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hi guys, currently im taking math HL and we took some pre assessment test and I did not do very well so my IB coordinator recommend me to drop to math SL but i want to be an engineer when i grow up and I dont wan to give up, pls help me with my decision

 

Math HL is a demanding course. That being said, you can take Math HL for now, and if you feel you can't cope anymore, you can always drop it to SL. In my school the deadline to change the level of your subjects is at the end of IB1, might wanna check with your IB Coordinator for your school-specific deadline. Hope I helped.

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hi guys, currently im taking math HL and we took some pre assessment test and I did not do very well so my IB coordinator recommend me to drop to math SL but i want to be an engineer when i grow up and I dont wan to give up, pls help me with my decision

Math HL is a demanding course. That being said, you can take Math HL for now, and if you feel you can't cope anymore, you can always drop it to SL. In my school the deadline to change the level of your subjects is at the end of IB1, might wanna check with your IB Coordinator for your school-specific deadline. Hope I helped.

I remember my IB coordinator said I cannot change subject after 2 weeks, now is the second week so if drop to Math SL now, this mean I can't change it in the future anymore????

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hi guys, currently im taking math HL and we took some pre assessment test and I did not do very well so my IB coordinator recommend me to drop to math SL but i want to be an engineer when i grow up and I dont wan to give up, pls help me with my decision

Math HL is a demanding course. That being said, you can take Math HL for now, and if you feel you can't cope anymore, you can always drop it to SL. In my school the deadline to change the level of your subjects is at the end of IB1, might wanna check with your IB Coordinator for your school-specific deadline. Hope I helped.

I remember my IB coordinator said I cannot change subject after 2 weeks, now is the second week so if drop to Math SL now, this mean I can't change it in the future anymore????

 

Yeah, it's extremely difficult to shift from SL to HL, HL to SL is definitely possible.The official deadline should be towards the end of IB1. In extreme cases it's even possible to drop from Math HL to SL in IB2. Discuss this option with your coordinator, because the deadline given by the IB is surely not the second week of IB1. Hope I helped.

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Well it all depends. Last year there was this girl who did IB1 SL Math, but then bumped up in the second year. But she's a special case who went on to getting 43 something points.

 

Anyways, I took HL Math in IB1, and it really is a demanding course. I would often strain myself at nights for tests but only manage to get 5s and below. I only had like one or two good tests the whole year and the rest were all 5s and 4s, I think I got a 2 at a point as well. Anyways, I decided that it wasn't worth spending so much time and only getting average scores so I dropped to SL in IB2.

 

I want to become an Engineer as well, but most Universities I talked to said that they would take a strong score at SL Math over a weak one at HL. Of course, you won't get university credits, but it's always better to get into the university first and then start working. So yeah, dropping HL to SL would definitely not lose you many options at University. However, you should be taking some other Science (mainly Physics) at HL and try to get a strong score on that.

 

My Math teacher gave us an analogy during the introduction session at the beginning of the year, he said "Treat HL Math like your wife, you should always spend time on her, don't neglect her or she will f*ck up your life". Basically a high maintenance subject, so if you don't think you wont do well in it, then drop it. Drop it while you can!

Edited by gusmanK
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Well it all depends. Last year there was this girl who did IB1 SL Math, but then bumped up in the second year. But she's a special case who went on to getting 43 something points.

Anyways, I took HL Math in IB1, and it really is a demanding course. I would often strain myself at nights for tests but only manage to get 5s and below. I only had like one or two good tests the whole year and the rest were all 5s and 4s, I think I got a 2 at a point as well. Anyways, I decided that it wasn't worth spending so much time and only getting average scores so I dropped to SL in IB2.

I want to become an Engineer as well, but most Universities I talked to said that they would take a strong score at SL Math over a weak one at HL. Of course, you won't get university credits, but it's always better to get into the university first and then start working. So yeah, dropping HL to SL would definitely not lose you many options at University. However, you should be taking some other Science (mainly Physics) at HL and try to get a strong score on that.

My Math teacher gave us an analogy in the introduction session at the beginning of the year, he said "Treat HL Math like your wife, you should always spend time on her, don't neglect her or she will f*ck up your life". Basically a high maintenance subject, so if you don't think you wont do well in it, then drop it. Drop it while you can!

I took Physics SL because Im kinda bad with it and Im better in math so I don't really wan to take physics HL. I think I will stick with Math HL and treat it like my wife so she dont f*ck me up

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Only continue it if it's a 100% prerequisite to get into your desired university course. For example, every single course I wanted to apply for at university had a prerequisite being HL maths (physics courses and engineering). Despite being a weak HL maths student, I haven't dropped out because I really need the course. It's down to you in the end. Luckily my physics grade should compensate for my poor maths grade :)

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If you are "bad at physics" and struggling with math, then I would strongly reconsider if engineering is really suitable for you. You may like the field of engineering, but if you can't handle the work or difficulty of pre-requisites when university courses go way beyond these even within the first year, then you're going to have a very difficult time.

 

Of course depending on where you want to study has some importance. If you're aiming for the UK, you're out of luck - no decent university is going to take you with SL math and physics. You have a little more leeway in Canada and the US (and Australia as well I believe) but the previous point stands: if you're struggling now, you're likely not going to do well later.

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