Hi all,
I’m currently taking these classes:
Psych HL
English Lit HL
History HL
Bio HL
Math SL
Arabic Ab Initio SL
I am considering dropping to Math Studies due to the fact that I plan to pursue a BA in psych at a canadian university (I’m canadian but studying outside the country) which doesn’t require Math SL or above… I am really set on UBC for many reasons and their Vancouver campus only offers BA in psych, but I’m planning on going pre-med. I have wondered if a BSc would improve my chances for med school admission enough to consider changing my plan but I am really liking my current plan.
I currently have a 5 in Math SL and I am really not sure that I can maintain it. I am very good at stats (7s last year in the unit) which I know there is a lot of in Psych but everything else really stresses me out and I have to put so much time in just for a 5.
I’m waiting to meet with my uni counsellor but for the time being I was wondering if anyone had any input on the topic… should I tough it out and possibly end at a 4 or something even worse… or go to Math Studies and get a significantly higher grade…? If anyone has any input on stuff mentioned earlier in the post I would love to hear it.
What math is required at uni for premed in Canada?
@VickiSoCal
I’m not planning to declare a pre-med major, rather to take psychology with the necessary relevant courses.
For psychology there is no math requirement if it is an arts degree (as far as I’m aware).
Math studies does not match a student with HL physics and BIo. It should not be a challenge. In my kids HS math SL is over in the first year.
I assume that you are a junior in year 1 of Math SL and considering Math Studies for senior year? If so, that is doable. If you need to take calculus in college for some reason, you will be adequately prepared for that. Math studies is a poor choice if you think you might pursue something that is STEM ish, but otherwise okay.
I would do it if you need to balance your workload, feel you need to review more math, or that you won’t get your IBD because of the SL grade. If it’s merely about college admissions, I would probably stay with math SL through the second year. (At our school, the second SL year is calc AB).
Math studies senior year after Math SL junior year should be ok for a psychology BA.
However it’ll severely handicap your ability to be premed, since premeds need to take Calculus and Math Studies doesn’t cover the pre-reqs for calculus.
Hi everyone, thanks for the advice…
I think I will continue with Math SL for this year since there is no real downside even if I score low… I think at this point I might have to switch to Studies next year whether I want to or not due to my mark on the last test.
I am not interested in STEM fields, but I do want to go to medical school after finishing my bachelors. If it is absolutely necessary for me to get that calc requirement then I will try and find a way to power through.
If you want to go to med school and struggled in math SL, you need to get a tutor because even for DO schools (to become a general practitioner/family medicine) you need precalculus and calculus.
If you switch to math studies, make sure you apply to a Humanities major for college.
^^Great advice. With year 1 of Math SL and Math Studies, you will be adequately prepared to take calc in college but you will not have seen all of it before as would be the case if you did the second year of Math SL.
Do u want the easy way with guaranteed better prospects, or a rigor/challenge with maybe lesser scores… but a possibility of same high scores?
Also it depends if what ull want to do is in any way math oriented… if its not at all like IR… taking studies doesnt hurt… if its st like biology… or economics… taking SL is fine tooo…but if you wanna study astrophy, phy, math, ind. chem or st “hardcore” get to HL.
It’s my understanding that the IB math curriculum will change from fall 2019. Math Studies will be dropped from the curriculum but there will be new alternatives including one that will apparently fall between current Math Studies and Math SL. You should check with your school.
@tkoparent THis is true too.
There a ‘practical’ math offered at HL and SL and a ‘pure’ math offered at HL and SL.
Thats about it.
But an advice regarding the old curriculum is still advice… however obsolete.
You’re right, it seems to be much the same thing, repackaged a little. But I think the repackaging may make things a little easier, as all the math courses will be either SL or HL, whereas Math Studies has been neither. We just went through this with our son, who took Math Studies, in part because he liked the teacher and in part to remove a little unnecessary pressure. It didn’t seem to hurt him in his college search, as he will not pursue a STEM degree, but it always felt a little odd.
I dropped to math studies worrying about college admission too but honestly it was worth it every bit. US colleges don’t care that much about SLs in relativity to HL Classes, and it’s better to have a higher overall score with studies than a lower score in math SL. A lot of people seem to think that you automatically can’t get into a good school because of it (including a lot of people at my school) but I’ve gotten into some really selective schools (For business): NYU, USC, Notre Dame, etc.
IB automatically means the highest rigor. Colleges want to see you choose carefully, showing self awareness, with three HLs that match your strengths.