6 replies to this topic

[Anand]

Hi/Hola/Hello,

I am torn between chosing one of the options below for my IB courses: These are the only 2 choices I have left:

option 1:
HL - English, History, Biology
SL - French, Maths, Chemistry

option 2:
HL - English, Psychology, Chemistry
SL - French, Math, History

English HL and Spanish SL, Math SL are fixed and not changable. I have to take History either HL or SL.

So the choices are whether to take History and Biology HL or Psychology and Chemistry HL. On one hand I have heard that History HL needs lots of Memorization, has a extra exam paper which requires one to remember previous year History topics and coverage is lot more detailed in History HL than History SL. I am not very good at memorization, relating facts that I have read earlier etc.. On other than I heard that taking Biology in HL is better than Chemistry HL.

For option 2 I heard taking Psychology HL is also about writing lots of eassays, infrential statistics, analysis, justifications etc..and that Chemistry HL is much harder than Chemistry SL, in fact one the toughest subjects,with equation calculations etc...

I am afraid of History, due to fact that History HL will cover History in lot more detail, more detail that History SL. Also the fact that if I took History HL, then for the exams I have to remember 11th class history lessons when I take IB exam, what if I dont remember the 11th class history well?? I have to take History, either HL or SL. Question is,is History HL lot more tougher than History SL? I know there is a extra paper in History HL, is that really tough? How does it compare with Psychology HL?
If I can do History SL is it true that I might as well be able to do the History HL? is there a vast difference or is potion 2 better where I take History SL, but then I am having to take Chemistry HL.

Thanks,
Ruwakat

[Vol de Mort]

I would go with option 2.  History and BIo at HL are much harder than Psychology and Chem at HL.  But go with option 1 if you need the extra science.  Psychology HL is really not that Hard, though Chem HL is quite a jump from SL. Likewise, there is a big jump from history SL to history HL.

[Summer Glau]

You have to not only consider the difficulty of the subjects but also what you want to study at uni.

If you're going into science, go for option 1 because you can take 2 sciences (even though one is HL and one is SL). Even if you're not 100% sure that you want to study science but are considering it, you should still go for option 1 because you have more flexibility. Unless you have the option to take science courses outside of IB, then I suggest option 1.

If you want to study humanities, I would still go for option 1 because it's the easiest in my opinion. Even though you have history HL which is supposedly tough, you have biology HL which is the easiest HL science if you're not mathematically inclined. Plus, chemistry SL is a lot easier than HL. It has a lot less math and it leaves out most of the hard concepts that are in chem HL. Also, in some humanity subjects you will benefit from taking history (ex. political science, law, etc.) and taking it at HL will benefit you more than taking it at SL.

If you're going into psychology, for example, option 2 is better because you can take psychology HL. If you're more mathematical, you may find chemistry HL easier than biology HL.

Anand, on Jan 30, 2012 - 04:25, said:

On one hand I have heard that History HL needs lots of Memorization, has a extra exam paper which requires one to remember previous year History topics and coverage is lot more detailed in History HL than History SL. I am not very good at memorization, relating facts that I have read earlier etc..

You'll have to remember stuff from two years ago for pretty much all of your courses (unless you take some subjects in one year instead of two). So you'll just have to get used to it. Start studying earlier if remembering stuff from two years ago is hard for you.

[pennywise256]

It seems work freaks you out insanely. Huy, if you are to take IB you have to get rid of that lot of worries, or you'll have failed before you even start it! IB may be a lot of work, but believe me, it will be lots of fun too! You'll learn losts of stuff and you'll feel you're doing something special off your youth. Anyway, you haven't specified this, but if I were in your place I would mix Psychology and Biology. History is a lot tougher and very people do actually like it because it's not "that IB" as other subjects, t even gets boring after some months. In the other hand, Psychology is exciting because you learn lots of things you'll love to know and you'll be able to practise everyday. Nevertheless, it also involves some statistical records and that kind of stuff, but it is easy stuff to deal with.

[Desy Glau]

what do you wanna study at uni? if you think you'll need History then take it at HL, otherwise History SL will do. do you wanna go into Sciences or Arts? what subjects will you need to get into the uni course you wanna do?

I suggest you to go for the first choice, you can then study Law, Medicine, Literature, History, Biochemistry perhaps and some other courses.

but with the second choice you can only go to Psychology, Chemistry and Literature which are not very popular I don't think.

I think that you must decide based on your uni prospects and personal strengths&interests.

good luck!

[The Rainbow Connection]

As everybody else has said, the choice of your subjects could reflect on what you want to do at uni. I don't know about you, but I don't know what I want to do at uni yet! That is why the IB is such a great course, it gives you an all-round education. So whether or not you do chemistry  at higher or standard, at least you are doing it! It gives you options for the future In my opinion, I believe you should do the option with the subjects you think that you will enjoy the best. As a result, the memorising won't be too hard because you will appreciate what you are learning and you will want to learn even more!! At the moment, I have loving psychology! It is one of my favourite subjects. If you don't think you will enjoy studying psychology and maybe will love history, go for it! Don't base what you choose on the work load, base it on what you think will be fun! Chances are, if you enjoy it for the next two years, then you might continue that particular subject at uni anyway! So choose what you believe you will enjoy the best and be prepared to work hard

[asbb96]

if chemistry and physcology at HL are that hard then do option 1