On average, how much does one need to study in order to attain 7's in chem,physics,and math HL

[robot125]

hey everyone...i am a new member i just created my account a few minutes ago. Therefore please understand if i haven't posted this topic where it is supposed to be, or if i have omitted anything.

Any way, im currently in IB 1 my exams are in 2013. i was just wondering, on average how much does one have to study in order to get 7's in the above mentioned subjects?

[IB Smacher Glau]

You should study daily !! and never miss any of your lessons .. go back home and then revise wt ever you toke .. then solve Past Paper Questions and that all ..

[Sandwich]

...as much as it takes you to memorise and master the content? Depending on your own personal level of genius the answer is probably 'a lot'. But at the same time, revising every day might not be required because I expect many people would find that pointless (...because you forget it all pretty quickly...). So it's more or less a personal thing. They are very difficult subjects, so you should be prepared to spend quite a bit of time on them. Actual time quantities depend on you, your teacher, and your own style of learning. If you're the kind of person who finds it useful to slog for a few hours a day, by all means you can. If you prefer to cram like hell at the end, this is also an option. Although I hear that for HL Maths you can't really cram it so either pay good attention in your lessons or be prepared to put the work in yourself outside school. Or both!

For HL Maths you can arguably put in as much work as you like but will never get a 7 unless you have a genuine talent for the subject.

[slimers7]

I agree with Sandwich above regarding HL math. My teacher has been putting old IB test questions, both HL and SL, on our quizzes and tests. Studying for these does help because you must know certain formulas and the general idea of the chapter, but for HL questions the thinking tends to be abstract and either you are able to think outside of the box or not. Memorizing every formula will not prove extremely helpful for those questions.

[robot125]

Thanks alot guys!! but is IB really that bad? im at the brink of writing my end of year tests and im still not convinced that IB is as bad as everyone says it is. honestly speaking im quite lazy (I start revising 2 days before i write tests. these tests usually include everything we had covered to that day) but i am still able to get 6's and 7's in all my subjects (well, except french). I guess my question is, does IB start to get difficult in IB 2?

Edited April 8, 2012 by Sandwich
Please don't use chatspeak.

[Sandwich]

Thanks alot guys!! but is IB really that bad? im at the brink of writing my end of year tests and im still not convinced that IB is as bad as everyone says it is. honestly speaking im quite lazy (I start revising 2 days b4 i write tests. these tests usually include everything we had covered to that day) but i am still able to get 6's and 7's in all my subjects (well, except french). I guess my question is, does IB start to get difficult in IB 2?

Maybe you're just very smart

But yes it probably does. I felt similarly to you at the end of IB1, didn't see why people moaned about it so much. Then it turned out my school had left all the coursework, the EE, all the TOK assessments and pretty much all the hardest/HL content for my subjects (we actually never completed the syllabus in class for 2 of my subjects and I had to self-teach them) until IB2. So IB1 was very easy for me and IB2 was extremely stressful because I had several deadlines every single week. Also doubling the amount of content you have to memorise for exams does make it a lot harder. On the other hand you could just be very smart. Obviously it's possible to get 6s and 7s in all your subjects, but with just 2 days revision for each subject, I don't think so.

[apple.toronto]

Thanks alot guys!! but is IB really that bad? im at the brink of writing my end of year tests and im still not convinced that IB is as bad as everyone says it is. honestly speaking im quite lazy (I start revising 2 days b4 i write tests. these tests usually include everything we had covered to that day) but i am still able to get 6's and 7's in all my subjects (well, except french). I guess my question is, does IB start to get difficult in IB 2?

Maybe you're just very smart

But yes it probably does. I felt similarly to you at the end of IB1, didn't see why people moaned about it so much. Then it turned out my school had left all the coursework, the EE, all the TOK assessments and pretty much all the hardest/HL content for my subjects (we actually never completed the syllabus in class for 2 of my subjects and I had to self-teach them) until IB2. So IB1 was very easy for me and IB2 was extremely stressful because I had several deadlines every single week. Also doubling the amount of content you have to memorise for exams does make it a lot harder. On the other hand you could just be very smart. Obviously it's possible to get 6s and 7s in all your subjects, but with just 2 days revision for each subject, I don't think so.

Hi Sandwich.

I am actually in the EXACT SAME situation as you. We haven't finished all of the HL syllabi of chem (I got a tutor but still had to self-teach myself both options). Any tips for Chem/Bio HL or exams in general. Sorry to annoy but I have a med offer to make in the UK and really scared because after coming so far, don't wanna drop dead at the last stage. Oh, and thanks.

