Biology HL or Physics HL

[Emilia1320]

Hi

I'm on Pre-year and my subject selections are quite clear:

Chemistry HL

Math HL

Biology HL / Physics HL

English Lit HL

Finnish Lit SL

Biology SL / Physics SL

I will drop some of those HL's if the workload is too much, I want to be able to drop if I will come to some very severe struggles with something.

And yes, I've been spamming math forum with desperate discussions about HL math that's not offered in my school, but they cancelled the Arts course for it and in the end it's offereed ))

My top choices for third degree studies are engineering, medicine and some science programs.

From these, physics would benefit engineering and biology medicine.

In Finland it's possible to study engineering outside the university where they take people from vocabulary school as well, but I would prefer university engineering since it's more theoretical.

On the other hand there is medicine, which requires biology. And medicine is hard to get into.

What would you do if you were me ? :/

[Ballislife1998]

for medicine you should take Chemistry Hl, biology HL and maybe anything else as hl, maybe economics or psychology would be good. 

For engineering, you should take math hl phyics hl and recommended chem hl

for medicine u definately dont need maths hl

[Emilia1320]

for medicine you should take Chemistry Hl, biology HL and maybe anything else as hl, maybe economics or psychology would be good. 

For engineering, you should take math hl phyics hl and recommended chem hl

for medicine u definately dont need maths hl

for medicine you should take Chemistry Hl, biology HL and maybe anything else as hl, maybe economics or psychology would be good. 

For engineering, you should take math hl phyics hl and recommended chem hl

for medicine u definately dont need maths hl

Yes but for engineering (which is my number one choice) I will need math HL :/

I don't think I'm going to need economy for engineering as badly as sciences and I definitely don't need it for medicine. Psychology on the other hand doesn't motivate me at all

[Vioh]

Yes but for engineering (which is my number one choice) I will need math HL :/

I don't think I'm going to need economy for engineering as badly as sciences and I definitely don't need it for medicine. Psychology on the other hand doesn't motivate me at all

 

A strategic choice would probably be to drop to physics SL. This is because there are many universities out there that don't require physics HL for engineering (especially if you look into chemical engineering, computer engineering, bio engineering, etc) On the other hand, biology HL is probably the most important course for medicine (like proper medicine) in most places. This choice would keep both of the options available to you.

 

However, I wouldn't call this as a smart choice, because engineering is on the top of your list. If engineering is what you want to do most, why don't you focus on it? Ignore all other options and focus on just engineering. In my opinion, people who get into engineering are the ones that put physics as priority; and likewise, people who get into medicine are the ones that put biology as their priority. So my point is you should take physics because that is your priority!

 

Also some might say that physics HL & SL are not so much different from one another. Yeah, that's true because the syllabus covers almost the same topics for both HL & SL. However, I certainly think that there's much less thinking required in SL compared to the HL course. Thus HL physics would be a huge advantage in terms of learning & understanding. Moreover, it'll not only help you to get more knowledge, but it'll also help you see the beauty in technology, the beauty of preciseness, and the beauty of nature itself. I can never describe how much physics HL has brought *meaning* to my life

[Emilia1320]

One choice is to drop English to SL and do all sciences and math HL but I need to be realistic, I would die under workload. Even if for me studies > social life I don't think I can survive such a combination at least I would be pulling down my grades by taking more I can manage. :/

[Ballislife1998]

 

for medicine you should take Chemistry Hl, biology HL and maybe anything else as hl, maybe economics or psychology would be good. 

For engineering, you should take math hl phyics hl and recommended chem hl

for medicine u definately dont need maths hl

for medicine you should take Chemistry Hl, biology HL and maybe anything else as hl, maybe economics or psychology would be good. 

For engineering, you should take math hl phyics hl and recommended chem hl

for medicine u definately dont need maths hl

Yes but for engineering (which is my number one choice) I will need math HL :/

I don't think I'm going to need economy for engineering as badly as sciences and I definitely don't need it for medicine. Psychology on the other hand doesn't motivate me at all

 

If engineering is yous number one choice, then Definately do Math hl, Physics HL and chem HL, and for SL do english, a language and economics(best of the humanities)

but if u think u can challenge urself even further u can take economics at HL...this dude i know did math physics chem eco hl and spanish and eng at sl he got a 45/45 genius! good luck!!!

[Emilia1320]

]

for medicine you should take Chemistry Hl, biology HL and maybe anything else as hl, maybe economics or psychology would be good.

For engineering, you should take math hl phyics hl and recommended chem hl

for medicine u definately dont need maths hl

for medicine you should take Chemistry Hl, biology HL and maybe anything else as hl, maybe economics or psychology would be good.

For engineering, you should take math hl phyics hl and recommended chem hl

for medicine u definately dont need maths hl

Yes but for engineering (which is my number one choice) I will need math HL :/

I don't think I'm going to need economy for engineering as badly as sciences and I definitely don't need it for medicine. Psychology on the other hand doesn't motivate me at all

If engineering is yous number one choice, then Definately do Math hl, Physics HL and chem HL, and for SL do english, a language and economics(best of the humanities)

but if u think u can challenge urself even further u can take economics at HL...this dude i know did math physics chem eco hl and spanish and eng at sl he got a 45/45 genius! good luck!!!

Thanks to irregular diploma I won't have to study humanities at all so I can take biology, which could come useful as I'm considering medicine as -if you don't make it to engineering- choice

I guess I will do physics HL after all, even if physics is the hardest to me out of the sciences. I've been told that it gets better once I'll get used to all notations and stuff. And I really want to do engineering. And even if it's hard physics is fun. It widens the view to world, I would say.

But I fear that by Biology SL I'll limit medicine out. Thou at least in here Finland entrance exams play big part on medicine entries, so I could make it there anyway. And SL level is same or even further than national curriculum on Biology.

Thank you guys! Good luck on your future studies as well and merry Christmas!

EDIT: how important is HL English

Edited December 14, 2014 by Emilia1320

[Emilia1320]

I just today discussed with my counselor and since IB Biology SL is on the same level than National Extended Biology I'm fine for medicine even without HL Biology.

And since I'm going there only if I don't get to engineering programme I am not going to need it anyway if I make it to engineering. And with HL Physics I'm more likely to get to engineering programme

Thank you, people