IB Certificates & Universities?

[Emkay]

So, this is my school's second year of having the IB program. The seniors in my school are the first to go through it. Since my school is new to it, we don't have much variety in what classes to take.

Right now I'm taking:

History HL

English A1 HL

Psychology HL

Spanish B SL (they only offer this)

Math Studies SL

Chemistry SL

I'm having a ridiculously hard time in Spanish and it has been only the first week. I can't understand the teacher, speak or write. I just stare endlessly at the clock hoping the bell would ring soon. I only have 2 years of Spanish under my belt and the same retarded teacher I've had since Freshmen year who can't teach for her life.

I know I've read around that I can not do the whole program and I'd get certificates for the subjects I did complete. I wouldn't even have to do CAS or EE. I don't know if the school will let me even not do the whole program, but it's not worth it.. if my grades have to suffer because of one subject. My school is so new at this.. gah. I would probably have to argue with my IB coordinator to let me do the IB certificates if I go this route.

Now I'm wondering how just separate IB certificates will look on my college application? I live in the US, and don't plan to apply to colleges out of country maybe except of University of Toronto.

Should I give Spanish B SL a chance? Give it a marking period... or just drop it now? I probably will do really bad and it'd look bad on my records.

[~Lc~]

can't you do it in abnitio if you're not so confident with it?

[Emkay]

can't you do it in abnitio if you're not so confident with it?

They only offer IB Spanish B SL =/.

[~Lc~]

tell her you want to study it on your own then, it's possible if you find someone who knows the language to teach it to you, even if it's not your teacher. They have no right offering you a standard for a language you can't fullfill...

[TeeBlake]

So, this is my school's second year of having the IB program. The seniors in my school are the first to go through it. Since my school is new to it, we don't have much variety in what classes to take.

Right now I'm taking:

History HL

English A1 HL

Psychology HL

Spanish B SL (they only offer this)

Math Studies SL

Chemistry SL

I'm having a ridiculously hard time in Spanish and it has been only the first week. I can't understand the teacher, speak or write. I just stare endlessly at the clock hoping the bell would ring soon. I only have 2 years of Spanish under my belt and the same retarded teacher I've had since Freshmen year who can't teach for her life.

I know I've read around that I can not do the whole program and I'd get certificates for the subjects I did complete. I wouldn't even have to do CAS or EE. I don't know if the school will let me even not do the whole program, but it's not worth it.. if my grades have to suffer because of one subject. My school is so new at this.. gah. I would probably have to argue with my IB coordinator to let me do the IB certificates if I go this route.

Now I'm wondering how just separate IB certificates will look on my college application? I live in the US, and don't plan to apply to colleges out of country maybe except of University of Toronto.

Should I give Spanish B SL a chance? Give it a marking period... or just drop it now? I probably will do really bad and it'd look bad on my records.

I think you should give it a chance...I think certificate is kinda a waste of time because it drags my whole overall grade down...and in Canada, certificate just doesn't get as much recognition as diploma

if you want to go to UofT...i can tell you this...base on what you have...the only advantage cert can give you is if you get 5 in history, 6 in psych and 5 in english...that way, you get first year credits, which means either: you can take second year courses, or just have a really relaxing first year because you only need 12 more credits (two courses) to do...

as for your SLs, i hope you're not planning on going into sciences...that won't give you much of an edge, and scholarships can be in and out of question depending on how high your average is with IB courses

it's only your first year right? give it a try, and if your teacher can't teach, dig out as much old spanish exams as possible and see what you can do...and talk to people who knows how to speak spanish...

i hope this helps...it really sucks to have teachers that can't teach..especially in IB...

[__inthemaking]

I would say give it some time.

I graduated May 2008 and I was the fourth class to go through at my school, so we're still fairly new.

I can tell you right now for UT, that if you're only a certificate student, then they obviously won't accept you based on your predicted IB grades, so you'll have to do really well without translated marks. And if you're planning on receiving transfer credits, you can only get them with a level 5 or higher in HL courses.

