IB Class of 2013: advice, expectations?

[erganizer]

I'm in the Class of 2013 as well, and from what I've seen of the people at my school, you must do something besides just school work, or it will kill you. (Plus you have to fulfill CAS somehow.) I'm also a rower, and our proud claim to fame at my school is that we have the highest GPA in the school, and we also have quite a few diploma candidates each year on the team.

I'm quite excited, though I'm a bit nervous, as I will be taking some tough classes this year, and some of my friends think my course load will be a little too heavy.

My plan at the moment :

HL

Math

Chemistry

Physics (maybe...)

History

SL

English

Spanish

And those are only SLs because you can't take more HL. I think things may end up being tweaked a touch though in the next two years.

[lilianna009]

erganizer, u must be kinda suiscidal . Why History?

[Sammie Backman]

Hello! I'm also part of the 2013 class; I am very excited to be starting the IB!

I'm take History, Philosophy and French HL with Maths, English and Chemistry SL.

Hi!

Finally, someone else who is taking Philosophy

[otter12]

Class of '13 and my subjects are French, German and History HL and Maths, English A1 and Biology SL. I'm looking forward to starting

[luckynumberseven]

Reading about IB and all those papers scares me a bit. I mean, you are mostly asked to write something consisting for me like billion words...

Aw! Don't be scared. It's normal though, I just finished IB (CLASS OF 2011 WOO) but I remember how terrified I was - I'm not a genius or anything. But honestly, you will be able to more than get by if you put effort into it and manage your time wisely. Those two characteristics are more important than most people think if you're going to do this program (believe me I know). I know a lot of people who are natural born geniuses but don't have any work ethic, and those who aren't so smart but have a kickass work ethic, and the second group of people normally does better in IB than the first. If you have the heart to solder on through those dark years of IB, at the end of it all you'll be surprised at how much you accomplished and you'll be pretty damn proud of yourself. Just speaking from my previous experience with IB.

Wow, this post was a lot longer/cornier than I intended it to be. But I meant it! Okay, I'm going to leave this thread now because I'm an old fart in relation to you guys. Good luck class of 2013!

[Mozz]

Hi!

Finally, someone else who is taking Philosophy

I didn't realise Philosophy isn't really that popular in IB; I wonder why that is?

[Gaby]

Hi!

Finally, someone else who is taking Philosophy

I didn't realise Philosophy isn't really that popular in IB; I wonder why that is?

Probably because you need to like it to take it. Personally, it bores me to death. I took one year of Philosophy, I wish to have no more of it, honestly...

[Pepe]

Gaby - i'm from Warsaw and that's very nice to read you're also planning to study law.

It will help us in preparing to LNATs or something.

I'm disappointed hearing from you that news about English and Polish, I mean the fact that the first one is expected to be harder and the second one to be easier. I'm still not sure if I would like to take English HL or Polish HL. I feel stronger in Polish, but I read somewhere on the unis websites that English HL is recommended.

What is more I don't want to study a pure law in UK because it forces to stay there. I'm looking for course associated with the human rights or international law. But it's still distant future to consider.

[lilianna009]

Is history really that much needed for such things concerning human rights and international law? Besides Poland, rather UK...I'm not really into it. I mean, I always had good grades, but there was a lot of learning included (at least a lot for me). And you learn and learn and next week I wouldn't remember most of names and dates.

And I was so glad not to have such subjects as geography or history anymore (esp. geo, I hate learning about some bloody rocks and types of soil...what for, i ask!). And Psychology is sth that is really interesting for me, but I guess I wouldn't consider it for my career as, well, you can't really make lots of money after taking it at uni. But I like taking it in IB.

And random - you know I'll be probably the oldest one in my class? I was, as I said, in this 'zero class' before being in bilingual French. And now guys from my new class they are only after one year of high school, so they're from '94 and some, who went to school earlier, even '95 (i have brother this age). Well, it's not that bad, not such a big diffrence, I hope.

[Pepe]

Hm, I think it is general belief that history is a base for studying law. It is only a half-truth but I've chosen HL hist&geo also because I really like this set. Geography is one of the easiest subject for me (talking about Olympiads I was in the second stage of OGiN in the previous year) and history... ok, it IS difficult and you have to read and write a lot, but considering interesting discussions with "crazy historians" in my class I'm looking forward to this lessons (;

[Gaby]

History is an essay based subject, I guess that's why it's considered good for Law. And I hate geo, that's why I chose Psych, for more or less the same reasons as lilianna. And, actually, I think most of Polish IB students from May 2013 are '94. You're a '93?

Pe94, I actually want to study pure Law but I'd love somebody to prepare for LNAT with. It's said to be dreadful. I don't really like dreadful.

