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The "Which IB subjects should I choose" Thread

I want to study medicine in the USA but I will apply in the UK as well

USA Unis I will apply:
Georgetown
Columbia
NYU
Stanford
John Hopkins
UC Berkeley
UCLA
USC

UK unis:
Oxford
Cambridge
Imperial
St. Andrews

My courses are
IB BIOLOGY HL
IB CHEM HL
IB LANG & LIT HL

IB PSYCHOLOGY OR ENVIROMENTAL SCIENCE SL
IB MATH SL
IB SPANISH SL

what should i choose? psychology or enviromental science?
I want to study medicine and get to a top university

You can't apply to both Oxford and Cambridge in the same year. Nor can you do medicine in the US without a degree, which i assume you don't have.

You need to do more research. A lot more!

Reply 1661

roniam

5

Hi,
I have several interest ( MD and Languages )which might ruin everything as I don't know what to pick for IB.
So far I can do ANYTHING except Spanish/Japenese language and literature.
I am fluent in 3 different languages (French, Hebrew, and English) And teachers have previously recommended that I should take their language in HL, but I don't think it possible.
I am ok with maths, meaning I am a candidate for HL since I did pre cal in 9th grade. And I've taken Advanced Physics which means I could get into physics.
But there is more.... I love music, and the requirement for HL music is a grade 5 in piano, which I've achieved a long time ago and finished my Grade 8 exam. History is also a passion of mine and a teacher let me know HL would be easy for me
I want to take Bio HL, because I also did advanced with it too.
Everything is HL and I am NOT allowed to do this.
That means there are overall there are EIGHT classes I am thinking of doing, but I am only allowed to do SIX.
I don't know what to choose and if I can do 3 languages A. Shouldn't there be one language B?
And is math HL even worth it? Is HL physics worth the effort? Does HL music help?

Reply 1662

Sailin

11

Original post by roniam

Hi,
I have several interest ( MD and Languages )which might ruin everything as I don't know what to pick for IB.
So far I can do ANYTHING except Spanish/Japenese language and literature.
I am fluent in 3 different languages (French, Hebrew, and English) And teachers have previously recommended that I should take their language in HL, but I don't think it possible.
I am ok with maths, meaning I am a candidate for HL since I did pre cal in 9th grade. And I've taken Advanced Physics which means I could get into physics.
But there is more.... I love music, and the requirement for HL music is a grade 5 in piano, which I've achieved a long time ago and finished my Grade 8 exam. History is also a passion of mine and a teacher let me know HL would be easy for me
I want to take Bio HL, because I also did advanced with it too.
Everything is HL and I am NOT allowed to do this.
That means there are overall there are EIGHT classes I am thinking of doing, but I am only allowed to do SIX.
I don't know what to choose and if I can do 3 languages A. Shouldn't there be one language B?
And is math HL even worth it? Is HL physics worth the effort? Does HL music help?

You can pick from a range of subjects, and everyone faces the same situation. Think about what you want to do in university, and check the entry requirements to see if the unis have any preference. You need to take the subjects that are required, plus those that are strongly prefered. The rest you can pick according to your interests. For example, if you want to take medicine, Bio HL and Chem HL are pretty much necessary even when the university allows one of them in SL. And if you take two natural sciences, you won't have a arts subject. If music is your passion but you aren't going to apply for a course related to it, then just keep it as a hobby and don't waste a precious choice! (My school requires much more than passing Grade 5 and rightfully so.)

Fluency in languages is a basic requirement for lang&it subjects but it doesn't make them easier, especially if you take them in HL and focus more on lit. Pick the one you would like to use a lot (usually a mother tongue you are proud of) for lang&lit, and for language B, pick one you like, but don't want to use for every moment of the day. (My school allows two lang&lit subjects besides the common A+B combination, maybe check with your school?) If you want to study a third language subject, your school probably offers AB initio subjects, which are for beginners. Three languages sounds good for a language course in university.

And to answer your questions: maths HL is hard for many people, history HL is easy as long as you have a good memory, and physics HL is easy for all my friends who take it. HL music only helps when it contributes to the uni application. History HL is also good exercise for writing essays (read: communication skills).

