29 replies to this topic

[devina1608]

Will Taking physics, chem and bio HL be wise? I want to get into medical school..

[arcticrain]

how do you plan to fit that within the six subject groups o.o unless you're taking a seventh?

[Caustica]

Three sciences are not allowed; the maximum you can take is two. You can however take an extra subject outside of the diploma if you wish, but a combination of Bio, Chem and Maths HL is adequate for med school.

[kingdomx]

In our school, a student needs to put forward a proposal to do 3 science subjects for IB.
This is usually only for students who are intending on applying for med school at a university which requires 3 sciences as prerequisites.
But certainly, if you already have this consent from your school, you will be able to do all 3 science subjects at HL, and it certainly would set you up nicely for university.

However, it is highly unlikely that you will need 3 science subjects to apply for med school, 2 is more than enough, and most universities these days don't even require applicants to have taken any science subjects.

Edited by ga0wsa, Aug 15, 2010 - 09:35.

[x___x]

As everyone said, you don't have to take 3 sciences in order to be accepted in Medical schools. I, for example, took only Chemistry HL and Biology HL, and yet I was accepted in an American medical school. So, don't think that if you took 2 sciences this would undermine your application, no, it won't. Especially that universities would know that if you're in IB, you're restricted into taking 2 sciences only.  
On the other hand, if you really wish to take 3 sciences, may I advise you to take Chemistry and Biology at HL level, and Physics at SL level? This, in my opinion, will give you the knowledge you need for medical school. Also, taking 3 science at HL level requires a lot more work than doing 2 HLs and 1 SL.
Moreover, why don't you do Math at an HL level? This will certainly impress the university you're applying to. If your math skills are good, and you're ready to work hard and be smart, then go for math HL, instead of physics for example.

[devina1608]

x___x, on Aug 15, 2010 - 10:03, said:

As everyone said, you don't have to take 3 sciences in order to be accepted in Medical schools. I, for example, took only Chemistry HL and Biology HL, and yet I was accepted in an American medical school. So, don't think that if you took 2 sciences this would undermine your application, no, it won't. Especially that universities would know that if you're in IB, you're restricted into taking 2 sciences only.  
On the other hand, if you really wish to take 3 sciences, may I advise you to take Chemistry and Biology at HL level, and Physics at SL level? This, in my opinion, will give you the knowledge you need for medical school. Also, taking 3 science at HL level requires a lot more work than doing 2 HLs and 1 SL.
Moreover, why don't you do Math at an HL level? This will certainly impress the university you're applying to. If your math skills are good, and you're ready to work hard and be smart, then go for math HL, instead of physics for example.

Then does med school even require physics? Is it ok if I drop physics and change it to business management or Eco? Cz I'm pathetic at physics and maths..
How does this sound---->
HL chem bio business/eco
SL math eng French

[x___x]

That's a good combination, though a math HL subject would impress universities more, but since you're saying you're not that into math, don't go for it. Make sure you get a 7 in math SL, though, so that you make up for not taking an HL
from Group 3 subjects, you chose B&M or eco, right? why don't you choose psychology? Unless you don't have any personal grudges against psychology and your school doesn't offer it, why don't you go for psychology. I think it's more 'medicalish'! Of course, if you don't like it, that's fine, it's not like it's an obligation or that medical schools require it. It's just my opinion.

Edited by x___x, Aug 15, 2010 - 10:40.

[Ishaan]

If you wanna do something like engineering then yeah...take chemistry and physics at High levels

[Sandwich]

HL Bio, Chem and Physics would be stupid if you wanted to get into Medical School, unless you can find one that requires all three. Doing 3 difficult subjects is somewhat suicidal either grades or quality-of-life wise!

It depends where you want to go, but I know for sure that in the UK you only actually need HL Chem to get into Medical School. Technically you can do it with Maths Studies and just HL Chem. You're advised to do HL Biology because it'll really help you if you get in, and SL Maths because it makes your application look a little better (also will help you) but I know people who're at Medical School who've done Studies, or who didn't do Biology. Your safest bet is to do SL Maths, HL Bio and HL Chem.

That HL Maths helps you get into Medical School is a myth, in my experience -- I don't know anybody who took HL Maths who then went on to get in to study Medicine! It doesn't help you, just makes your overall score likely to be lower because it's such a hard subject

[devina1608]

x___x, on Aug 15, 2010 - 10:39, said:

That's a good combination, though a math HL subject would impress universities more, but since you're saying you're not that into math, don't go for it. Make sure you get a 7 in math SL, though, so that you make up for not taking an HL
from Group 3 subjects, you chose B&M or eco, right? why don't you choose psychology? Unless you don't have any personal grudges against psychology and your school doesn't offer it, why don't you go for psychology. I think it's more 'medicalish'! Of course, if you don't like it, that's fine, it's not like it's an obligation or that medical schools require it. It's just my opinion.

my school doesnt offer psycho..
actually i think im gonna go with --
HL english bio chem
SL math french physics

cz i read that alot of unis require atleast some basic physics course..?
thanks for replying  

Sandwich, on Aug 15, 2010 - 11:21, said:

HL Bio, Chem and Physics would be stupid if you wanted to get into Medical School, unless you can find one that requires all three. Doing 3 difficult subjects is somewhat suicidal either grades or quality-of-life wise!

