Confused about subject choice for further studies in the US

[Guest anibstudent]

Hello!

I'm currently in Pre-ib and I start my first IB year this following August. We're supposed to make our subject choices, and I'm a little confused as of what American universtites expect of us.

I'm not too sure what I want to do later in life, except that it'll be within the scientific field. I want the doors to be open for med/dentistry school, forensic science or researching. I'm thinking of double majoring in Bio and Chem, or just go with a major in Chemistry and a minor in biology.

These three combinations are what I've come up with:

HL Chem, Bio and English B

SL Swedish lit, psychology, Math

HL Chem, English B, Psychology

SL Swedish lit, Bio, Math

HL Bio, English B, Psychology

SL Swedish lit, Chem, Math

Which one would be most fitting? I've tried to look up schools around the NY area, and I feel like they're very vague about their IB requirements for international students. Also; Would Math studies make my life harder for when I apply later?

I've talked to my IB teachers, and they feel like taking two sciences in higher is not to be recomended as it's a lot of similar, heavy, work load. If I don't ABSOLUTELY have to take both higher, I wont.

THanks in advance!

[cricketcrazynerd]

I guess the first one

hl bio and chem

I want work in similar fields as well, so thinking a lot about unis, i chose my subjects

However, all the choices should be fine

cheers

[Megan D]

Well, I would suggest the first option. You should definitely take Bio HL as it is a mandatory subject in whichever field you choose from the above.

Also, universities prefer Math SL as a subject compared to Studies. It isn't all that difficult, and you should be able to pull through (with enough practice)

Taking the sciences IS generally tougher, especially with HL but even more reason for uni's to want you! Since you want to major in Chem, I think you should take it as an HL subject as well. I know people who take all the sciences and Math in HL, and they did extremely well.

Likewise, I'm an international student, and I think English is a fairly important subject to learn when you're studying abroad.

Overall Option 1 seems to be the most suitable choice in your case.

Hope I helped

[Pallavi]

Definitely option 1. You're going to need Bio HL and chem HL if you want a shot at any of the good unis for those courses.

[Nabz]

You're going to hate having chosen those two science subjects at HL although as people said, you really need them but i guess it just gets worse at university level.

Good luck!

[TykeDragon]

Agreed with shad0wboss here - you'll find them very tough but you need them. Go with option 1, if you want to get into med/dentist school. Their course is essentially biology, so biology is vital. As for chemistry, it's less useful in medicine than biology I hear, but it's the toughest science so is a good indicator of someone who is good and scientifically minded. With regard to Maths SL vs Studies, I don't know about in the US (it may be tougher) but here it's not vital to have SL. In my Studies class are plenty of people with Medicine / Dentistry offers/interviews. They take Studies as they don't need maths as much so it makes their life easier to focus more on sciences. Arguably, however, chemistry needs good maths skills, but meh.. just an easier subject to make life easier

[carpediem]

The US system is different to the UK system in the requirements needed at the IB level to qualify for degree/major. In the US, it's not necessary for me to have studied Chinese B in IB for me to get a degree in Chinese studies at university, for example. However, for science/medical etc.-related fields, it is advised for you to take the sciences at IB (especially at HL) because it'd be good preparation for university, and you could qualify for credit or placement*. This means you could either skip the easier classes and focus on the harder ones in that subject area (for credit), or do less classes to get credits over your uni career while still being able to get your desired degree. So I advise you to take at least one science at HL, or if you can handle it take both, so that you won't be so overwhelmed at college.

Also, whether you should take SL maths or studies depends on which universities in NY you will apply to. For example, for the very competitive universities like Columbia, if you take Studies you are more likely to be rejected because a) very competitive universities like to see you challenge yourself, and Studies isn't as challenging as SL; and b) it's likely that someone will apply to that competitive school but with SL instead, and therefore get your place.

To sum it up, I suggest the first option if you can handle it, then the second option (because in my personal experience if you can handle the calculations etc. in HL chem you can do HL bio).

*Most US universities tend to give placement positions, instead of credit. The difference between the two is that if I get a certain level at HL in my final grade, if it were credit, I could use this credit directly to go towards my degree and hence take less science courses over my university career; if it were placement, I'd only skip the beginner/easier courses of that subject but I still have to take the same amount of classes to get credits in that subject for a specific major. Most universities require a level 5 or above for HLs for placement in my experience, and I'm not sure about credit.

[ananya.agrawal95]

Doing Math SL (atleast) is good, studies is not really adequate preparation at all.

And Bio Chem HL are musts. Just a sidenote, most of my friends who've taken psychology find it awful because they spend forever on research methods and **** like that, but college psych looks pretty interesting. Might want to avoid psych for now.