That being said, take the subjects you love (which partially equals the subjects for the undergrad course you want to do), and enjoy!

Reply 1663

linna

5

Should I...

... continue pursuing the full diploma despite a grade 2 in maths
... or drop maths and pursue 5 certificates with grades ranging between 5 and 7?

Any help is appreciated😅

Reply 1664

roniam

5

Original post by linna

Should I...

... continue pursuing the full diploma despite a grade 2 in maths
... or drop maths and pursue 5 certificates with grades ranging between 5 and 7?

Any help is appreciated😅

Hi,
I will be honest with you, I don't know a thing about the situation you are in. But, I can give you my opinion. Math is a core subject, and an important one at that. Although you have a grade 2 in maths, you can always try to improve your grade. Have you heard of Khan academy? They teach almost everything. Or, if you have a curriculum list maybe look into what you will be doing and study and learn about it before the rest of the class does, so you would be prepared.
But, I am not saying that the second option isn't valid. You could pursue 5 certificates, I know some people who did something like that. The thing is, albeit it might sound easier, you won't have math as one of your certificates. Depending on what you're planning to do you can make the decision.
For example, if you're planning to do anything that's about science you would need math. But if you have a passion or something you would like to pursue which doesn't require maths, I would say you should go ahead with the second option and make your life easier.
But really, do what you feel best!
Hope this helps :smile:

Reply 1665

linna

5

Original post by roniam

Hi,
I will be honest with you, I don't know a thing about the situation you are in. But, I can give you my opinion. Math is a core subject, and an important one at that. Although you have a grade 2 in maths, you can always try to improve your grade. Have you heard of Khan academy? They teach almost everything. Or, if you have a curriculum list maybe look into what you will be doing and study and learn about it before the rest of the class does, so you would be prepared.
But, I am not saying that the second option isn't valid. You could pursue 5 certificates, I know some people who did something like that. The thing is, albeit it might sound easier, you won't have math as one of your certificates. Depending on what you're planning to do you can make the decision.
For example, if you're planning to do anything that's about science you would need math. But if you have a passion or something you would like to pursue which doesn't require maths, I would say you should go ahead with the second option and make your life easier.
But really, do what you feel best!
Hope this helps :smile:

First of all, thank you for taking the time to answer my question! Feels reeeally good to not be all alone in the decision-making process :smile:

The thing is, I am a student in a country other than the UK and I will obtain a “proper” graduation certificate that includes maths (and a respectable grade in it, but the maths is easier than IB maths). The IB is only an additional qualification for me that I chose to do for the academic challenge.
Question is, should I take studying time away from other subjects just to achieve a 2 or 3 in IB maths SL? Or would it be better to drop maths and walk away with 5 pretty good certificates? I‘m torn...

What do you think universities and employers value higher?

Reply 1666

username3155644

10

Original post by Sailin

This looks good! Math HL is very demanding, but it's not really super hard to get a 7. Chem and bio are both easy to get 7s (for someone who wants to study medicine, I believe).

Are you going to have two lang As, or is English a language B?

Hey! Thank you so much for responding and your advice!! I'm nearly finished the first trimester and already thinking about dropping to SL maths, although I have a very good math teacher... And yes, I have two lang As as I'm trying to get a bilingual diploma

Reply 1667

d.2020

5

Dear all,

I am due to start the IB course next school year and am thus in the process of choosing my options. I am aiming to study law at university in the UK/US.

My current picks are:

History HL
Maths HL
German A Lit HL
English A Lit SL
Physics SL
French B / Eco / Psych SL

I am deciding on what my third SL is going to be. I have read that, to study Law, there are no set subject requirements, but I don't know if a third language is too much, nor how hard Economics or Psychology are.

I am hoping for you to give me some advice if my current subject combination is suitable, and which subject I should pick.
Any help will be much appreciated!