[lilianna009]

You're a '93?

Yep.

Well, I can't take two subjects from one group.

[Gaby]

You're a '93?

Yep.

Well, I can't take two subjects from one group.

Wow, this is weird. What if sb wants to study medicine and wants to take both Chem and Bio?

And how come you're a '93? A great majority is '94, a few are '95, but a '93, I only know about those who are coming back from a year long student exchange.

[lilianna009]

You're a '93?

Yep.

Well, I can't take two subjects from one group.

Wow, this is weird. What if sb wants to study medicine and wants to take both Chem and Bio?

And how come you're a '93? A great majority is '94, a few are '95, but a '93, I only know about those who are coming back from a year long student exchange.

We don't have chemistry, unfortunately :/.

I explained the case above .

[freshlysqueezed]

Hi! I'm a may 2013 candidate. Thinking about doing HL: English A1, Philosophy, History and SL: Environmental systems and societies, Spanish B, Math Studies. Do you think they would be good subjects for Law at uni?

Also, do you think doing Philosophy at higher would give me an edge to TOK?

[dessskris]

Hi! I'm a may 2013 candidate. Thinking about doing HL: English A1, Philosophy, History and SL: Environmental systems and societies, Spanish B, Math Studies. Do you think they would be good subjects for Law at uni?

Also, do you think doing Philosophy at higher would give me an edge to TOK?

I don't think Math Studies would suffice for Law. Math HL is even recommended by some universities. Math SL is the way to go, if you're not that good/interested in math.

[Guest Soiboist]

Hi! I'm a may 2013 candidate. Thinking about doing HL: English A1, Philosophy, History and SL: Environmental systems and societies, Spanish B, Math Studies. Do you think they would be good subjects for Law at uni?

Also, do you think doing Philosophy at higher would give me an edge to TOK?

I don't think Math Studies would suffice for Law. Math HL is even recommended by some universities. Math SL is the way to go, if you're not that good/interested in math.

This is not true (for the UK at least, and I suppose he will study there as he currently lives there). Maths at HL is never recommended for Law, and I have never seen a university having Maths SL, or equivalent, as a prerequisite. With that said, I would definitely choose Maths SL if I aimed for better universities, because it will be a definite proof of the ability of thinking logically. No admission officer for Law would reject you solely for having Maths Studies though, but it would surely seem more impressive with Maths SL.

Your subjects otherwise are fine for Law: you have three HLs requiring analytical thinking, reason and essay writing; all necessary skills for studying Law. To be frankly honest I don't think taking Philosophy will help you with TOK in anyway, but that is mainly based upon what other students have said.

[dessskris]

Really? I think your mathlete status has gotten a hold of you, because the majority of my school do math studies and many progress to unis such as Oxford, Warwick, UCL and Nottingham to read law and even medicine. None of the unis I've looked at has stated any type of maths SL or HL requirement. Besides, I'm really not aiming for the top universities.

and you deleted your post. ha-ha.

none of them stated math requirement, for law you mean? because they did for other majors. I didn't say it's a prerequisite. but it is recommended you know! (this is directed to Soiboist too.) I can't remember where I read it but I've read a few times that math is helpful for law as it helps you with the analytical thinking and other things... it's not just about counting. it also involves thinking in a sophisticated way and it shows that you are able to deal with difficult problems and with numbers, not only letters.

but, the word recommended does not imply that it's compulsory. I didn't say it was either. anyway it's up to you. it's you who's going to study those subjects, not us here, so you decide what's best for you.

[Bartosz jez]

@Gaby, I consider studying Law and I chose Geography as a backup in case I don't get to any good uni in UK.

BTW, you're attending with a friend of mine next year, Dżargiś.

[Guest Soiboist]

Really? I think your mathlete status has gotten a hold of you, because the majority of my school do math studies and many progress to unis such as Oxford, Warwick, UCL and Nottingham to read law and even medicine. None of the unis I've looked at has stated any type of maths SL or HL requirement. Besides, I'm really not aiming for the top universities.

and you deleted your post. ha-ha.

none of them stated math requirement, for law you mean? because they did for other majors. I didn't say it's a prerequisite. but it is recommended you know! (this is directed to Soiboist too.) I can't remember where I read it but I've read a few times that math is helpful for law as it helps you with the analytical thinking and other things... it's not just about counting. it also involves thinking in a sophisticated way and it shows that you are able to deal with difficult problems and with numbers, not only letters.

but, the word recommended does not imply that it's compulsory. I didn't say it was either. anyway it's up to you. it's you who's going to study those subjects, not us here, so you decide what's best for you.

No, there are no recommendations either from what I have seen. If you have a link that shows the opposite, I will be the first one in line to revise my stance.