<p>General background info:
I am a junior in an International school in Asia (I am not American). These are my courses for grade 11 and 12 (all IB) :
Physics HL, Chem HL, Economics HL, Eng SL, Maths SL, Comp. Science SL, IB French Abnitio.
---In total 7 courses of 8. So 1 free period :D</p>
<p>Now the problem:
I often read here and there that Maths HL is required and compulsory to get admission into reputed engineering colleges. I am planning on pursuing mechanical or electrical engineering (if I get admissions) in decent colleges such as Georgia tech, Purdue, Texas Austin and heck even Berkeley, if I get the chance ofcourse. </p>
<p>I didnt take Maths HL because in its pre-requisite course, I got a C (75%). In Maths SL currently I have an A+ but its probably gonna go down. An A by the end of semester, I predict. I am planning on taking AP calc in senior year but my councilor recommended me not to. He says that Calculus will be taught in Maths SL2 but just not in the same depth.</p>
<p>Now in grade 11, perhaps it is too late to change to maths HL but just for mental satisfaction: Can I pursue m/e engineering in Gtech (ma main college) with IB maths SL?</p>
<p>Noooo! Dang it.
But I thought IB HL courses were seen more as college-like courses. For example, with HL courses you could skip some of the 1rst year college courses. But is HL math really that advantageous over SL??</p>
<p>Ok how about this:
I get 2000-2100 in SAT.
3.75 GPA cumulative of 4.3 scale. (Partially weighted because IB is only for 11 and 1 sem of 12)
Decent essay and extra curricular activities.
Above 700 in Physics, Chem and Maths SAT 2s.</p>
<p>Now how are my choices in Gtech? And yeh I still need some more answers for my first and primary question-- Is Maths HL massively advantageous over SL maths?</p>
<p>I agree with what chinesedumplings has said. Really I would think you would want to following profile to maximize your chances at Georgia Tech:</p>
<p>2150+ SAT (with 800 in the Math section, or 770 at the least)
800 SAT II Math Level II (Once again, I would set 780 or so to be the minimum)
Math HL with a prediction of 6 or 7 (7 is preferred but 6 will do just fine too)
You would want a GPA of about 3.85+ on a 4.0 scale, unweighted that is
Aim for 4.3+ GPA weighted
Extracurriculars with math or engineering/design focus are optimal</p>
<p>Now, I would like to mention that what I’ve said above will not definitely get you in, nor will getting anything below those prevent you from getting in. I’ve scoured this website for a while now and that is what I think will give you a better than good shot at the university. Anything above that is a bonus.</p>
<p>Top business schools look for Math HL in almost all cases and they aren’t anywhere near as math intensive as an engineering course is. I personally would think that you had no chance whatsoever with Math SL, unless you get in USAMO or something and can explain why you haven’t taken HL despite the skill/talent you possess in the subject.</p>
<p>I don’t agree intirely with the above posters.</p>
<p>I’m a HS senior, in an IB sch. in Asia [you’ve taken 7 subjects ?? Dude, that is crazy! oh, and our combination of HL subjects is the same, in SL I have Math Eng and Spa ab.]</p>
<p>In the U.S. your IB subject choice does not matter all that much, as long as you’ve taken a challenging courseload (and you have a challenging courseload)</p>
<p>Okay, let me contrast this to the UK, in the UK you can not apply for ANY Physics course and practically ALL Economics courses. Why? You don’t have math HL. (I know cause i’m having a tough time searching for courses)</p>
<p>On the other hand, in US, Taking Math SAT II and getting 780-800 is good enough for MOST engineering colleges. The trick is in MOST, now if you want to go for the brand name colleges like MIT, then yes, your not having math hl will put you at a disadvantage, but not at a major one. Okay, think of it this way, if you took math hl, can you be sure you’d get a 7 ? I mean for MIT your math and science def. need to be at the highest grades… if the answer to that question was no, you’ve made the right descion. if it was yes, then probably not.</p>
<p>Georgia Tech is not that much behind MIT in terms of engineering. Last I recall, it is in the top 10 or even top 5 for that matter. I think everything that applies to MIT applies to Georgia Tech, except a slight notch lower.</p>
<p>Oh man Rishab, you are making my heart pound. A 7 in Maths HL? wooh even in my dreams I wouldnt stand a chance!!
