h_ges Posted June 26, 2016 Report Share Posted June 26, 2016 Hi there, I'm new and I'll be starting my IB next year. I'm super excited, my only problem is that I can't decide on my subjects. I originally planned to take Ma SL, Eng SL, Spa B SL, German HL, Bio HL and History HL. But than everybody I asked told me how terribly hard History HL was going to be. Since then I considered either substituting History HL with Economics HL (although I haven't really done Eco yet it seems very useful to me) or taking Spanish HL and History SL. It's kind of a decision between reason and passion lol So, basically, my questions are: - Is History HL as terrible as everybody says and will it prevent me from scoring at least 39 points (my goal)? - How hard is Spanish B HL? Do I have to be fluent for doing well in the exam? - Would you recommend Economics HL over History HL? Is it actually going to be more useful in the future? Oh and by the way, I've got no clue what I want to study after school... so I can't base it on that either... I am aware that this is probably one of a thousand questions about this topic but I thought I'd have a try anyway. Looking forward to any answers... thanks a lot in advance!!! Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
IBGeek Posted June 26, 2016 Report Share Posted June 26, 2016 Maybe you should ask for average scores students got at your school, that should give you an idea of how most students do in HL history. I'm not taking history in the DP, however, many say there's a large memorization component. You'll be writing many essays too. If you're good at those two things, then you should be fine. This subject may be a bit time consuming, but it all depends on where your strengths are. Do you have a general idea of what will you study in university? Do you require Economics to get into the course/university you want to/might be possibly interested in? It may be useful if you want to go into politics/accounting/business. But if you don't need it, then go with your passion and study history! You may not get to do it again! I'm taking French HL. My teachers tell me you have to be fluent. You just need to be able to communicate your overall message effectively. If you make a few small mistakes here and there, it won't be the end of the world. 1 Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gaby Posted June 26, 2016 Report Share Posted June 26, 2016 I had History HL and had a 39 overall. It's hard to score a 7 in History HL, granted, and very, very few people do it, but it definitely was one of my favourite subjects, and I still remember it with a smile. I feel like it's really fascinating if you have interest in it and a half decent teacher. I don't think Economics is that much more useful than History in the future. But I haven't taken it in the IB, just at uni, and it might just be my personal aversion to the discipline. 2 Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kw0573 Posted June 27, 2016 Report Share Posted June 27, 2016 You should not enter IB only to take easy courses to get 39.History HL is the most popular Group 3 course on a global scale so it's not like most people actively avoid the subject. There does seem to be some challenge in teaching this course. It has a typical percentage of 7s every year so it's not impossible. Most IB combinations that are competitive to university admissions often consist of challenging courses, so you should embrace History HL. The expectation in a Group 2 for a 6 or 7 is that you can effectively have a daily conversation. Note that Group 2 has averages between a 5 and 6, unlike between 4 and 5 for most subjects. 2 Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
VeronicaG Posted June 27, 2016 Report Share Posted June 27, 2016 I took HL Econ over HL History and I recommend it. Economics is just common sense and math whereas history is more complex. It actually teaches some useful info like causes of inflation and basic business models. My school also has a bad rep about HL History. While the history kids struggled with essays and got 5s, the econ kids were all getting 6s or 7s. However, this is just one school and some of the 'smarter' kids did take econ. Take the one that you think you like more, though. Your perception as to what is 'harder' shouldn't affect your decision 1 Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
h_ges Posted June 27, 2016 Author Report Share Posted June 27, 2016 Thanks so much for your answers everybody! They were really helpful!!! I think I'll just have to decide between two really interesting subjects... Luckily I still have some time to go before I decide. Anyway, you all really helped me very fast, thanks so much!!!!! Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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