IB Couse Selection: Help Urgently Needed Please!!!

Hi everyone! I am a current rising senior and need help for my course selection this coming year.

Before I state my problem, here is some relevant background information:
-Junior year, I took IB Physics SL (5) and IB Spanish B SL (6).
-I am very good at Spanish (I'm NOT a native speaker, I'm Indian lol) and I have won various competions at the state and national level in the subject; I do not know what happened on the SL exam. I was predicted a 7, I got a 5 on the AP Exam, and I breezed through the course.
-I want to do engineering at RICE University and MAYBE go into Med School (I'll take premed classes).

Okay so this year I am slated for the following schedule in a school with 7 periods a day:
IB Economics SL
IB English A HL
IB Mathematics HL
IB Biology HL
Theory of Knowledge
Swimming
7th period free period

However, I have heard that not only is Biology HL exam much harder than SL, but it is also known to be a tough class with a tough teacher at our school.
Personally, it would be much easier for me to take Spanish HL instead since I'm actually good at the subject, and take the Biology SL exam. If I did that, since I already took the Biology SL class last year, I would not have to take a Biology class this year and I could just take the exam in May.

As a result, my schedule would look like this if I opted to test in Biology SL:
IB Economics SL
IB English A HL
IB Mathematics HL
IB Spanish B HL
Theory of Knowledge
Swimming
7th period free period

The only thing stopping me is this:
Will colleges like Rice frown upon the fact that I do not have a science in my senior year course load? Will my schedule be seen as "too easy" for them?

Please let me know!

(edited 9 years ago)

Reply 1

Neverme

10

Original post by ibslave1314

Hi everyone! I am a current rising senior and need help for my course selection this coming year.

Before I state my problem, here is some relevant background information:
-Junior year, I took IB Physics SL (5) and IB Spanish B SL (6).
-I am very good at Spanish (I'm NOT a native speaker, I'm Indian lol) and I have won various competions at the state and national level in the subject; I do not know what happened on the SL exam. I was predicted a 7, I got a 5 on the AP Exam, and I breezed through the course.
-I want to do engineering at RICE University and MAYBE go into Med School (I'll take premed classes).

Okay so this year I am slated for the following schedule in a school with 7 periods a day:
IB Economics SL
IB English A HL
IB Mathematics HL
IB Biology HL
Theory of Knowledge
Swimming
7th period free period

However, I have heard that not only is Biology HL exam much harder than SL, but it is also known to be a tough class with a tough teacher at our school.
Personally, it would be much easier for me to take Spanish HL instead since I'm actually good at the subject, and take the Biology SL exam. If I did that, since I already took the Biology SL class last year, I would not have to take a Biology class this year and I could just take the exam in May.

As a result, my schedule would look like this if I opted to test in Biology SL:
IB Economics SL
IB English A HL
IB Mathematics HL
IB Spanish B HL
Theory of Knowledge
Swimming
7th period free period

The only thing stopping me is this:
Will colleges like Rice frown upon the fact that I do not have a science in my senior year course load? Will my schedule be seen as "too easy" for them?

Please let me know!

I don't think you'd find Bio HL too hard, especially since you've already done all the SL content. One year is more than enough to cover all the HL content. Like SL, there is a lot of memorisation. A few topics are a bit tricky to get your head around, but I think that Bio is a relatively easy subject if you're good at memorisation.
I don't know how Rice would view you not taking an HL science, but as far as I know US unis don't care so much which courses you took as long as you meet the entrance requirements (so make sure you do). But I am by no means an expert on US admissions so I'd double check that!
If you feel as confident in Spanish as you sound, than you'd probably breeze through HL. In the end, I'd go with the subject you enjoy most and you feel will prepare you best for uni.
Another point to consider is that if you're planning on doing premed, you'll be studying biology in depth at university, so by avoiding Bio HL now you'll just be delaying approaching more complex biological concepts. Therefore it might be worth doing it now to prepare for uni :smile:

