Hi, my school is part of the IB curriculum, and for all science classes they offer IB HL, IB SL, or standard level. Would top 20 engineering schools expect you to take all HL courses? Last year as a sophomore I took two HL science courses and found it difficult so as a junior I took two SL (physics and chem 2). Would colleges think poorly of this decision? I am still taking HL math, HL history, and HL english. (These are requirements for IB Diploma)
Are you a rising junior or a rising senior (Did you complete those two SL classes already?)
Colleges will not think poorly, exactly, as you’re still in the IB program, but they might wonder why you aren’t challenging yourself to the most that your school offers in that discipline. It wouldn’t mean an automatic denial but they would look at that decision.
I didn’t think you were able to take IB tests before junior year. How did you take HL courses/tests as a sophomore? Sounds odd.
Because you need 3 HL tests for your diploma, you’re fine although these don’t suggest a high interest in the sciences. That would appear strange to an adcom if you’re saying you want to be an engineer.
During your junior and senior year you must take 3 HL classes and 3 SL classes and they must span the 5 areas.
Anything you did your sophomore year does not count for the IB diploma.
I don’t think HL Math, English and History is as odd as it may sound for a engineering major. HL Math makes sense. Our school requires HL English, and since the state requires US History our school wraps that in to History of the Americas HL so many students take that.
My school allows you to take 4 HL’s and 2 SL’s senior year, but only allows you to take SL’s junior year, which I thought to be the case since you have to take an SL before an HL, so I’m not sure how you took HL classes as a sophomore? But in senior year, if you wanted to, you could take those HL’s you listed as well as an HL science since you can take four.
Different schools have different ways of implementing, but SL classes are 1 year, HL classes are 2 years. You can only take 2 SL tests after the first year. There is no requirement to take an SL before an HL. A typical schedule for a diploma program would be something like:
Year 1
HL English yr 1
HL Math yr 1
HL Chemistry yr 1
SL foreign language
TOK
Year 2
HL English yr 2
HL Math yr 2
HL Chemistry yr 2
SL History
SL Art History
Actually, HL classes are not always 2 years although they usually follow something that could be considered a prerequisite. At least that’s how it was at our school.