how much of a difference will it make on my college application if I only do IB Courses instead of IB diploma?
I really don’t want to take chem HL, but in that case I can’t do IB diploma.
Will it really be that much of an impact on college admissions/apps
I don’t think it will make a huge difference but you should ask your GC if they will still check the box for most rigorous schedule- this varies by school.
Fwiw, can you find a different HL class?
I don’t think there is any recent data, but it was our experience that colleges do like to see the IB diploma, as it demonstrates a student’s ability to write, research and work hard within a disciplined curriculum. If this is the only thing holding you back, it might be worth considering whether you could select a different HL course. Do you need an HL science? How significant a difference this would make probably also depends upon the rest of your HS record and, as @gardenstatelegal suggests, whether your GC could still check the “most rigorous” box without the IBD.
ill be sure to check on this, thanks.
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in regards to the HL class, I’m currently in IB chem HL. I’m in 11th grade and since HL classes are two years long, I would have to do it in 12th grade as well in order to get credit for the IB diploma. i really hate chemistry and am struggling a lot, so I really don’t think it would be feasible for me to continue chem in 12th grade as well. i really fear my mental health and grades will suffer if I continue with chem.
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the other option is IB Biology HL (i originally wanted to take this class, but my parents forced me to take chem hl). I asked my counselor if I could switch to bio, but they said that since its already 7 weeks into school, its too late to switch. i honestly find this pretty unfair since these science courses are not 1-year-long courses, but instead 2. so ill have to either deal with chemistry for 2 years, or drop out of chem and not get the diploma. (my school only offers certain HL/SL courses, so taking a science HL course is the only way I can get the IB diploma)
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do you think there’s any way I can appeal to IB about this issue?
@tkoparent
No. Their school, their rules. And unless you can present a compelling plan of action on how you will quickly learn the material you missed, 7 weeks into the school year is late to switch classes. Your better option may be to drop chem to SL and move one of your SL subjects to HL.
unfortunately my school will most likely not allow this
Definitely check with your GC about how this affects the “most rigorous” box. Do you have an idea of what universities you want to apply to? If they’re ones that don’t need the “most rigorous” box checked, you have more flexibility in the classes you take in 12th grade.
If you’re looking for college credit for IB classes, some schools give ZERO, some only give credit for HL classes where you earn a certain score (5+/6+/7), and some will give you almost enough to be a sophomore in credits. And as far as that goes, AP scores are treated the same way. Do a google search for “school name IB credit (or AP credit)” to see what that school’s policy is.
By the time you’re applying for colleges, a year from now, you have no idea if you will be getting the IB Diploma. Generally, you don’t know about the results until after graduation, which is after the deadline to commit to a university. All you can say when applying is that you’re an IB Diploma candidate. Schools will be looking at the rigorous course load you’ve had up to that point, and will be making acceptances based on what they see you’ve done from 9-11th grades, and some may require autumn senior grades. I’ve never heard anyone from a college say that they view IB classes any more favorably than AP classes; in fact an admissions counselor at a Cal Poly SLO this summer didn’t even know what IB was (much to my dismay).
I say this as having received an IB Diploma decades ago, with a current 12th grader who is working on their IB Diploma – you pursue the IB Diploma because you want to, because you want that particular challenge and feeling of accomplishment. Quite frankly, taking AP classes will likely serve you just as well for college admissions, as long as an AP schedule is treated as “most rigorous” by your GC. My kid’s school only checks that box for IB Diploma candidates and they were clear about that in the IB interest meetings held during 9th and 10th grades. Ironically for my senior, as their college list has been winnowed (based on majors, school setting, etc.), one of the more attractive schools is turning out to be our state flagship which couldn’t care less about the “most rigorous” box. But that box will be important for all their reach schools.
Since your parents wanted you to take Chem perhaps they would consider hiring a tutor to help you with that this year? I think it’s early enough in the school year that whatever concepts are tripping you up could get cleared up quickly, so that you’re not continually feeling like you’re making up lost ground for the rest of the year. And there’s also the chance that you end up “getting it” and decide Chem HL isn’t the worst thing ever.
I think this may be a school issue rather than an IBO issue, in which case you would need to appeal to your school. My son encountered a somewhat similar issue when he tried to move to a lower level language course, after realizing he had been placed too high. That was not possible under the IBO rules unless his grade dropped to a 3, which he surely didn’t want to do, but it would have been possible for him to switch to another language entirely. He decided it was unrealistic to try and catch up with a new class halfway through the semester, so he stuck it out. But my recollection is that switching classes was theoretically possible. I also looked a little bit online just now and that does seem to be the consensus as to IB rules. You might want to try again within your school. If a switch is not possible, you might want to consider getting a tutor, as others have suggested, and trying to get through it. FWIW, my son took biology and did not enjoy it at all - it might not even be the case that the grass will be greener over there. You do have my sympathies. This is one of the challenges of doing the IBP, with its two-year courses and its bureaucratic rules, but giving up in the middle has its risks as well, particularly if your school is a pure IB school. The upside is that, if you persevere with the IBD, you will be very well-prepared for college - that is why colleges like to see it on a transcript.
thanks for all your advice, ill just study and try my hardest in chem