Reply 1668

lizzlss

1

Trust me, Maths hL,i f youre not naturally made for it, will be so time consuming , you might aswell drop it, because yourperformance in other subjects will suffer from how little time youll have left for them. i chose hl at the start of l6 and i did ok, cz iworked my butt off for it, but i therefore did worse in all my other subjects than i couldve done. so what i did is, i then retook l6, and got 7 in most of my subjects and a 7 at sl maths, therefore my overall points had increased. so if your specific course doesnt require maths hl, rather try getting a seven in sl but also performing really well in your other subjects, rather than doing hl but overall performing worse in total points.. for me this compromise was very beneficial.

Original post by tashaaaness

Hey!

Okay so I basically need some help.

I'm planning to pursue either vet med/med/pharmacy (but more likely pharmacy) and I picked these IB subjects:

HL
Maths
Biology
Chemistry

SL
Spanish ab initio
English A1
History

BUT, I recently got my IGCSE results - I only got an A (ie not A*) for Maths and a really horrible grade for Additional Maths :p:

and my school is now recommending that I drop Maths HL and take up either English or History.

I have 2 questions.

1. Is it advisable to drop Maths HL despite wanting to pursue the sciences at university? Will this make me a little bit more disadvantaged than other applicants applying for the same courses? I know Maths HL is not required as I've got both Biology and Chem at HL but.. is it preferred?

I COULD try my best for Maths HL - that is, work my butt off for it but I'd just like to hear everybody's opinion on whether it's worth it, and whether I even need it! :smile:

2. Also, IF I do drop Maths HL, which HL should I take up, English A1 or History? I love both equally, and scored A*s for English First Language, English Literature and History at IGCSE and I'm pretty much torn between the two. So I WOULD like to pick the one I love - but I love both so uhhh, yeah I kinda need help :p:

.

Can anyone out there tell me which HL they felt was better for them & why, whether the workload will be too much if I were to take one instead of the other..etc?

It'd be much appreciated, thanks! :smile:

Reply 1669

Sailin

11

Original post by jackomarie

Hey! Thank you so much for responding and your advice!! I'm nearly finished the first trimester and already thinking about dropping to SL maths, although I have a very good math teacher... And yes, I have two lang As as I'm trying to get a bilingual diploma

Oh wow I'd wanted two lang As but ended up doing one A and one B so that I could focus more on Chemistry...

I live in China and the teachers teaches the IB the Chinese way, so lots and lots of practice questions. And it really helps to have a good teacher. I'm applying for medicine this year and I'm taking only maths sl, which has saved me time for biology and volunteering, etc. but I've always thought maths HL can be helpful. Good luck anyway! My school wouldn't accept any changes after the first month, but I suppose it shouldn't be difficult in reality as most subjects have to finish SL content first.

Reply 1670

TiyaDM

8

Are my chosen subjects too content-heavy?

I am in the middle of deciding my choices for IB, and I think that I know what I'm going to do. In the future, I would like to study something to do with either law, criminology, or psychology- although I am not sure yet. I just want people's opinions on whether these choices are feasible:

English Lit A HL
History HL
Biology HL
Psychology HL
Spanish AI SL
Math SL

I will be dropping one of the higher level subjects, most probably English as it is my worst subject out of these 6.

Reply 1671

Sailin

11

Original post by TiyaDM

Are my chosen subjects too content-heavy?

I am in the middle of deciding my choices for IB, and I think that I know what I'm going to do. In the future, I would like to study something to do with either law, criminology, or psychology- although I am not sure yet. I just want people's opinions on whether these choices are feasible:

English Lit A HL
History HL
Biology HL
Psychology HL
Spanish AI SL
Math SL

I will be dropping one of the higher level subjects, most probably English as it is my worst subject out of these 6.

I think they look good. History and biology consist of lots of memorizing, but if you get a good start, they won't be too difficult. I'm never brave enough to consider a Lit A HL so I don't know about that..

You are doing two social sciences (group 3 subjects)? My school only allows us to do one.

Reply 1672

TiyaDM

8

Original post by Sailin

I think they look good. History and biology consist of lots of memorizing, but if you get a good start, they won't be too difficult. I'm never brave enough to consider a Lit A HL so I don't know about that..

You are doing two social sciences (group 3 subjects)? My school only allows us to do one.

