@VickiSoCal
You are correct! Just confirmed with DS, he is not taking IB music (which I thought he was taking) as it is a two-year course. Just Physics SL and Latinr SL.
@makemesmart I was wondering if the rules have changed since D17
D20 dropped IB like a hot potato
It is so smart to take the max, two, SLs in junior year.
@VickiSoCal
Our first and only experience with IB program, DS really loves it, but the rules! Gosh, we were hoping he could do Econ as his social studies, but they are only counted as electives, so it is a no! And DS could have taken IB Latin in sophomore year so save one year for another language/elective in senior year, no, not allowed.
Guess it makes comparison across schools/countries easier?
The biggest trouble weâve had with IB is the requirement to only takes courses/exams junior and senior year, it made it difficult for my kids who took Calc BC as sophomores. My daughter decided to go ahead and take HL her senior year despite the heavy overlap, but my son decided to drop it. Economics is offered as social studies @makemesmart by IB, but perhaps your school doesnât offer the full IB course?
@Darcy123
DS is doing the IBD program, but at his school, macro/micro is deemed to be elective and no leeway about it. It is really good that you at least has IB math HL, we only have AP calculus AB/BC to offer (other than IB math studies) and no taking BC junior year allowed.
Our school has a very unusual math structure which melds IB and AP
D20 is in year long Calc AB. Next year she will take second semester BC. HL math juniors take HL first semester and BC second if they didnt previously take BC. Then as seniors they do beyond BC math
Congratulations!!! @Cheeringsection
We had our first session with our school counselor yesterday. It was a good and productive meeting. She confirmed S20 would have the most rigor checked, but also asked him to put more thoughts into his senior year course election. His current choices can give people a âstem kid turned humanityâ feel 
She also stressed the importance of college visit. Hope S agrees to some quick trips during spring break.
S20 decided to take Physics subject test only this June. I thought taking Bio after the AP test is just so convenient. But if he doesnât want, I wonât push.
Question to you all. For your DCs, what quirky things potentially worth being listed on their activities list? To start, DS20 loves card tricks. He self learnt and played a lot earlier HS years. He recently re-ignited that interest and has mastered some really cool tricks. He also can casually solve rubikâs cubes around/under 30 seconds, but wonât be trying for any faster ( or say, not possible 
).
@whataboutcollege I donât know if it will be something that D20 would put on her college app but she is a self taught ukulele player and is really good at it. She also just recently picked up a guitar and is quickly mastering that. She had a music background from playing a wind instrument but I didnât think she would be able to translate that into playing stringed instruments so easily. Anyway, sheâs not going to be a music major so I doubt this would add anything to a college application 
@whataboutcollege The card trick thing seems like itâs definitely worthy of mention for some schools, I would think. Quirky is good, if you donât call it quirky. 
Iâm not sure about the Rubikâs cube thing, though. Card tricks may be enough to show heâs quirky. 
Just my opinion, though.
@whataboutcollege My D17 was similar. She played tuba in marching band, but played piano as a passion (with lessons), and played with both guitar and uke for fun. We could not parlay that into anything during application season, although she sent in piano pieces for 2 schools as arts supplements. You never know, but unless the school has some sort of musical history or association (e.g., CWRU and CIM), then it may not be that helpful. Everything has itâs place, though, it just needs some research.
@janiemiranda music ability and math ability often come together so if she is shooting for math specifically, or STEM generally, it might be worth mentioning.
@whataboutcollege what physics is he in this year?
@janiemiranda @bigmacbeth I feel it worth mentioning if they put quality time into any instruments. Especially if it is something they picked up themselves on the side. Even though I canât find a good angle to explain it now, but I some how think there are some good traits that can be demonstrated here. S20 played alto sax until half way through 10th grade. His stem HS doesnât have band and he just doesnât love Jazz, he stopped playing the jazz band ( pretty well known in our area). He still play it himself at home from time to time, but we donât know if this is a suitable activity to list.
@VickiSoCal He is in Physics C this year. He did his schoolâs version of Physics ( supposedly covers 1 & 2 topics) 10th grade. They donât offer AP Physics 1 & 2.
@whataboutcollege
DS is taking physics subject too and has been told that he needs to self-study certain areas for the test as IB Physics SL does not cover everything on the test. Good luck
Yeah, be sure they take a practice test there may be holes.
Dâs subject tests are: math, literature and US history.
@socaldad2002 same for my D
History subject test has many fact-based questions, very different from APUSH exam. Several of DSâ classmates took it last year right after apush exam, with ap scoring 5 while subject only at 600.
D20 took math 2 in December and got a 790, will take Chem and US History in June.
D17 had APUSH with same teacher, no extra studying and took June subject test with a 730.
My d is going to take the chemistry and Math 2 subject tests. Will AP chemistry this year be enough to get her ready for the chemistry subject test?
@janiemiranda D17 took Chem subject test with AP Chem. She probably did a couple of practice tests and that was it. She got 800. She said she was lucky as she guessed several answers