But one thing I am sure you are wrong of (ye!). The admission in Gtech is a LOT easier than that of MIT, even though their rankings dont differ by much. In fact in some websites, Gtech comes before Standford in ME rankings, but obviously the admission requirements for GT are much less selective than that of Stanford.
And Goodwood thanks man, just hope you are kinda right. Luckily, I am not applying to UK, so I am safe. Btw, I am in Bkk. which school are you in?</p>
<p>So again Rishab, are you in Gtech right now or you’re in some boat as I am? And did you read somewhere that Gtech requires Maths HL? I know top business do but Gtech is sorta known for its “comparative easier” admission rate…So yeh can u give me more info on Maths for gtech if you know about it.</p>
<p>I just read up on GTech, and, from what I can make out, they want to see that you challenged yourself as much as possible and are doing all possible to pursue your goals. In your case that you would be attending GTech. You don’t have a 7 in Math HL, from what I’ve read, I’m somewhat wrong. Even a 5 will suffice. </p>
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<p>I hope that wasn’t a typo because there is a university called Standford, notoriously known was stealing very capable applicants yet oblivious applicants from Stanford.</p>
<p>Yet again, I’m not saying that any of the advice I gave is a prerequisite for entrance to GTech but I can pretty much guarantee that you will be putting yourself at an advantage by doing so.</p>
<p>Really though, attaining a 800 in the math section of SAT I and a very high 700 in Math II SAT II will provide you with some leeway if, in the worst of cases, you don’t get a great predicted for Math HL.</p>
<p>lol that was a typo. I meant Stanford.
But I didnt get the last sentence…</p>
<p>“Really though, attaining a 800 in the math section of SAT I and a very high 700 in Math II SAT II will provide you with some leeway if, in the worst of cases, you don’t get a great predicted for Math HL.”</p>
<p>Dude that is the main problem. I am taking Maths SL and NOT Maths HL! Therefore, I am really nervous.
Will an A in Maths SL make me eligible to get admission into Gtech, assuming I meet all the requirements in all the other fields of admission? Or is Maths HL MASSIVELY advantageous over Maths SL even if I get like a B in Maths HL (best scenario) and an A in Maths SL?</p>
<p>It might, if you can prove your mathematical abilities in another shape or form. What I was trying to say with that was simply, take Math HL and do not worry about not getting the best of grades as you can easily make up for it with the SAT I and II.</p>
<p>Thanks, BanjoHitter for criticizing the info in the thread but can you be more specific of the criticism and point out what mistakes were made. It will be genuinely appreciated.</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Mathematical Methods SL does not “MASSIVELY” decrease your chances, or really decrease your chances much at all. Math SL is the equivalent of Calc AB which is what most applicants to Tech have taken. If you are worried about the credits, you can take the AP Calc AB exam for that (there are international testing centers for the AP exam). </p></li>
<li><p>You do not need an 800 on the Math SAT II and a 770+ on the Math SAT to get into Tech. Tech does not require SAT II exams (though you should send them if you do well) and the average SAT I Math score is a 691. As an international student, you would want to be above average, but you don’t need to be that extremely above average.</p></li>
<li><p>“I think everything that applies to MIT applies to Georgia Tech, except a slight notch lower.” That is not a correct comparison between schools at all. One is public, one is private. One is in New England, one is in the South. While there is some overlap, there are very different applicant pools.</p></li>
<li><p>I’ve never heard of a Standford University, nor does a Google search show much. But anyone that confuses Standford and Stanford and doesn’t question why Standford is located someplace other than Palo Alto, CA would never have been intelligent enough to attend Stanford anyway, hence I doubt they are stealing students.</p></li>
</ol>
There are no comparisons can be made between AP and IB courses as there are differing materials and of varying styles, yet, it can be said that Math (not Mathematical Methods) SL is much easier than Calc AB. It can be said, quite easily, that engineering requires more math than business, and I have e-mailed top business schools that say they look for Math HL. The chances with SL are minimal. Based on that, it is safe to say that SL would not be looked upon well with engineering universities. I have an email to back up my assertion… maybe you should provide evidence for your baseless assumption. OP, you should email Georgia Tech.</p>
