Determining my Career Path (IB Chemistry vs. IB Biology)

College Majors
1

I live in California and my school offers the full IB Diploma program, which I am a candidate for. I’m currently a junior and just started school a few weeks ago.

This year I’m taking:
AP Calculus (I am taking the AP test rather than IB Math SL test)
AP Physics
IB English 11 HL1
IB Chemistry/Biology HL1 (this class switches from Chemistry to Biology half way through the year)
AP US History
French 3
IB Psychology HL 1 Research Methods
Theory of Knowlege

So to clarify, in May this year I will be testing in AP Calculus. AP Physics, and APUSH.

Senior year:
IB Math HL
IB Psychology HL
IB English HL
IB 20th Century HL
IB French HL
IB Chemistry or IB Biology
Theory of Knowledge

I will be testing in all of these except TOK, obviously.

Because I am testing HL in all of my subjects, I have to take all these classes senior year. I put my whole schedule up, so you can see that I am serious about school. Even if I drop full IB, I wouldn’t drop any of my classes. I would just take the AP tests instead.

I don’t want to make the wrong choice with my science. I would love to take both Chemistry and Biology, but unfortunately I am already committed to Psychology.

The reason for that is my Research Methods class. It’s a course completely committed to the Psychology Internal Assessment and is a pre requisite to Psychology HL. This is my favorite class. After learning basic terminology, we pick a topic, research to find 3 supporting studies, replicate/modify those studies in an experiment, gather/analyze the data, and write a 2000 word research paper. That’s the entire class. No tests, only deadlines. With only 12 people in my class it is so fun and interesting. Research is so gratifying and I hope to do more of it in the future. Also, this means I won’t have room in my schedule to take both Chemistey and Biology my senior year.

I took Chemistry H my freshman year and beyond loved it. I had the greatest teacher in the world. I never missed a point on a test (even though some people really struggled). I loved the math and the concepts. I ended with a 99% both terms. Biology H my sophomore year was a different story. It was a significantly harder class with frequent pop quizzes and impossible multiple choice questions on our unit tests. My teacher made it so we all begged for a solely written test. I didn’t hate biology though. It was tougher, but I liked the challenge. I learned so much and can still recall a lot of that information. I found the class interesting. I received around a 93% both terms, which was one of the higher grades in the class.

Now it’s my junior year. My present IB Chemistry teacher is alright, but slightly irritating. I find it easy so far, but boring. I know I am talented at it. It just makes sense to me and I do it. I spend almost no time on homework because it’s easy and I don’t need the practice. I discovered my old biology honors teacher is teaching my IB Biology next semester. I am a little excited because I know I will learn even more, but it will definitely be a challenge. She is a little dull, but she knows what she’s doing. I was going to wait at the end of the year to decide which to take my senior year, but I have this feeling I’m going to do great in both, maybe a little better in Chemistry. Plus, neither of my teachers make me feel passionate about either. So, I won’t be able to decide.

Here’s what makes my decision ever harder: the senior year teachers. From what I’ve heard the Chemistry teacher is great, but the Biology teacher is amazing. The Bio teacher is fun, passionate, prepares you for the test, and apparently will make you fall in love with Biology. She is the reason a lot of people end up going into some sort of Biology in college. All I know about Chemistry is that very few people take it, but the teacher is adequate and will prepare you for the IB test.

I can’t decide! I want to major in something science, so next year will definitely influence my career path. Ultimately, I could end up anywhere for my undergraduate education. I just want to be happy with whatever science I choose next year because it definitely will contribute to my future career.

Sorry this is so long. Any advice would be much appreciated.

2

Perhaps if you truly desire to take both you could take a dual enrollment class or something over the summer at a local college? There is also a multitude of online courses for both subjects, and if you’re already proficient in Chemistry perhaps the self-paced nature of an online course without having to worry about a lackluster teacher would be ideal for you. I understand your struggle (having trouble choosing my IB classes myself), and good luck with whatever you choose to do!

3

Whether you take IB HL chemistry or biology in high school won’t force you to choose a college major or career path.

Since you have had high school level course work in all of biology, chemistry, and physics, and will complete calculus in high school, you should be ready for the course work in any science major in college. At some colleges, AP or IB HL scores may be a bonus in giving you advanced placement, but that is not generally required.

4

@ucbalumnus you are absolutely right. It won’t force me to do anything, but I think it will affect my decision for major and later my career. So I’m worried about making the right choice. I think I’m stressed out in general as well

5

I promise you, it will not affect your career path. It’s really irrelevant which course you take. It’s understandable that you’re stressed out, but you’re making mountains of molehills.

And how will it affect your decision for a major?

6

I agree with the above. Taking one or the other isn’t going to change your life. Take whichever one you want–it really doesn’t matter. What are you worried is going to happen?

And even if it does set you on an entire career path that you can never change from and affects all of your life decision (which it won’t), how on earth are we (or you) supposed to predict the future and decide which class you are “supposed” to take? Both classes are fine. Taking one or the other isn’t going to affect your college admissions chances or your ability to major in anything you want to major in or follow any career path that you want to. Calm down. Pick the one your more interested in or the one with the better teacher or the one your friends are taking–whatever. This is not the most important decision of your life. If you have to, flip a coin. If you are dissatisfied with the side that the coin lands on, then that might be your answer right there.

When you get to college, take both introductory biology and general chemistry, if you are still debating between the two. If you already have credit for one of those subjects, take a more advanced class in the field. That will help you get a better idea of what you want to pursue. As a biology major, you’ll be required to take both biology and chemistry courses as prerequisites so there is no time loss if you go that way. Chemistry majors don’t always require biology (although they might), but you may be able to use the biology courses as elective credit or as GE credit (if your really worried about only taking classes that fulfill some sort of requirement).