Choosing HLs/SLs appropriate for my future career?

[amyjw]

Hey guys, I've just started my first year of the DP, and I'm loving it! I'm just having a few problems picking HLs and SLs for next year. I'd really love to go into anthropology or sociology, something to do with humanities. So far, I've chosen my HLs- French, History, and Language A1 (required by my school:P). I'm also currently doing Environmental Science SL, which will take care of my group 4 requirement at the end of this year.

Now- here's the problem. My parents want me to do Biology SL next year, but I'd love to do music SLG. I've never been able to play in my school's jazz band because of scheduling conflicts, and I'd love to take it easy next year without a science. Biology really has no use in the humanities, and as I freshman I took my school's honors bio course anyway.

So if I got my way, my HLs and SLs would look something like this-

French HL

History HL

Language A1 HL

Environmental Science SL

Math Studies (SL)

Music SLG

What do you think? Bio SL or Music SLG. As you can probably tell from my list of SLs and HLs, I'm really not a math/science-y type of person...

Edited September 22, 2012 by amyjw

[Sandwich]

IMO Biology is much more relevant in terms of what anthropology and sociology involve. However SL subjects are barely significant and the more relevant parts of Biology are in the HL and not the SL syllabus (evolution, behaviour) so you'd probably not get much out of doing Biology at such a low level anyway. So do whatever you want, really.

Just make sure that you're confident you know what SL Music involves. At my school it certainly didn't mean you could play in an orchestra/band or anything (well you could in your spare time, but not for the lessons), it seemed to be mostly listening to things on CDs and then analysing them. But I didn't take music (and have no idea whether SL 'G' is an actual separate thing?! Never seen anybody put SLG before) so really you should investigate it rather than taking my word for it. Also US schools tend to not take the IB very seriously, so I wouldn't be unduly surprised if they did go off-syllabus because they don't really care about your IB grades much at all. Usually they just re-brand a lesson they wanted to have anyway as "IB Whatever", and to be fair nobody bothers much with your point score or academic qualifications so why not.

[NJ0330]

You dont need Biology, so there isn't any point in taking it, now is there? If you love Music, go ahead and take it! It might be necessary to think about what your parents want you to take, but in this case, it is pretty illogical to take it up. Music, on the other hand has it's advantages. It wont go for a waste, like biology would, and colleges might actually acknowledge it. So seriously, Take music!