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Try reading. I explicitly said that those aren’t requirements but those are generally optimal. Also, provide some evidence for that SAT I score and keep in mind that you cannot get 800 in Math I if you make one mistake while the case is different for Math II.</p>
<p>Just because MIT and Georgia Tech generally appeal to students with different geographical wants, it doesn’t mean that their stats are different. Completely irrelevant once again. UC Berkeley is a public school but that doesn’t mean its stats for acceptance are much different from those of top private schools.</p>
<p>@RishabhB I hope you read the replies of other members in that thread you posted. Clearly schools like “Standford” “Cornall” and “Havard” dont exist. None of the schools have websites or an address and they arent found on google. Even if schools with similar names existed, its the students fault for applying to the school without knowing the correct spelling or location. Clearly a student who is applying to Harvard will know that it is in Massachusetts and not Texas(as it said on the thread you posted) Similarly, Cornall is said to be located in South Carolina while Cornell is in NY. There is a big difference. If a student makes the mistake of applying to a wrong school because they got confused with the spelling its their fault and they obviously didn’t do their research.</p>
<p>Whether or not it is the student’s mistake for not reading carefully or the university’s ploy, it digresses from the topic regarding which the OP wants answers.</p>
<p>Mathematics SL is formerly Mathematical Methods SL. That is how you will find most comparisons. </p>
<p>While AP and IB are obviously different programs, the Math SL is often treated as equivalent to AP Calc AB. In fact, many school districts teach just one class covering the material for both exams (so IB and non-IB students take the class, all students take the AP Calc AB exam and the IB students also take the Math SL exam).</p>
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<p>I would challenge that assertion, considering that some business schools require courses like stochastic optimization, linear programming, and advanced statistics. For example, many quantitative and computational finance programs require more math than your standard civil or mechanical engineering programs.</p>
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<p>I get that you’re 17 years old and have good test scores, and therefore believe that you run the world. The fact is, you put together a small chain of logic to create your assertion. That does not make it fact nor does it make me interested in an online ****ing contest.</p>
<p>Obviously taking Math SL is less advantageous than taking Math HL if both are offered. However, that does not translate into a “MASSIVE” difference, nor does it translate to disqualification from admission. That is like making the argument that a 2350 is less advantageous than a 2400 when applying. The statement is true, but it does not follow that a 2350 makes you unlikely to be admitted.</p>
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<p>Since it’s an unbounded region of feasibility, optimal would be an 800 SAT I Math, 800 SAT II, three published papers in a first tier journal, having already completed the Math sequence at a first tier university, and a Fields Medal. </p>
<p>Of course, I wouldn’t recommend or even suggest that someone needs the Fields Medal to apply to Georgia Tech. Why? Because it is unrealistic and unnecessary. </p>
<p>SAT Math 691 average
650-730 range of middle 50%</p>
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<p>The assertion was made that the same students apply to MIT and Georgia Tech. While there is some overlap, that is not necessarily true. Because of it’s status as a public school, the majority of Georgia Tech’s applicants are Georgia residents simply applying to the state flagship university.</p>
<p>You can say the same thing about UC Berkeley and Stanford. While I am sure there is some overlap, you’re likely to see much greater overlap between Berkeley and UCLA, and I bet that Berkeley and UCSD share more common applicants than Berkeley and Stanford.</p>
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<p>I think I know a thing or two more about Georgia Tech than you.</p>
<p>What a funny conversation.
"The chances with SL are minimal. "
I think this is 100% bull----. Last year, every senior in the IB SL got accepted into Tech. Plus, their stats are no where near that RishabhB envisioned. No way…Not in a million years. Furthermore, it’s rather hard to make a comparison between IB Math SL and AP Cal AB. IB is more in depth in certain topics (vectors, complex numbers, and trigs…) and cover more areas, whereas calculus is more in depth in, of course, calculus.</p>