It depends where you want to go, but I know for sure that in the UK you only actually need HL Chem to get into Medical School. Technically you can do it with Maths Studies and just HL Chem. You're advised to do HL Biology because it'll really help you if you get in, and SL Maths because it makes your application look a little better (also will help you) but I know people who're at Medical School who've done Studies, or who didn't do Biology. Your safest bet is to do SL Maths, HL Bio and HL Chem.

That HL Maths helps you get into Medical School is a myth, in my experience -- I don't know anybody who took HL Maths who then went on to get in to study Medicine! It doesn't help you, just makes your overall score likely to be lower because it's such a hard subject

ok i agree its kinda stupid to take all 3 sciences HL, but i dont really want to change my current SL subs(math french english).
and i heard alot of med schools require physics...


so should i take english chem bio -HL OR   math chem bio -HL
phy maths french -SL phy eng french-SL


which choice of subs would be easier considering that im bad at both english and maths lol

[x___x]

I just want to make sure that you're aware of the fact that you cannot take 3 sciences with the basic 6 subject course. Yeah, I know the IB hexagon is slighly confusing, especially when you're new to the IB.
So basically you have to choose 2 of the sciences and leave one. Also, you have to take a group 3 subject, like eco or B&M.  
and if you're not into taking math HL or English HL, why don't you take french HL? If you're good at it, of course. If you don't like that and you have no other opitons, then I advise you to take English HL. Although many people say that English A1 HL is a demanding course, but compared to Math HL, it's nothing!   
I don't know if you got my point earlier about how it's not possible to take 3 sciences if you're taking 6 IB subjects only. So, if you have any question, don't hesitate to ask.
& I would like to advise you to ask the universities you're considering to apply for whether it's compulsory to do a physics course or not.
* Did you consider taking a physics test in SAT II?

[Summer Glau]

devina1608, on Aug 15, 2010 - 13:50, said:

Sandwich, on Aug 15, 2010 - 11:21, said:

HL Bio, Chem and Physics would be stupid if you wanted to get into Medical School, unless you can find one that requires all three. Doing 3 difficult subjects is somewhat suicidal either grades or quality-of-life wise!

It depends where you want to go, but I know for sure that in the UK you only actually need HL Chem to get into Medical School. Technically you can do it with Maths Studies and just HL Chem. You're advised to do HL Biology because it'll really help you if you get in, and SL Maths because it makes your application look a little better (also will help you) but I know people who're at Medical School who've done Studies, or who didn't do Biology. Your safest bet is to do SL Maths, HL Bio and HL Chem.

That HL Maths helps you get into Medical School is a myth, in my experience -- I don't know anybody who took HL Maths who then went on to get in to study Medicine! It doesn't help you, just makes your overall score likely to be lower because it's such a hard subject

ok i agree its kinda stupid to take all 3 sciences HL, but i dont really want to change my current SL subs(math french english).
and i heard alot of med schools require physics...


so should i take english chem bio -HL            OR          math chem bio -HL
                 phy maths french -SL                        phy eng french-SL


which choice of subs would be easier considering that im bad at both english and maths lol

I'm pretty sure I've posted this elsewhere on the forum, but anyways here goes:

If you have night school/summer school where you live, then you could take physics there (assuming it's at the level of your 'regular school' curriculum) and take bio and chem in IB. I did this, so by the time I finish with IB I'll have taken all three sciences and I have a physics course done in case it's a prerequisite for whatever program I want to apply to, or if I change my mind and decide not to go into medicine. If you really want to take physics, see if this is an option.

You can't take physics SL if you're already taking bio and chem HL. You're limited to two sciences, no matter if you take them at SL or HL. You could maybe get a special consideration from the IB, if you prove that you need all three sciences in IB for a uni course.

[Work hard party harder]

There is something called a 'non-regular dipolma' which is awarded to students who have taken all the 3 sciences and skipped a subject from the Business and Mangagement group (I'm not too sure which one it is). Yes, so I am doing a non-regular dipolima, with all 3 sciences at HL...I wish I'd taken Physics at SL though, but that's only because I've hated the subject ever since I was introduced to it! This is obviously because I want to get into a medical college. Anyway, so my subjects are:

Physics HL
Chemistry HL
Biology HL

Maths SL
English SL
German ab intio

I hope this was helpful!

