Chemistry HL vs SL

[alexalexalex]

Hello! So I know this question seems a bit early as I've only been in the IB for about a week now.

So I'm taking HL Chemistry and so far my teacher / other students / the internet has managed to scare me about it hahah.

The thing is, I really love the sciences, physics is my absolute passion so even though I know that HL Physics is hard I am willing to work for it, and the same goes for Maths as I need it to get into uni in the UK. Science has always been my thing (I got an A*A* in the IGCSE coordinated science in case that's relevant) but I'm starting to feel like I might not be able to make it in HL Chemistry as I rly took it because I'm "good" at it, and not because I enjoy it too much. 

So, I'm already thinking about the option of dropping down to SL in the future (when/if I'm certain I can manage HL Maths and don't hate Geo) and I just wanted to ask how big the difference between HL and SL is? and is Chem rly as horrifying as everyone is making it out to be haha?

 

Cheers guys  

[kw0573]

I'm a bit confused when you say you love the sciences, then say you took HL Chemistry because you are good at it, not because you enjoy it too much.

Your teachers would only actively dissuade you from taking Chemistry HL if they can't teach it well. For example the default math class at my school is HL, and the teachers don't say "oh it's too hard you won't make it". I disagree with teachers "scaring you into motivation/working hard" idea, and I don't trust myself or most others to get good grades with 4HL/2SL balance without adequate teachers' guidance.

Out of all your 4 HLs, chemistry has the biggest jump between SL/HL and geography has the smallest. Neither of us can judge how difficult any of these classes will be for you in just a few days or even weeks of school. If you are interested in the math side of chemistry then there's more of that in HL. As of now, if you don't find English A or German B particular daunting then you have a manageable combination of courses. But if you are to consider switching one to SL in the future and you are not struggling in any of them, then switch Geo to SL; if say you are struggling very much in one or two HLs, then definitely switch down the hardest one.

[mrwengchemistry]

I agree there is a big jump in Chemistry SL to HL. Base your decision on your career path. A*A* means you are more than capable to do it. If you are going to do science, nothing is more empowering than HL Chemistry.

[IB`NOT`ez]

How difficult Chemistry HL is is honestly super relative. It's my most comfortable subject simply because everything fits and connects together really well, making it easy to remember/recall information as compared to Biology or Economics where it's usually tedious memorization after another. That said, I know others would feel differently as unlike a lot of people I know, I find languages to be really difficult -- again, subject difficulty is different from one person to another.

So to be more specific, Chemistry HL is pretty different than Chemistry SL. Throughout DP1, I was officially Chemistry SL only -- though I was taught HL content as well, just like the whole class, in case any of us decided to make a switch before the year ended, which I did. Chemistry SL was ridiculously easy so you'll do well even if you don't enjoy it THAT much. For HL though, and now that you have to consider the new syllabus emphasized sections on Nature of Sciences/TOK, it's much more beneficial than it would be in the old syllabus to really like the subject as that'll make covering those aforementioned aspects easier. 

Just to put things into perspective about how feasible Chemistry HL is, I went from a 2/7 by the end of Term 1 in Chemistry SL to a borderline 7 in my end of DP1 re-examination for Chemistry HL (I initially took a Chemistry SL examination and then decided to make the switch), which was with the May 2016 session papers (of course, without Option topics or Organic Chemistry as my teacher hasn't covered them yet).

Edited August 26, 2016 by IB`ez