Yes. Luckily, my school allows me to do either 2 social sciences or 2 sciences instead of doing a group 6 subject. I am not a very 'arty' person, that's why I'm doing this :smile:

Reply 1673

Msachdeva789

10

I made a video about IB Tips (and how I somehow got 44), which can be v useful when picking your subjects x Hope it helps!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YdW8w4YFOVM&t=659s

(edited 6 years ago)

Reply 1674

Videturo

10

Hey guys! Can anyone help me to choose ib subjects that will keep my options open for many careers. Here’s what my school offers:
Bio, chem, physics, math SL + HL + studies
Psychology, economics, history, philosophy, ITGS
English Language literature, English B and mandatory is Arabic SL
What combinations will help to keep my options open help!! Thanks. Also if you have career guidance pls share because I need it.

Reply 1675

tim_72

12

Original post by Taify

Hey guys! Can anyone help me to choose ib subjects that will keep my options open for many careers. Here’s what my school offers:
Bio, chem, physics, math SL + HL + studies
Psychology, economics, history, philosophy, ITGS
English Language literature, English B and mandatory is Arabic SL
What combinations will help to keep my options open help!! Thanks. Also if you have career guidance pls share because I need it.

In terms of the subjects you should choose, I think you should go with the ones you like at HL and then the ones you don't like so much at SL. No subject combination will leave every career option open, so you'll do well to select a path that you will like.

In terms of career guidance, in general all careers fall into a few strands that, as I'm sure many people on here will tell you, overlap:
- Science and technology
- Creative arts
- Tertiary (service)
- Enterpreneurship (business) (which I think deserves its own category)
(this list is not exhaustive and is only general)

As long as you do some research into some careers within the strands that you're particularly interested in, you should find something that you like.

Also, why not try one of these websites:
CareersBox
FastTomato

The first one has informative videos on different careers, and the other has a quiz at the start to help you determine the best career path for you.

Best of luck

Reply 1676

TiyaDM

8

Original post by Taify

Hey guys! Can anyone help me to choose ib subjects that will keep my options open for many careers. Here’s what my school offers:
Bio, chem, physics, math SL + HL + studies
Psychology, economics, history, philosophy, ITGS
English Language literature, English B and mandatory is Arabic SL
What combinations will help to keep my options open help!! Thanks. Also if you have career guidance pls share because I need it.

it really does depend on what you want to do, because no choices will leave every career open. Do the subjects you enjoy.

- If you want to go into medicine or other relate fields you need chemistry
- If you want psychology most universities don't specify that you need to do the subject in DP, so unless you really like the idea of t then its not a big deal.
- If you want to study law you need either HL English or HL History. They do not specify this on uni pages but law is really competitive so you do need this.
- If you are good at math consider maths HL, although this is very hard.
- If you are looking to go into accountancy choose SL or HL Maths and HL Economics.

Hope this helps!

Reply 1677

Videturo

10

Hey guys! Help me! What do you think about my IB subjects. I chose subjects that I liked not based on career requirements. What careers can I get with these subjects?

Here it is: hL economics or chemistry
Psychology
Biology

Standard level
English
Arabic
Math

Also if anyone wants to help me about career guidance please do. Also if you can tell me about each subject it will be very helpful.

Reply 1678

morassfatuous03

3

Hey guys!
I am planning to do aeronautical engineering at the universities. For that, chemistry is not mandatory yet, desired. But I am taking Chemistry in IB. But, I need to choose between chemistry hl and sl. I am not a native english speaker, so I am not confident about taking English Language and Literature HL. However, I also dont want to take Chemistry HL, as I am already taking harder subjects like Maths HL and Physics HL.
So which one should I take, chemistry hl or english hl? Which one is supposedly harder?
PLease help!!!!

Reply 1679

IBDPStudentIndia

1

Should I choose this:
HL- Maths, Economics, B&M
SL- French, Computer Science, English Lang. & Lit.

Or this:
HL- Maths, Economics, English Lang. & Lit.
SL- French, Computer Science, B&M

I want to pursue management in future, but B&M is viewed as a soft subject. Also, I really am interested in English language.

Please help!

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