So I am currently taking math studies and I know it is the easier IB math class. However I also know that not all american universities are very knowledgable in the IB program. So I was wondering if they would be able to recognize that one class is much easier than the other, or if they would just see IB and instantly think that its the same as AP thus it should be a challenging class. Also would they care? I am interested in state schools like UT but also higher ranked schools like the ivy league, NYU, Vanderbilt, Boston University and
American schools know math studies is easy math. Most schools might offer honors or even standard math in jr year that is more challenging than math studies. It really will depend on your major, but for sure US schools will see that as a very easy option. Top US schools are well aware of the IB program, The USA has many IB schools.
They don’t care as long as you have strong HL 's and do well in all six if your IB courses. IB is automatically the most rigorous coursework. The US indeed has a lot of IB schools.
It would only matter if you’re planning on a STEM major but I’m guessing not. 
In all other cases you’re better off with Math Studies 6-7 rather than Math SL 4!
American universities do not give credit for either Math Studies SL nor Math SL.
(BTW I did math studies, found it really interesting, and it didn’t hurt me either in admissions or studies. You can show rigor through other subjects - philosophy, two languages, etc.)
I would disagree that it’s 'very easy ’ - it includes a lot of important mathematical concepts as applied to daily life and the contemporary world, and it’s both more challenging and more useful in its design than the basic math classes. It’s a good class to take when you want to keep challenging yourself despite relative inaptitude in math or won’t need more math so learn it for general education but want to focus on advanced skills in other subjects.
Again, it all depends on the rest of your choices.
Do US universities give conditional places for IB students from abroad? US students don't even have an IBD score at uni application time, heck, they barely have it on matriculation.
They request a predicted/expected score, yes.
But the admission isn’t conditional like in the UK because the student’s admission doesn’t solely depends on grades/scores. At “automatic admissions” schools like in Iowa, the SAT X GPA will calculate it (and IGCSE or MYP grades +predicted IB will be turned into a sort of GPA, to the university’s pleasure ie., idiosyncratic wishes; there, 24, 27, 32 would result in admission, and the higher the SAT score the lower the score can go). At very selective universities, all other elements will count, provided the student has 37-38+ predicted. Your acceptance is final and you deposit by May 1st, ie., before any results are known. Then, as long as you graduate and receive your diploma, you’re okay. (Obviously a student predicted a 38 who scores 24 would have some problems and could be rescinded at top schools, but it’d also question the guidance counselor’s integrity.)
I’m in Math Studies SL too but I’m worried it would inhibit my acceptance into Ivy League schools like Columbia. I took pre-cal freshman year and I didn’t like it, ending up w a B and hurting my GPA. I plan on taking pre-cal in the summer to do AP Cal next year as I am in my second year of Math Studies. Does this sound like a good plan or can it hurt me? If you don’t mind my asking, where did you go to college?
It’ll hurt you more that you took a junior level class as a freshman then dropped it because of a B, than being in Math Studies.
Are you in the IB Diploma program?
Neither math studies SL nor math SL will give advanced placement in math in US universities. Math SL includes some calculus, so some students also try the AP calculus AB exam (possibly with some additional self-study, or with the math SL course adding a few extra topics as needed) to try to get advanced placement in math.
Not sure why someone three grades ahead in math (precalculus in 9th grade) would have difficulty in math…
^Apparently, the student didn’t like getting a B and decided to drop that path - more than Math Studies, it’s that decision that’ll look strange. Retaking Precalculus over the summer for a quick review, then taking BOTH IB Math Studies and AP Calculus AB is a strange move but won’t hurt your application. You’ll probably have to explain how you ended up doing that (interest for the practical aspects of MAth Studies + fun with more abstract math in calculus???)
Hi i am planning to take maths studies to do Business Management or Marketing or Business Economics. Is it convenient if i want to apply in the future in NYU, UCLA, Washington University, University of Colombia or Yale University? I’m doing the IBDP my HLs are economics, business and design and technology. My SLs are Eng lang/Eng lit, Fren lang/ Fren lit and maths studies. Together with the IBDP i’m planning to take the SATs exams as well so…
@Kaiju88: if you want to major in economics or business, you must take Math SL, not Math Studies SL.
I think most elite us universities want to see a science as one of your six courses.
Business or economics will require calculus (though often a light one for business majors). Math SL or HL is more appropriate for those who need to take more advanced math in college, compared to math studies SL.