The quintessential choice, SL or Studies

[aTeddy]

So, this is something I'm mulling over a bit, whether or not I should go with Maths SL or go for the Maths Studies SL.

I am solid 5ing Maths SL and I am seriously not cutting the cheese. I need 7s for my goals.

So, my aim is Medicine (yes, I understand that Maths is important-ish in terms of medicine.)

I'm confident that I can score a 7 in Maths Studies and I know that Sydney University won't require Mathematics as a prerequisite until 2019, which will be essentially a year after I graduate. So it shouldn't affect me and there are no entry requirements, therefore I can make it into pre-med, if (big ifs here) I get 45 and I do Maths Studies. 

However, the thing is, Maths is a part of Medicine and I'm not sure if I really want to commit to dropping it to Studies. 

I know I'll have heaps more time to dedicate to my actual HLs; giving me a better chance of a 45.

I have four options.

 

1) Stick with SL, wait until my half-yearly exams in April -> if I do poorly go to Maths Studies.

2) Stick with SL, persist until the end of IB1, do a lot of study -> evaluate then.

3) Drop to Studies right now.

4) Drop to Studies after the half yearly exams in April (this is more certain really than Option 1) -> what I'm asking here, is it better to get a lot of experience (half a year with SL) and then use it in Studies, or change right now because the courses are vastly different?

 

Honestly, I'm pretty well certain that Maths SL just doesn't fit with the rest of my IB programme (Essay and memorisation heavy HL subjects) and I'm not confident I can score the all-important 7 points. I'd like to hear what you think as I know this is something IB students at my school are very concerned with (we have a very, very average SL cohort) and I know has been experienced by a few people out here on these forums.

Thanks for the help in advance.

[YourPrincess]

So, this is something I'm mulling over a bit, whether or not I should go with Maths SL or go for the Maths Studies SL.

I am solid 5ing Maths SL and I am seriously not cutting the cheese. I need 7s for my goals.

So, my aim is Medicine (yes, I understand that Maths is important-ish in terms of medicine.)

I'm confident that I can score a 7 in Maths Studies and I know that Sydney University won't require Mathematics as a prerequisite until 2019, which will be essentially a year after I graduate. So it shouldn't affect me and there are no entry requirements, therefore I can make it into pre-med, if (big ifs here) I get 45 and I do Maths Studies. 

However, the thing is, Maths is a part of Medicine and I'm not sure if I really want to commit to dropping it to Studies. 

I know I'll have heaps more time to dedicate to my actual HLs; giving me a better chance of a 45.

I have four options.

 

1) Stick with SL, wait until my half-yearly exams in April -> if I do poorly go to Maths Studies.

2) Stick with SL, persist until the end of IB1, do a lot of study -> evaluate then.

3) Drop to Studies right now.

4) Drop to Studies after the half yearly exams in April (this is more certain really than Option 1) -> what I'm asking here, is it better to get a lot of experience (half a year with SL) and then use it in Studies, or change right now because the courses are vastly different?

 

Honestly, I'm pretty well certain that Maths SL just doesn't fit with the rest of my IB programme (Essay and memorisation heavy HL subjects) and I'm not confident I can score the all-important 7 points. I'd like to hear what you think as I know this is something IB students at my school are very concerned with (we have a very, very average SL cohort) and I know has been experienced by a few people out here on these forums.

Thanks for the help in advance.

 

 

Heyy, 

 

If you're applying as an undergraduate in Strayaaa then you won't need to take Maths SL. You can definitely drop down to studies because Maths is not a prerequisite.

Oh and btw Syd Uni is not undergraduate for med lol 

Edited March 8, 2016 by YourPrincess

[Sandwich]

Do Maths Studies if you're not confident with Maths. Mathematics is not important in Medicine, unless you're planning on going into medical physics or something like that. However given that you're not sounding too confident with Maths, it seems to me pretty unlikely that you'd go down any more mathematical specialty route. Unless you're keen on pursuing your weaknesses for the rest of your life  For virtually everything in medicine all you need to be able to do is add, multiply, divide and subtract!

