mobiusdick Posted May 25, 2018 Report Share Posted May 25, 2018 Hey guys, I wanted to know if it is possible to take 5 HLs instead of the 4 I have been taking for the past school year. Keep in mind that mocks are in less than a month. The class I want to bring up to HL is Economics, as I think the Paper 3 will benefit me a lot as I'm a very mathematically-inclined student. So far, Paper 1s have really been giving me trouble and all my classmates say Paper 3s are much easier than Paper 1s. Thoughts? These are my classes currently: HL Math, HL Physics, HL Chem, HL Arabic B SL English LAL, Economics Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lixter Posted May 26, 2018 Report Share Posted May 26, 2018 I can see where you are coming. But, at the end of the day, 5 HLs is really an overkill. Perhaps, you should drop your Arabic language to SL and move your Econs to HL. Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mobiusdick Posted May 26, 2018 Author Report Share Posted May 26, 2018 The thing is I can't. Arabic B HL is literally the only second language class that fits my schedule (and there's no SL only HL). I have been considering dropping chemistry to SL but I don't want to do that because if I do I won't gain any college credits, and I really really do not want to take chemistry again in university. I know it seems like death to have 5 HLs but that's not how I am thinking about it. On paper it may seem more difficult, but practically it will actually be easier for me. 6 hours ago, Lixter said: 5 HLs is really an overkill How do you think universities will view it? Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kw0573 Posted May 26, 2018 Report Share Posted May 26, 2018 The Diploma Programme only allows exactly 3-4 HLs and the remaining at SL. You have an option to take a seventh subject, but I only have talked to those taking 3HL 3SL and 1 HL additional, not anyone taking 4HL 2SL and 1 HL additional (let alone taking up an SL in just year 2). The obvious solution to doing poorly on economics paper 1 is to do more practice problems of paper 1, read sample responses, and ask questions when you are unsure. I advise against any strategy to just take a loss at any assessment then try to overcompensate on another assessment. In general, once requirements are met, universities in UK favor high overall grades and high HL grades, while most other unis favor high overall grades. If the choice is between 2 students of same overall predicted grade having both met minimum requirement, but one is taking 4HL, 2SL, 1 HL additional and other is a student taking 3HL 3SL but demonstrated significant leadership, significant problem solving skills, and/or strong interest in the discipline, the university always chooses the latter. In other words, the ability to manage tough workload is not as much of a deciding factor once you meet the required IB grade for admission. 1 Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mobiusdick Posted May 26, 2018 Author Report Share Posted May 26, 2018 Would you recommend dropping Chemistry HL and instead picking up Economics HL? I do intend on applying to universities in the UK and none in the US. I will most likely be applying for a degree in mathematics, with my reach university being Oxford. I think I'm on track to receiving the grades they require. Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kw0573 Posted May 27, 2018 Report Share Posted May 27, 2018 I think in another post you said Chem HL was really hard. I know people who got really good grade after a bad year 1. I am majoring in chemistry so obviously I want people to take Chemistry HL . I don't recommend taking up a new HL in year 2. If you really want to, you can just take Chemistry at SL and leave everything else the same. Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mobiusdick Posted May 27, 2018 Author Report Share Posted May 27, 2018 Haha you're right. I would rather keep chemistry because I don't want all this effort to go to waste. I'm also doing pretty well so I guess I'll just soldier through it. Thank you for your help!! 😃 Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
IB`NOT`ez Posted May 28, 2018 Report Share Posted May 28, 2018 4 hours ago, idek said: Hey! I can understand your situation. I have been requesting my school to let me move Geography SL to HL for 3 months now. My other highers are Maths, physics and chem too. Even though it works out timetabling wise, they do not let any students do more than 3 HLs. Even though I'm getting 7s in them currently. My reach is Cambridge for engineering, and Geography is super good as a support subject, but the school has a point. They'd rather have students get 45 with 3 HLs than 40s with 4 or 5 HLs. I don't mean to be disparaging humanities, especially econs, but it is easier to study them later as a college course than maths or sciences - that's what they said. irrelevant - how do you have mocks so way before the exams? I have mine jan next year. there's someone who did 3 extra HLs on top of a regular DP courseload and ended up with a 66/66. The sky's the limit – you should go for whatever you want to go for. 2 Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
