Should I move to Math SL?

[Sceptyczka]

Hi fellow IB students

So I have started the first year of IB two months ago and I've been taking Mathematical Studies. However, I like maths and I've started wondering recently whether I couldn't switch to SL (although I don't need for the university courses I have chosen). I would like to know which grades I could possibly get at Math SL (with some effort but without spending much more time on Math than on other subjects), considering that right now I get about 75 to 80% on Math Studies without studying at all and 90% to 100% with some effort (about one or two hours of preparations before a test) and quite bad teacher. Is there anybody who have moved from SL to Studies or the other way round and can tell the difference in grades and time spent on studying Math? Oh, and in the Polish version of GSCE in 2012 (which is quite easy, though, I have put a link to it below, so you could maybe compare it with your GSCE) I got 93% without preparing. I have also done pre-IB where I got about 65% in tests. The material we did in pre-IB was considered to be SL material but without harder parts of it. However, when I compare this year SL material with material from pre-IB, I can see some differendes so I can't really say if it's the same level of difficulty. And I also had a bit worse work ethic in pre-IB, I was often unprepared, so my grades may be better at SL this year, as I am willing to work harder (although I'm still not very good at maths - I only like it and that's why I suffer on Studies).

To sum up, considering this, I would like to ask how well I could do at SL. I don't want to move without being sure that even with Math at SL I have chances to get at least 32 points (but rather about 35) that I need for my univesity course, especially that I don't need to chooce SL after all. I would also appreciate some examples of your grades changing when you have moved to another level.

Thanks in advance and sorry for all the mistakes. I'm still not that good at English, although I have been learning it at school for past ten years.

http://pliki.echodnia.eu/pdf/egzaminGimnazjalny2012matematyka.pdf - this Polish GSCE sample in Math, you probably can't understand much of it, but it's easy to see its difficulty, it's not even Studies... however, I did well on it and some people complained, so maybe I still have some chances at Math SL?

[Klauu]

my sister changed from math studies to math standard after half a year, and she got a 5..I think!

[Black Bird Lockheed]

Hi!

It seems that you are good at maths so math SL will be good for you. But the grade of this subject will depend upon the time you are spending for practicing Maths and your IA's too will become bit tougher. Well I initially took Math HL ( I am not a Math person) and I used to get 3 or something like that. But when I started to take SL I got 6 in first term and 4 on second (My fault, coz I spent too much time on UCAS, SAT and other stuff) Otherwise taking Math SL is good because it gives you strong point in your university applications. My advice is to take Math SL for first term and see how you are faring for the exam. If you do good, continue with SL, if it goes worse go back to studies, won't be a big loss anyways. Well my main advice is practice past papers and it will really do wonders. Taking Math SL do have many advantages for your future.

And by the way your English is good enough, so you don't need to worry on that. But you must work hard if you are taking SL, then only you will succeed. Good Luck!

Edited November 12, 2013 by akash jishnu

[under-cover]

I have always done fairly well in Maths without a lot of hard work and I am doing maths SL. But, I am finding it really quite hard and it requires a lot of dedication and hard work. If I could go back, I would do maths studies, because it would take a load of all my other subjects. Remember, maths does get harder and more difficult. When it comes to your second year and you have a ridiculous amount of work to get done, you will want to take the easiest option to be honest. I would do maths studies to make your life easier and focus on getting a better grade in the subjects that you want to study later on.

[Sceptyczka]

Hi! Thank you all for your answer and sorry for such a late respond. The problem is that it may not give me a strong point in my university application because I want to study at the University of Copenhagen where they don't really care. I mean, from what I know, they only give some specific requirements and if you get less points overall because you took a higher level that is required, then it's only your problem. I know, it's not very motivating. I think that I will just have to ask the university whether it's really true and they don't give any bonus. If so, taking SL would really be only a way of "challenging" myself and could make it even harder to get to uni.

I just get really bored at Studies and as an idealist I always imagine what I could be learning at SL. I like math more than other subjects I have chosen, like chemistry and history but I guess it's not enough reason to make my future more difficult...

However, if as Klauuu said, you can get a 5 after a half year on Studies than I still have some chances for getting to the university with SL.

[Sceptyczka]

my sister changed from math studies to math standard after half a year, and she got a 5..I think!

 

Do you remember how much time she spent on Math?

 

 

I have always done fairly well in Maths without a lot of hard work and I am doing maths SL. But, I am finding it really quite hard and it requires a lot of dedication and hard work. If I could go back, I would do maths studies, because it would take a load of all my other subjects. Remember, maths does get harder and more difficult. When it comes to your second year and you have a ridiculous amount of work to get done, you will want to take the easiest option to be honest. I would do maths studies to make your life easier and focus on getting a better grade in the subjects that you want to study later on.

 

So you don't think it's good to "challenge" yourself? Could you tell much time you spent on Maths SL approximately? And did you like Maths as a subject in secondary school and later? 

Edited August 29, 2014 by Sceptyczka

[under-cover]

Well, I should definitely spend more time on maths. It takes time to learn some of the stuff. If you're good at maths and you're willing to be challenged, go for it. It sounds like you want to, so just do it. If it gets too hard, you can always drop back down.

[eoeoeo3]

Personally, I would love to be on math SL actually, but unfortunately I'm not really good at it. From my and my friends' experience I can say that it's always easier to lower your level next year than catch up with everything they have done for the whole year, so if you think that you should give it a try- do it! You don't really have to move right now (I mean you don't have that much time, because 2 months are already quite a lot of time, but still). I'm pretty sure that it's possible for you to take few math SL classes and then decide about the level you want to take. Few of my friends, even though they're kinda good at math decided to change SL to ST, because it was just too hard, and they already have some other difficult subjects.