<p>Just to give you an idea: (lowest grade A-)</p>
<p>Pre-High School (8th grade but on transcript)
Spanish II
Earth Science
Algebra I</p>
<p>Freshman Year
Honors English
Honors Global Studies
Honors Biology
Honors Geometry
Spanish II
Film I</p>
<p>Sophomore Year
Honors Chemistry
Honors English
AP European History
Honors Algebra II
Spanish III
Science Research Program</p>
<p>My school does offer full IB diploma, but due to scheduling conflicts and the restrictive nature of the program in my school, I might not do it. Would it hurt me? This would be my schedule:</p>
<p>Junior Year
IB Physics
IB English
IB History of the Americas
IB Math SL
IB Spanish I
Science Research</p>
<p>Senior Year
IB Chemistry or Biolgoy
IB English
IB History of the World
AP Calculus BC
IB Spanish II
Science Research</p>
<p>I hope to also do another science, maybe 2 in senior year</p>
<p>Does your school offer AP equivalents for your potential IB HL classes? If so, you should just opt for the AP exam credit if you think you won’t be able to complete the diploma, or if you believe the program is too restrictive.</p>
<p>Your schedule looks very competitive. If you want, you could also try self-studying for some AP subjects that aren’t offered.</p>
<p>My school doesn’t offer any AP classes except AP Euro, which I’m taking right now. Does it look bad to take IB classes without doing the diploma? </p>
<p>What APs would you suggest self-studying for? Is there honestly a need to?</p>
<p>I’m not too sure about the IB policy, but colleges are usually very forgiving when the applicant is restricted by his or her high school’s lack of AP or IB classes. </p>
<p>No, there’s no need to self-study. But many people (at least on CC) do self-study for at least one exam, either because they are genuinely interested by the subject or because they feel that it will help their chances.</p>
<p>We have more IB classes, so I could do the full IB diploma, but I prefer not to for a couple reasons. It would limit me following my interests versus following a set curriculum.</p>
<p>I’m not sure I could self-study an AP even if I wanted to, since most kids doing this many IB classes have no life at all and max 4 hrs of sleep a night.</p>
<p>Kids who did NOT do the IB diploma, but did such a schedule, got into Princeton, Columbia, Brown, and some other Ivy League. </p>
<p>This schedule would be good as all AP classes, but since there is an IB diploma, I’m not sure.</p>
<p>I think a big thing to consider is to compare where the kids in IB went to school, too. Princeton LOVES the IB diploma. I talked to and admissions officer and they regard it as “by far the most rigorous curriculum offered to high school students.” I’m sure some/most other ivies agree. I feel like science research junior and senior year is a waste of time. You’re way to young/inexperienced to do in-depth science research that can benefit society/gain recognition from any college. That’s what I think. I’m also a huge IB advocate so take from this as you will.</p>
<p>Oh, and colleges don’t really like seeing an attempt at IB and not getting the diploma. It’s a sign of laziness and shows that you can’t handle it (even though I’m sure you could). If your going to do anything it should be either full IB or full AP imo.</p>
That depends a lot on the facilities available. I know one student at my high school did cancer research for course credit using devices such as a DNA sequencer, and at least a dozen others did biological independent research in the same facilities. With enough motivation, study, and the proper facilities, high school juniors and seniors can do relevant research that, if nothing else, will show the ability and maturity to conduct research projects, which can’t be overlooked.</p>
<p>For instance, chances for Brown’s PLME combined pre-med and med program seems to desire research and (medical) volunteer work in high school whenever possible. Not everyone has it, but a lot have at least one of those.</p>
<p>You’d probably want to talk about your research somewhere for it to be useful, of course.</p>
<p>Edit: and with that said, before taking the IB course in that science, there may be only so much you can do. All of the students I mentioned above had completed AP Bio by the end of junior year, and many had also completed AP Chem by then.</p>
<p>I also realllly do not want to take IB Art or IB Film, and already have my high school art requirement through 2- 4? years of orchestra and 1 year freshman tv production</p>
<p>I’ve only heard bad things about not taking the full IB Diploma, except in cases where kids couldn’t take it because they were in band (scheduling conflicts). However, if you complete every aspect of the Diploma (150 CAS hours and the EE) and simply don’t take a Sixth Area class, this is probably something that can be explained by your GC. There are some kids at my school who couldn’t complete the diploma because of scheduling conflicts and, out of anger, didn’t complete their CAS or EE. That looks bad.</p>
<p>Well I’d be writing a lengthy science research paper, possibly multiple papers, and there is the IB History Essay. I’d be doing 150 CAS hours through outside volunteer work, swim practice, other ECs.</p>
<p>Regarding scheduling conflicts: Full IB would mean I couldn’t take orchestra or science research.The IB/AP classes I listed above mean I could. Could my guidance counselor explain this as a scheduling conflict? I’m a sophomore, so before I decide I would ask her if she would write such a letter.</p>