idek Posted May 28, 2018 Report Share Posted May 28, 2018 7 hours ago, IB`NOT`ez said: there's someone who did 3 extra HLs on top of a regular DP courseload and ended up with a 66/66. The sky's the limit – you should go for whatever you want to go for. God. but in all seriousness, that's some level of organisation. what did he/she end up doing later in life? Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mobiusdick Posted May 28, 2018 Author Report Share Posted May 28, 2018 15 hours ago, idek said: irrelevant - how do you have mocks so way before the exams? I have mine jan next year. We do our mocks at the end of junior year, and then if you are unsatisfied you can redo a few of them in October next year, right before college applications. It's a good system because you're being tested on a year's worth of material right when you learn it not a few months after. 15 hours ago, idek said: My reach is Cambridge for engineering, Seeing that my reach is similar to yours, where do you think you stand as an applicant? Are you on track to receiving the required predicteds? Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
idek Posted June 1, 2018 Report Share Posted June 1, 2018 On 5/29/2018 at 12:35 AM, mobiusdick said: We do our mocks at the end of junior year, and then if you are unsatisfied you can redo a few of them in October next year, right before college applications. we have end of year tests too - they make up the predicted grade. we have to sit another round of these 2 months before anyway. Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mobiusdick Posted June 1, 2018 Author Report Share Posted June 1, 2018 Update: The school refused to let me have 5 HLs, even when I told them I'd be doing that just for the finals and then would drop econ back to HL 😕 (they though I was crazy lol). I still have hope, though. I think I can find a way around it. Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
IB`NOT`ez Posted June 1, 2018 Report Share Posted June 1, 2018 2 hours ago, mobiusdick said: Update: The school refused to let me have 5 HLs, even when I told them I'd be doing that just for the finals and then would drop econ back to HL 😕 (they though I was crazy lol). I still have hope, though. I think I can find a way around it. The way around it would be to do 4 HLs + 2 SLs for regular diploma and then add 1x HL subject making it 5 HLs and 2 SL courses you're taking. You can't have only 5HLs and 1 SL. Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
IB`NOT`ez Posted June 1, 2018 Report Share Posted June 1, 2018 On 5/28/2018 at 9:26 AM, idek said: God. but in all seriousness, that's some level of organisation. what did he/she end up doing later in life? I think she ended up going to Harvard followed by law school Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gaby Posted June 1, 2018 Report Share Posted June 1, 2018 On 5/28/2018 at 2:26 PM, idek said: God. but in all seriousness, that's some level of organisation. what did he/she end up doing later in life? She was also unbelievably smart, and got a virtually unconditional offer for Oxford Law, as it asked her to get 1 point in the IB (which is absolutely unheard of to the point that the admissions department was surprised by it). She ended up doing Philosophy at Harvard. But that level of commitment to the diploma is an anomaly, not an example to follow, mind you. 1 Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mobiusdick Posted June 1, 2018 Author Report Share Posted June 1, 2018 7 hours ago, IB`NOT`ez said: The way around it would be to do 4 HLs + 2 SLs for regular diploma and then add 1x HL subject making it 5 HLs and 2 SL courses you're taking. You can't have only 5HLs and 1 SL. Yeahh but it's probably too late to pick up an entirely new course Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
idek Posted June 2, 2018 Report Share Posted June 2, 2018 7 hours ago, mobiusdick said: Yeahh but it's probably too late to pick up an entirely new course Maybe you can do further maths? I do further maths as an optional 4th HL. I can chose to drop it next year. Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mobiusdick Posted June 2, 2018 Author Report Share Posted June 2, 2018 5 hours ago, idek said: Maybe you can do further maths? I do further maths as an optional 4th HL. I can chose to drop it next year. That is definitely not a bad idea. I will look into that, thank you! Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SMY Posted July 9, 2018 Report Share Posted July 9, 2018 If you want to take PCM HL...honestly Take it. I did Phy hl, math hl, econ hl....then after year 1, I went to chem hl, math hl, econ hl. The big problem was this mindset I had that PCM HL is not doable at my school but no! Don't take something because everyone else says it. I hated Econ HL...I should have never done it honestly and for me I enjoyed PCM, and never Econ but because of this world-wide fright in PCM...I decided that Econ HL was a must. Do what you enjoy, and if you are even mediocre at the beginning; trust me, by the end of IB, you will do great. Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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