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What is the difference between HL, SL, Studies? Which to take?


Guest El_Nano

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  • 2 weeks later...

I'm doing maths HL and so is most of my grade because we'r called Queensland Academy of Science, MATHS and technology so it's kind of expected that we do HL. But so far we've been completely owned... backwards... on a stick... :P enough people complained to the admin though and got an SL class and a maths studies class (which has been made a mockery of, in good spirit of course :P )

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  • 2 weeks later...

I'm doing Math HL and we're doing tons more work than the SL classes! I think if you're really keen, and enjoy math, then go ahead with HL, otherwise if you're average or just above average stick with SL (keep in mind that 90% in SL looks better than 80% in HL). Also, for most universities SL math is considered the same as a regular math course.

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Math studies is the easiest one out of the maths, but I would suggest taking math SL (which is what I took) simply because it's not too hard, and most universities will accept it (depending on your program of choice..if you go into accounting/actuarial sci they obviously expect math HL).

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  • 3 weeks later...

What's Math HL like? Currently, my school doesn't have THAT many gifted students and has only Math SL available. I'm in 11th grade and I opted to take Math HL-A, but it turns out that it was AP Calculus AB. After I found out it was AP Calculus AB, I decided to take Calculus BC independently to take the BC Exam in 2 weeks.

What's Math HL like? Next year will be the first time that it's offered, and I hope it won't be disappointing like a teacher who considers AP better than IB... I already read the general syllabus that is available here, and it seems like a whole bunch of review + the portfolio.

Edited by koreANgel
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  • 2 weeks later...
My school doesn't offer mathematics HL because most of the people in my year (which is really small) suck at math, so I am taking math SL now. Will this affect my ability to do/get into science and math university courses?

All right, yes and no. No it won't affect getting into an awesome university! Just being in IB and performing to your potential is usually really impressive to most universities. Now really amazing engineering colleges like MIT and the such are a bit more interested in advanced math courses. But don't get confused between a school accepting you in and the much more different aspect of HOW WILL I DO IN THE CLASSES?

To be truthful about something, any type of medicine/math/engineering/science career requires to take at least up to a second year in Calculus (at least here in the States). No to say that math SL and HL aren't awesome PREPARATORY courses for Calculus courses, but I've got to say that from experience and friends, I've noticed that college math classes tend to be significantly easier if you've already taken an AP math rather than IB. ALL colleges take a 5 in your AP Calculus BC test (calculus 2 here in the states and a 5 is the highest mark), but that doesn't mean that math HL is that far behind, some colleges take that credit as a first year in calculus.

SOOO in summary, IB math will PREPARE you for college math courses but not give you the advantage that those who take AP math have :yes:

PS: sorry that i'm so pro-AP program-e, I just think that IB beats around the bush too much by teaching stats in an introductory Calculus class.

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  • 2 weeks later...

from my experience, only do HL maths if you like doing maths

no point doing it if you aren't going to get something out of it...

as for me, i chose HL maths because

a.) i was good at maths pre-IB

b.) it was one of my favourite subjects, and i felt i could bear HL maths better to HL French or English

from research:

pretty much all australian and UK uni courses ask for SL maths

unless you want to do some insane maths course in uni, generally SL maths is fine

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Hi.. i think all of you that are interested in math should at least take math hl =] well that is if the school permits. In my class when the first year of IB started, there were 30 ppl in the class including me.. but after 2 months it dropped to 11 lol.. then right now there are 10 left =] But i managed to survive in this course even though at first i almost didn't pass the test lol..

neways just give it a try, theres nothing to lose =]

but just... when it gets over 2 months and you are still struggling.. welll you should realy consider dropping to SL because the topics from HL and SL are taken in different orders and you might miss the SL topics and have a hard time before the exams =]

good luckk

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  • 4 weeks later...

I am about to take HL math next year. However, in our school, there is a requirement to take a one year prerequisite course in order to go onto whichever level subject you want to (ie each course has it's own prerequisite). We basically spent our prereq. year preparing for the AP Calculus BC examination. (can't wait for the hl topics to be covered next year)

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If I were to take a business course like Finance, Accounting or Economics, would Maths HL give me an advantage over other university applicants? Or would Maths SL suffice??? (I'm talking about ivy league schools)

HL, definitely. Chances of getting into a good school for finance without HL Math are slim.

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If you find maths challenging, then deffinalty take maths studies. It the easiest and least demanding. But make sure that you do keep the university course that you want to take in mind, and then take the lowest level of maths that you need for that course.

For me, my university course has no maths prerequisate, so i took maths studies even though im actually really good at maths and could have handled HL just find. But i thought whats the point. May as well take the easy option and do really really well in this subject and be a bit bored, than be challenged and possibly not do as well. Also i dont know about what type of stuff you maths courses entail, but for me maths studies is just a rehash of all yr nine and ten stuff, so im doing really well. wich is awsome.

So yes, you will get you IB diploma if you pick the lowest possible option... but make sure it is enough to get the course you want to do.

:)

-soph x

Edited by schouston1991
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from personal experience, i can say that the difference between SL and HL is not that big, though most of u will find Studies really easy

Yep its really easy if you take studies. I'm in HL but they just learn mean median and mode. They also learn "gradients" which is just a smart word for slope. I dont' think they touch vectors so no sweat

If you find maths challenging, then deffinalty take maths studies. It the easiest and least demanding. But make sure that you do keep the university course that you want to take in mind, and then take the lowest level of maths that you need for that course.

For me, my university course has no maths prerequisate, so i took maths studies even though im actually really good at maths and could have handled HL just find. But i thought whats the point. May as well take the easy option and do really really well in this subject and be a bit bored, than be challenged and possibly not do as well. Also i dont know about what type of stuff you maths courses entail, but for me maths studies is just a rehash of all yr nine and ten stuff, so im doing really well. wich is awsome.

So yes, you will get you IB diploma if you pick the lowest possible option... but make sure it is enough to get the course you want to do.

:)

-soph x

HOwever, some universities in the EU don't recongnize it as a real math couse. And you might not get college credit even if you get a 7 in it on the IB exams

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  • 4 weeks later...

I take Math Studies. Since I did IGCSE Math, did not like the SL class even though I did not find any difficulty in that class and bound to study BA in Economics and BS Economics, Math SL is not a necessity to me, therefore I decided to take the easier road: Studies.

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