Subject choice help!

[alexalexalex]

Hey everyone,

 

So, I've recently started to doubt my IB choices a lot recently. First of all, I am a PURE science person. Like really really science-y.

For my IB choices I chose HL: Maths, Physics, Chem, Geo and SL: English, German B

 

My art teacher today told me that we're allowed to do an irregular (I guess) diploma with all three sciences.

 

So, for all of the sciences I get fairly easy 7s whereas for the social studies I get about 5-6s.

So what I'm thinking about doing is taking maths, physics and chem at HL and biology at SL.

To me, this sounds like a great idea (as in much more fun), the only thing is that if I do that I can't drop Maths HL... Right now I'm in IGCSE Additional maths and I'm getting 6s but I'm still kinda scared for it...

 

What do you think I should do? Anyone doing all three sciences?

I have a meeting with the school on Thursday so answers before then would be appreciated.

 

Thank you!!

Alex

[Elc]

Does it mean you can do six subjects with three sciences, or seven subjects with three sciences?

 

I never knew you could do the former (I was always taught we must do a humanity), but if IB has no problem with it, I mean it can be good if science is your forte.

In case of the latter, though, I'd recommend against since I know a person who did seven subjects with four HL and had a mental breakdown with the workload.

[Guziec]

You could also try joining Biology HL, as it is your first year, I don't think the Biology HL class did much more than SL. Even if they did, the curriculum of HL biology is not something very difficult - you just have to learn a bit, memorize a few things and understand some biological concepts. It will also be easier if you are good at chemistry and from what you've written I assume you are.  

[Rosalina]

The best person to ask would be your teachers, if possible. They've (probably) been teaching IB for a while and they've (probably) come across students who've taken an irregular diploma. Talk to them and see how those students fared with three sciences/irregular diploma. Although, you are taking a rigorous diploma already, it'd be wise not to have all sciences at HL. You'll be spending a considerable time at your HL courses already.

[Sandy]

Hey, I'm not doing all three sciences, only phy and chem HL. Choosing all 3 of them would leave many doors open for your course ahead - you can go in any science field. But IB is already so tough and adding this would be too much. If you can handle all the workload and the stress, then maybe you should go ahead with it. If you want to go for all of them, like Rosalina suggested, I think you should talk to your teacher. If you're still confused about choosing your subjects, you can check this post out.

[theibjourney]

Hi, I'm doing Maths HL right now and the workload is quite a lot, so you might want to think carefully before taking Math HL AND three sciences at HL. The workload might become unbearable in your second year.

[eross]

Hi, I'm doing Maths HL right now and the workload is quite a lot, so you might want to think carefully before taking Math HL AND three sciences at HL. The workload might become unbearable in your second year.

 

I think I agree with theibjourney; I'm taking maths HL and the workload during year 2 is a lot more, and heavier, than during year 1. Plus, you might be great at the sciences (I'm not hah) but studying for each still takes time, and you would have to do 3 science IAs in year 2 (and those things take even more TIME). Year 1 might seem easy, or at least bearable, but in year 2 your workload doubles, so I'd think about it quite a lot before going with 3 sciences at HL + maths HL. 

 

you might want to ask your science teachers for advice (and maybe even the math teacher), and consider talking to your IB coordinator good luck! 

[IBisbae]

Okay I'll try helping you to the best of my experience this year

 

Right now I am doing HL Math, Chemistry, and Biology as well as SL English A, French A, and Economics

 

I would have loved to be able to take three sciences, but be really careful about it. I would not recommend taking Math HL as well as 3 Sciences. I know you are a science person, therefore, what I would recommend is maybe dropping HL math. SL is already good enough for all university programs, you would only lose a credit. From personal experience, I must tell you HL Math is probably the hardest HL you could choose, so I wouldn't couple it with 3 other HL's. Unless you are stubborn like me and love maths, you should simply go to SL, it is enough for about any science profession you may want to evolve into, from medicine to engineering.

 

However, if you are willing to work hard (and suffer) the next two years, I would recommend you to take the 3 sciences, but Physics SL. I feel as though the sciences balance out each other in terms of types of learning and really help you become more complete as a sutdent if you take Chem and Bio HL (like me) and take Physics SL. Taking Chemistry as well as Physics and Maths HL requires you to think in a certain abstract way for more than half your schedule, which would be very tiring after two years. 

 

Even though, I love thinking hard and doing maths, I love biology because it's a subject in which i can make use of my knowledge in chemistry for example while still not having to think so hard. However, be careful: Biology HL may be easy to understand, especially if you have a good teacher, but it's A LOT. I spend more time studying bio than any other subject. Even though I am getting the only 7 in the class, it's reall hard to maintain if you are doing 4 HL's.

 

In summary, what I would recommend you to take is Chemistry, BIology and either Geo or Maths (depending on how much you wanna suffer for the next two years) HL, and physics and languages SL. 

 

P-S: Sorry for the essay and Good Luck, message me if you got any more concerns. I was really confused about what I wanted to do this year so I ended up changing subjects so many times (i.e: I started with Chem HL and physics SL, then I discovered I don't like the subject or my class/teacher so I went to Bio SL which is a joke (it's so easy really) and then moved up to HL) and I don't wish you to get behind due to poor subject choices. But anyways remember you can always change, so just go to the classes you want, and only take HLs you will enjoy, because they are indeed a lot of work and they suck if you are not in love with the subject.

[ellie]

There is a distinct jump in difficulty in all sciences (I spend some 60% less time on Biology after dropping to SL), so if you really are confident in your abilities, you can try the 3 science + Math HLs, because you will drop one anyway by the 2nd year. But bear in mind that IB workload is in a completely different league from middle school. English is demanding even at SL, in example, especially if you aren't very good at analysis/literature.

 

I met some Finns taking 3 sciences at HL and they seemed content with their choice (but it was winter of IB1, they might be dying now, for all I know). They wanted to study medicine, though, so they had a very clear purpose. If you have one -- why not try it.