[Emkay]

I think you should give it a chance...I think certificate is kinda a waste of time because it drags my whole overall grade down...and in Canada, certificate just doesn't get as much recognition as diploma

if you want to go to UofT...i can tell you this...base on what you have...the only advantage cert can give you is if you get 5 in history, 6 in psych and 5 in english...that way, you get first year credits, which means either: you can take second year courses, or just have a really relaxing first year because you only need 12 more credits (two courses) to do...

as for your SLs, i hope you're not planning on going into sciences...that won't give you much of an edge, and scholarships can be in and out of question depending on how high your average is with IB courses

it's only your first year right? give it a try, and if your teacher can't teach, dig out as much old spanish exams as possible and see what you can do...and talk to people who knows how to speak spanish...

i hope this helps...it really sucks to have teachers that can't teach..especially in IB...

I don't know what I want to be yet. I do have science in mind, but its not really my fault. Considering History, English, Psychology, and Visual Arts are the ONLY subjects offered at HL level and everything else is at SL. My school sucks.

I'm pretty good at math too but I couldn't do Math SL because I didn't do the 'five-year program' prerequisite in my school in which you do Geometry/Algebra II in your sophomore year. My teacher was pretty unfair compared to other teachers and told me I had no chance numerous times when I have pretty high grades compared to some of the students who got in and failed. I don't regret it though, because the Math SL is STRUGGLING right now. The teacher is good but they just don't understand. They had a quiz when we had a schedule when all classes were 13 minutes and they understood nothing.

History and English are my top subjects so I have no problem with them being at HL, but I don't think I ever intended to go in any field where these subjects are important. Math is one of my top subjects too minus the fact that I had a pretty mean freshman teacher who didn't care about his students. I took Chemistry freshman year and did pretty good, but I have no choice but to take Chemistry SL.

I feel like I got screwed over by taking the IB program in my school.

Edited September 14, 2008 by Mkxxy

[chrypton]

I don't know what I want to be yet. I do have science in mind, but its not really my fault. Considering History, English, Psychology, and Visual Arts are the ONLY subjects offered at HL level and everything else is at SL. My school sucks.

I'm pretty good at math too but I couldn't do Math SL because I didn't do the 'five-year program' prerequisite in my school in which you do Geometry/Algebra II in your sophomore year. My teacher was pretty unfair compared to other teachers and told me I had no chance numerous times when I have pretty high grades compared to some of the students who got in and failed. I don't regret it though, because the Math SL is STRUGGLING right now. The teacher is good but they just don't understand. They had a quiz when we had a schedule when all classes were 13 minutes and they understood nothing.

History and English are my top subjects so I have no problem with them being at HL, but I don't think I ever intended to go in any field where these subjects are important. Math is one of my top subjects too minus the fact that I had a pretty mean freshman teacher who didn't care about his students. I took Chemistry freshman year and did pretty good, but I have no choice but to take Chemistry SL.

I feel like I got screwed over by taking the IB program in my school.

If you are sacrificing so many subjects just for IB, is it worth it in the end?

A boy in my class just dropped IB because the subjects bored him.

[Emkay]

If you are sacrificing so many subjects just for IB, is it worth it in the end?

A boy in my class just dropped IB because the subjects bored him.

I don't know. I've been asking myself that. The subjects don't bore me. I love History and English. I like Math Studies/Chemistry good enough. I hate Spanish and Psychology I can deal with. I don't know. But besides all this depressing talk thats making me regret taking IB hummmmmm...

American Universities view on IB certificates? Anybody?

[IBStuck]

I don't know. I've been asking myself that. The subjects don't bore me. I love History and English. I like Math Studies/Chemistry good enough. I hate Spanish and Psychology I can deal with. I don't know. But besides all this depressing talk thats making me regret taking IB hummmmmm...

American Universities view on IB certificates? Anybody?

it depends from university to university. i know many prefer the diploma, but they will give you college credit for having the certificates. it still shows that you took the ardest possible classes offered at your high school, but i think the diploma would rate a little higher, but if you are not happy wiht the courses, why bother taking them?