[Center Field]

I knew a student who did that. Because he wasn't allowed to take three sciences HL, he had the fourth one as English A1. All in all, he had seven subjects.

I would strongly advise people not to do that. It was very severely detrimental to this students quality of life as well as his capacity to study for all his subjects adequately. He obtained his diploma with a 33, but he probably (as predicted) should have had a forty

[Tilia]

There are not many countries that require 3 sciences for med school, and I happen to live in one of them.  We were allowed to the regular biology course at our school, alongside the IB. It was tough and boring, and we didn't get very good grades in it, but luckily that doesn't matter in the stupid Swedish entry requirement.

If you can do an irregular diploma, I suppose that will be the easiest way of doing it. However, it might be a bit problematic when it comes to ToK, to not have a social science as an AoK. But as people say, do you really need all three sciences?

[Work hard party harder]

Center Field, on Aug 15, 2010 - 22:14, said:

I knew a student who did that. Because he wasn't allowed to take three sciences HL, he had the fourth one as English A1. All in all, he had seven subjects.

I would strongly advise people not to do that. It was very severely detrimental to this students quality of life as well as his capacity to study for all his subjects adequately. He obtained his diploma with a 33, but he probably (as predicted) should have had a forty

Hey, just wanted to clarify if you had advised against taking seven subjects or against doing the 'non-regular' diploma. I don't find it too tough and this is probably because I'm doing only 6 subjects in all.

[devina1608]

Work hard party harder, on Aug 15, 2010 - 17:40, said:

There is something called a 'non-regular dipolma' which is awarded to students who have taken all the 3 sciences and skipped a subject from the Business and Mangagement group (I'm not too sure which one it is). Yes, so I am doing a non-regular dipolima, with all 3 sciences at HL...I wish I'd taken Physics at SL though, but that's only because I've hated the subject ever since I was introduced to it! This is obviously because I want to get into a medical college. Anyway, so my subjects are:

Physics HL
Chemistry HL
Biology HL

Maths SL
English SL
German ab intio

I hope this was helpful!

hey sorry for late reply.. i still havent decided my subjects and i have till friday to decide. i just wanted to kno whether its compulsory to take all 3 sciences to get into universities in india?..

[devina1608]

Tilia, on Aug 16, 2010 - 08:48, said:

There are not many countries that require 3 sciences for med school, and I happen to live in one of them.  We were allowed to the regular biology course at our school, alongside the IB. It was tough and boring, and we didn't get very good grades in it, but luckily that doesn't matter in the stupid Swedish entry requirement.

If you can do an irregular diploma, I suppose that will be the easiest way of doing it. However, it might be a bit problematic when it comes to ToK, to not have a social science as an AoK. But as people say, do you really need all three sciences?

Hey sorry for the late reply, but apart from Sweden, can you pls tell me what other countries DONT require physics for med school?
thanks so much

[Tilia]

devina1608, on Aug 19, 2010 - 03:35, said:

Tilia, on Aug 16, 2010 - 08:48, said:

There are not many countries that require 3 sciences for med school, and I happen to live in one of them.  We were allowed to the regular biology course at our school, alongside the IB. It was tough and boring, and we didn't get very good grades in it, but luckily that doesn't matter in the stupid Swedish entry requirement.

If you can do an irregular diploma, I suppose that will be the easiest way of doing it. However, it might be a bit problematic when it comes to ToK, to not have a social science as an AoK. But as people say, do you really need all three sciences?

Hey sorry for the late reply, but apart from Sweden, can you pls tell me what other countries DONT require physics for med school?
thanks so much

At least the UK doesn't require physics, but those universities are so independent that you'd better check it up. But I've been told that most of them only require chemistry and biology. I don't know about any other countries, but I think most of them DON'T require it.

[theloserwins]

devina1608, on Aug 19, 2010 - 03:35, said:

Tilia, on Aug 16, 2010 - 08:48, said:

There are not many countries that require 3 sciences for med school, and I happen to live in one of them.  We were allowed to the regular biology course at our school, alongside the IB. It was tough and boring, and we didn't get very good grades in it, but luckily that doesn't matter in the stupid Swedish entry requirement.

If you can do an irregular diploma, I suppose that will be the easiest way of doing it. However, it might be a bit problematic when it comes to ToK, to not have a social science as an AoK. But as people say, do you really need all three sciences?

Hey sorry for the late reply, but apart from Sweden, can you pls tell me what other countries DONT require physics for med school?
thanks so much

I think the Hong Kong University and Chinese University requires two of three sciences.