 

I stuck with Maths SL in the misguided belief it was an essential subject, it was stupid and I would have scored higher without it.

[kw0573]

1) Stick with SL, wait until my half-yearly exams in April -> if I do poorly go to Maths Studies.

2) Stick with SL, persist until the end of IB1, do a lot of study -> evaluate then.

3) Drop to Studies right now.

4) Drop to Studies after the half yearly exams in April (this is more certain really than Option 1) -> what I'm asking here, is it better to get a lot of experience (half a year with SL) and then use it in Studies, or change right now because the courses are vastly different?

Others (from my understanding) have been commenting about switching to Studies or stay in SL. I say you should switch to studies but only make the switch in the spring (June ish) (Option 4), or make the switch as soon as you feel barely comfortable with SL. 

SL Math does not exactly cover all of Studies and more, there is a stronger emphasis in statistics and modelling in Studies. So it's not get if you stay for the full year in SL you can cover all of Studies but it's good to gain some good study habits that you can use in other courses (such as organic chemistry later down the road). I wouldn't say you'll get a lot of experience just from one semester of SL but when you are getting barely comfortable with SL that should be enough.

Also I recommend dropping only after your winter break (I don't know when that is sorry im from northern hemisphere), because you can take the time to double check that all the schools you are applying to does not require SL Math, as well as possibly speak with those who have taken Studies and entered life sciences/med. More likely than not the info you will have found confirms your decision.

EDIT: sometimes just because a school doesn't require SL Math for admissions doesn't mean you won't need to take math courses in the future. Check out course plans for your intended majors at the school you are thinking of applying to make sure that you don't need to take many math courses or I would recommend SL Math over Studies. That's also why you should drop only after the break so you have time to gather all this info. 

Edited March 8, 2016 by kw0573

[aTeddy]

 

So, this is something I'm mulling over a bit, whether or not I should go with Maths SL or go for the Maths Studies SL.

I am solid 5ing Maths SL and I am seriously not cutting the cheese. I need 7s for my goals.

So, my aim is Medicine (yes, I understand that Maths is important-ish in terms of medicine.)

I'm confident that I can score a 7 in Maths Studies and I know that Sydney University won't require Mathematics as a prerequisite until 2019, which will be essentially a year after I graduate. So it shouldn't affect me and there are no entry requirements, therefore I can make it into pre-med, if (big ifs here) I get 45 and I do Maths Studies. 

However, the thing is, Maths is a part of Medicine and I'm not sure if I really want to commit to dropping it to Studies. 

I know I'll have heaps more time to dedicate to my actual HLs; giving me a better chance of a 45.

I have four options.

 

1) Stick with SL, wait until my half-yearly exams in April -> if I do poorly go to Maths Studies.

2) Stick with SL, persist until the end of IB1, do a lot of study -> evaluate then.

3) Drop to Studies right now.

4) Drop to Studies after the half yearly exams in April (this is more certain really than Option 1) -> what I'm asking here, is it better to get a lot of experience (half a year with SL) and then use it in Studies, or change right now because the courses are vastly different?

 

Honestly, I'm pretty well certain that Maths SL just doesn't fit with the rest of my IB programme (Essay and memorisation heavy HL subjects) and I'm not confident I can score the all-important 7 points. I'd like to hear what you think as I know this is something IB students at my school are very concerned with (we have a very, very average SL cohort) and I know has been experienced by a few people out here on these forums.

Thanks for the help in advance.

 

 

Heyy, 

 

If you're applying as an undergraduate in Strayaaa then you won't need to take Maths SL. You can definitely drop down to studies because Maths is not a prerequisite.

Oh and btw Syd Uni is not undergraduate for med lol 

 

 

Yeah, but they do a Science-Medicine guaranteed entry program, and thats the real goal for me.

Thanks for helping everyone, I think I am going to drop down to Studies.