[Sandwich]

Hi Sandwich.

I am actually in the EXACT SAME situation as you. We haven't finished all of the HL syllabi of chem (I got a tutor but still had to self-teach myself both options). Any tips for Chem/Bio HL or exams in general. Sorry to annoy but I have a med offer to make in the UK and really scared because after coming so far, don't wanna drop dead at the last stage. Oh, and thanks.

Hello Huh yeah it was HL Chemistry and HL Biology that we never finished too... also my Chemistry teacher convinced me that we hadn't got a free choice in the exam and we had to do the options she selected for us, so I self-studied Further Organic Chemistry. URGH URGH URGH! I wouldn't have touched it with a barge pole under any other circumstances, that option was so hateful. As for tips... revise like hell and make sure you follow the syllabus? Especially for Biology! Get somebody to test you by giving them a copy of the syllabus and then making them literally ask you the points off it if needs be. If you can memorise all the stuff for HL Bio, you're set and it's worth the hours.

Chemistry I found much harder. I found doing lots of practice Paper 1s most helpful actually. The MCQs they give you can often be really quite hard/confusing and Paper 1 practice really tests the details of your knowledge. Obviously also practice Paper 2 as well though ahah. Go through the syllabus and make sure you've covered it all but it's not as easy to do as with Biology.

Maths SL = PAST PAPERS! Especially if you're not that talented at Maths, just repetitive practice is probably the best way forward. I managed to crank a 4 up to a 6 in SL Maths through sheer weight of past papers. My brain was such mush afterwards though, I started 'seeing' sine waves in the shapes of car roofs and all sorts of crazy things(!).

Where have you got an offer from for medicine/how high?

[apple.toronto]

Hi Sandwich.

I am actually in the EXACT SAME situation as you. We haven't finished all of the HL syllabi of chem (I got a tutor but still had to self-teach myself both options). Any tips for Chem/Bio HL or exams in general. Sorry to annoy but I have a med offer to make in the UK and really scared because after coming so far, don't wanna drop dead at the last stage. Oh, and thanks.

Hello Huh yeah it was HL Chemistry and HL Biology that we never finished too... also my Chemistry teacher convinced me that we hadn't got a free choice in the exam and we had to do the options she selected for us, so I self-studied Further Organic Chemistry. URGH URGH URGH! I wouldn't have touched it with a barge pole under any other circumstances, that option was so hateful. As for tips... revise like hell and make sure you follow the syllabus? Especially for Biology! Get somebody to test you by giving them a copy of the syllabus and then making them literally ask you the points off it if needs be. If you can memorise all the stuff for HL Bio, you're set and it's worth the hours.

Chemistry I found much harder. I found doing lots of practice Paper 1s most helpful actually. The MCQs they give you can often be really quite hard/confusing and Paper 1 practice really tests the details of your knowledge. Obviously also practice Paper 2 as well though ahah. Go through the syllabus and make sure you've covered it all but it's not as easy to do as with Biology.

Maths SL = PAST PAPERS! Especially if you're not that talented at Maths, just repetitive practice is probably the best way forward. I managed to crank a 4 up to a 6 in SL Maths through sheer weight of past papers. My brain was such mush afterwards though, I started 'seeing' sine waves in the shapes of car roofs and all sorts of crazy things(!).

Where have you got an offer from for medicine/how high?

Awfully sorry to bother you. (guessing you know that feeling)

Aww, damn, atleast my HL bio teacher is really GOOD but my chem one sucks (never taught IB and thinks that w.e. he can't teach will never come up). Ohh, I self studied environmental (apparently easy) and biochem (HL bio and what not), FURTHER is apparently murder or something, its supposedly the hardest for most people. Definitely following IB Bio assessment statements and doing past paper 1 for bio (really help imo), ohh thanks, I am just so scared as I have HL eon and bio in the same week so its goign to be insane.

I agree, esp as I hate mental math tbh but I will follow through the tips so chem Paper shouldn't be practiced according to you? Nah, Chem is always the harder one esp as they can manipulate things a lot.

Woah, good job at Math. I am decent at it but only when i practice TONS. I expect my brain to be mush by the 18th (having sat 13 exams) and 2 left for the 22nd.