Reply 2

ibslave1314

OP

Original post by Neverme

I don't think you'd find Bio HL too hard, especially since you've already done all the SL content. One year is more than enough to cover all the HL content. Like SL, there is a lot of memorisation. A few topics are a bit tricky to get your head around, but I think that Bio is a relatively easy subject if you're good at memorisation.
I don't know how Rice would view you not taking an HL science, but as far as I know US unis don't care so much which courses you took as long as you meet the entrance requirements (so make sure you do). But I am by no means an expert on US admissions so I'd double check that!
If you feel as confident in Spanish as you sound, than you'd probably breeze through HL. In the end, I'd go with the subject you enjoy most and you feel will prepare you best for uni.
Another point to consider is that if you're planning on doing premed, you'll be studying biology in depth at university, so by avoiding Bio HL now you'll just be delaying approaching more complex biological concepts. Therefore it might be worth doing it now to prepare for uni :smile:

Thank you so much!

Due to another conflict that arose recently, these are now my two options.

Option 1: Swimming, English A1 HL, Math HL, TOK, Spanish B HL, Physics HL, and Economics SL

Option 2: Swimming, English A1 HL, Math HL, TOK, Biology HL, Environmental Systems SL, AP Economics (one semester only)

My take on these:
option 1, although I lose Bio, I still have Physics as an HL science, which would be beneficial for my BME degree that I want to pursue. I also get to keep Spanish, which I really enjoy. Furthermore, I would not have to test in Spanish and Physics; I could choose just one to test in. I would have to take the Bio SL exam a year removed from the course.
Diploma: Math HL, English HL, Physics or Spanish HL, Econ SL, Physics or Spanish SL, Bio SL

option 2, I have to take IBESS (to fullfil group 3 because Bio and Econ are only offered same period) which I find boring, and to be quite honest I think it would be a waste of my time because at my school, it is a bunch of busy work. I would get to keep Biology, and I would have a free period 2nd semester. However, I do not get to keep a language this way.
Diploma: Bio HL, Math HL, English HL, ESS SL, Spanish SL, Physics SL

If I want to pursue BME, while keeping premed an option, which do you recommend?

(edited 9 years ago)

Reply 3

Neverme

10

Original post by ibslave1314

Thank you so much!

Due to another conflict that arose recently, these are now my two options.

Option 1: Swimming, English A1 HL, Math HL, TOK, Spanish B HL, Physics HL, and Economics SL

Option 2: Swimming, English A1 HL, Math HL, TOK, Biology HL, Environmental Systems SL, AP Economics (one semester only)

My take on these:
option 1, although I lose Bio, I still have Physics as an HL science, which would be beneficial for my BME degree that I want to pursue. I also get to keep Spanish, which I really enjoy. Furthermore, I would not have to test in Spanish and Physics; I could choose just one to test in. I would have to take the Bio SL exam a year removed from the course.
Diploma: Math HL, English HL, Physics or Spanish HL, Econ SL, Physics or Spanish SL, Bio SL

option 2, I have to take IBESS (to fullfil group 3 because Bio and Econ are only offered same period) which I find boring, and to be quite honest I think it would be a waste of my time because at my school, it is a bunch of busy work. I would get to keep Biology, and I would have a free period 2nd semester. However, I do not get to keep a language this way.
Diploma: Bio HL, Math HL, English HL, ESS SL, Spanish SL, Physics SL

If I want to pursue BME, while keeping premed an option, which do you recommend?

I think Option 1 sounds better. You'd still have the flexibility of choosing between Physics and Spanish HL, and Physics would definitely be good preparation for studying engineering. ESS is considered a less rigorous subject than Economics, so if you're applying to good universities you may want to avoid it. Bio SL should also be enough preparation to pursue premed at college. Good luck with whichever you choose :smile:

IB Couse Selection: Help Urgently Needed Please!!!

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