of knowledge, in genetics for example. Still, what I had to learn was so extended that catching up the basics was really the easiest part. So I dont really use the basic knowledge from IB. BUT you are right in the part that person unable to learn option H will not do good in medschool. I just don't like using the "you'll use this knowledge later" argument cause I haven't really suffered myself from lack of knowledge (still, I don't know how medical uni. works in other countries but I think it's similar)

So, in my opinion one should take what he/she finds easiest, but for me H option wasn't that bad ;d At least questions are more predictable

Edited March 18, 2012 by Artoth

[Mahuta ♥]

Well like you said, depends on the countries. In my med school, the quantity is very big as well and IB HL +Option H seemed nothing compared to it, it still helped me a lot. I was going into the 1st year with very good basic knowledge of almost every aspect in Human Physiology (I know, not all), all I had to do was build the rest on that. I am not saying it's impossible, Tunisia Diploma students are doing great without IB.

Since this is going off topic: We both agree that if someone is unable to do Option H then it's unlikely they're going to handle med school. So if they supposedly shouldn't find a lot of difficulties and it has some advantages, why not do it? That was my point.