Its at ICL and 38. If you don't mind me asking, are you also a medic/biomed student (just asking cause of the HL bio/chem combo)

Edited April 9, 2012 by Summer Glau
please don't use text speak

[Sandwich]

I agree, esp as I hate mental math tbh but I will follow through the tips so chem Paper shouldn't be practiced according to you? Nah, Chem is always the harder one esp as they can manipulate things a lot.

Its at ICL and 38. If you don't mind me asking, are u also a medic/biomed student (just asking cuz of the HL bio/chem combo)

I know the feeling about Maths. It was probably the subject (besides Chemistry...) that made me most anxious! Naturally untalented at it ahah. And yep I'm a medical student at the moment - I've since met people doing Medicine who only did Maths Studies and felt seriously annoyed that I did Methods for no reason!! Awesome to get into Imperial though, well done. I'm at one of the London Unis too, but not IC

I don't know which Paper you meant by Chem Paper _____ but definitely practice them all. I just reckon that flying through MCQs is a good way to test your knowledge of the whole of Chemistry so I'd start with Paper 1 as an early part of your revision - as opposed to leaving Past Papers until the last minute. Given the crammed nature of the exams, you'll probably find yourself running out of time for revision/papers quite severely and have to prioritise a lot!

[apple.toronto]

I agree, esp as I hate mental math tbh but I will follow through the tips so chem Paper shouldn't be practiced according to you? Nah, Chem is always the harder one esp as they can manipulate things a lot.

Its at ICL and 38. If you don't mind me asking, are u also a medic/biomed student (just asking cuz of the HL bio/chem combo)

I know the feeling about Maths. It was probably the subject (besides Chemistry...) that made me most anxious! Naturally untalented at it ahah. And yep I'm a medical student at the moment - I've since met people doing Medicine who only did Maths Studies and felt seriously annoyed that I did Methods for no reason!! Awesome to get into Imperial though, well done. I'm at one of the London Unis too, but not IC

I don't know which Paper you meant by Chem Paper _____ but definitely practice them all. I just reckon that flying through MCQs is a good way to test your knowledge of the whole of Chemistry so I'd start with Paper 1 as an early part of your revision - as opposed to leaving Past Papers until the last minute. Given the crammed nature of the exams, you'll probably find yourself running out of time for revision/papers quite severely and have to prioritise a lot!

Chemistry is honestly so annoying. I am literally in tears atm because I feel like despite all the hard work and effort, i am going to fail. Just a question, in the May 2011 exam, for paper 2, was there a lot of acids/bases. Oh congrats, so jealous of you, medicine. How you liking it so far? *dreams* Really, I could have done math studies then, I thought it closes doors but didn't know that you could still get in with it.

Ah, I see, I am definitely going to prioritize then. I meant paper 3 since I heard for a lot of options, it is basic memorization or something

Edited April 9, 2012 by apple.toronto

[Tony Stark]

Thanks alot guys!! but is IB really that bad? im at the brink of writing my end of year tests and im still not convinced that IB is as bad as everyone says it is. honestly speaking im quite lazy (I start revising 2 days b4 i write tests. these tests usually include everything we had covered to that day) but i am still able to get 6's and 7's in all my subjects (well, except french). I guess my question is, does IB start to get difficult in IB 2?

Maybe you're just very smart

But yes it probably does. I felt similarly to you at the end of IB1, didn't see why people moaned about it so much. Then it turned out my school had left all the coursework, the EE, all the TOK assessments and pretty much all the hardest/HL content for my subjects (we actually never completed the syllabus in class for 2 of my subjects and I had to self-teach them) until IB2. So IB1 was very easy for me and IB2 was extremely stressful because I had several deadlines every single week. Also doubling the amount of content you have to memorise for exams does make it a lot harder. On the other hand you could just be very smart. Obviously it's possible to get 6s and 7s in all your subjects, but with just 2 days revision for each subject, I don't think so.

We had much of the same at our school, and the OP should also consider that its quite possible that your school is giving you easier questions or marking to a lower standard, something that can occur commonly in IB1 (I know our school STILL does it 1/4 through IB2).

I do disagree with the notion that a 6 or 7 is impossible with 2 days' revision, though. I did History SL anticipated with maybe a weeks' revision and scored a 7. Most of the other students in the class were IB2 and extremely worried about Maths and Chemistry; therefore they spent maybe 2 days, if that, cramming History before the exam, and about half of them scored 6s. We did go over what we had covered in class throughout the course about a month beforehand, but we did little to no past papers collectively.

EDIT: Not that it's advisable to dedicate only 2 days revision to each of your final exams, though

Edited April 24, 2012 by Tony Stark