Projected junior year IB schedule - advice?

Pre-College Issues High School Life
1

<p>Hello, college confidential! </p>

<p>I am currently a sophomore attending a private preparatory school. Though I'm thrilled to find a group of like-minded high schoolers (aka kids who actually begin caring about college BEFORE fall of senior year), I'm a bit nervous about reaching my first-CC-post milestone, so here we go!</p>

<p>My freshman year schedule included all honors courses and I 'self-studied' AP Human Geography to an extent - my school only offers Human Geo honors, so I just prepped for the AP test when the time came.
This year, I am enrolled in 5 honors courses and 2 APs, Psych and European History. </p>

<p>My school recently established an IB Diploma Program, which I plan to enter next year. Although I have a few specific scheduling issues to work out for which advice would be wonderful, I will also appreciate any kind of advice you might have about IB classes and the program in general. :)</p>

<p>My predicted schedule is:</p>

<p>IB HL English A1
IB HL Spanish B
IB HL History
IB SL Math
IB SL/HL Physics - This course is new to my school and only one section will be offered, so I'll be given the option of deciding between SL and HL at the end of my junior year.
Independent Study, contemporary poetry and writing - My writing teacher is absolutely incredible and I am looking forward to this class more than any other!</p>

<p>This schedule leaves me with one empty slot, and I need to fill it with an IB class. I am not at all a visual artist (although I wish I was), so IB Art has obviously been ruled out, as has IB Theater. My interests lie mostly in the realm of English and literature, which leaves me with little choice as my school does not offer Text & Performance and I wince at the thought of a second science class.</p>

<p>HENCE, the two classes I am seriously considering are IB Music and French AB Initio.<br>
This decision has proven to be more difficult than first expected, which is why I'm requesting your advice, my CC lovelies!<br>
And now, my pros + cons (you'll quickly discover my inclination towards obsessive list-making):</p>

<p>-I have a legitimate desire to learn French.
-The class would, without a doubt, be easy - possibly the easiest in my schedule.
-However, the only difference between French AB Initio and French I/French II Honors is the fact that AB Initio students take an exam after two years. Beyond that, I would be enrolled in the same class as French I/French II Honors students - mostly freshman - and my GPA would be affected accordingly.</p>

<p>-I have been playing music since 2nd grade.
-I play piano, which is supposedly one of the best tools for 'music theory' (??)
-My knowledge of music theory is somewhat limited, but I feel I likely know enough to succeed in the course
-Does IB Music only = Music History year 1, Music Theory year 2? If so, this is a conflict, because I need to take Theory of Knowledge senior year and I'm reluctant to give up my Independent Study. </p>

<hr>

<p>If you would be so kind as to offer advice on anything related to the ridiculously convoluted process of IB course selection - relevant to my particular conflict or not - I would be forever grateful! Honestly, any information you are willing to divulge about the IB program will be equally helpful. My questions are endless, so I'll spare you and just save them for another thread. :)</p>

<p>Thank you so very much again for anything and everything you share!</p>

<p>EDIT - my lord, this post is longer than necessary. I apologize. If you read all the way through, THANK YOU! You are a god among men/women.</p>

2

<p>I enjoy bumping things…</p>

3

<p>I’m a sophomore too and my predicted IB schedule for next year is:</p>

<p>IB English A1 HL
IB Spanish B HL
AP Calc BC (to be followed by IB Math HL senior year)
IB History HL
IB Environmental Systems SL
Honors French 4 (to be followed by IB French SL senior year)
TOK/EE</p>

<p>I’ve been in both Spanish and French since freshman year (level 1 last year, honors level 3 this year) and I agree with you - French is pretty easy if you’ve got a good grip on Spanish.</p>

<p>Looking at your info though, it looks like you might be better served by taking IB Music. If you’ve taken piano since second grade and want to mention that as a significant EC on your college apps, taking IB Music is more consistent than randomly taking another language. At my school, IB Music is a 2 year commitment, but you have the option to test at SL or HL. I think the class does incorporate both music history and theory, though. </p>

<p>If you are truly interested in languages though, I’d recommend French. I’m just skeptical of ab initio, as it doesn’t seem like you would learn a whole lot. </p>

<p>Whatever you choose, keep in mind that you have to keep a whole block in your schedule junior year for TOK and Extended Essay. In senior year, you also have to take TOK 2 for a semester - don’t forget to plan for those.</p>

<p>Are you on a 7 period day? If so, I don’t see how you’d be able to fit another IB class in there next year with the schedule you’ve given. The five core subjects (language A1, language B, science, math, history), 1 IB elective, and 3 semesters of TOK are required for the diploma. You would have to fill that empty slot with TOK, instead of another IB class, if you want the diploma. If you’re on a different schedule, disregard that.</p>

<p>Good luck!</p>

4

<p>I am definitely leaning in the direction of IB Music at this point. I feel the way you do about ab initio courses - skeptical! - and I would rather not stick an arbitrary regulars/honors course into my otherwise IB schedule.</p>

<p>My school’s scheduling is a bit awkward, so I’ll attempt to explain. We’re on a seven period day; however, we’re also on a trimester schedule, so rather than 3 (4?) semesters of TOK, we take two trimesters, and only in senior year. We also don’t set aside a block for the EE - oh dear. </p>

<p>Anyway, the way I plan my junior year schedule will affect the flexibility of my senior year schedule. Next year I’ll be taking Groups 1-5, Independent Study as a non-IB elective, and am struggling for a Group 6. If I pick a one year SL (like Econ, perhaps?), I’ll have completed my Group 6 requirements and so will still have one slot open senior year. </p>

<p>Which is why I’m hesitant about IB Music! I was, and still am, hoping to formulate a schedule that will afford me one elective as a senior.</p>

<p>Correct me if I’m wrong on any count. I realize the IB Program is a bit too complex for me to thoroughly understand (until I’m in it, at least).
I also have the option of eliminating my lunch period altogether. Hooray, scheduling!</p>

<p>I apologize for any typos - I’m writing from a small ipod and have no idea what I’m doing! Thanks for listening to my only-slightly-coherent rambling, by the way.</p>

5

<p>Lacrimosa,</p>

<p>Good Luck in IB! I’m a senior now and ready to take all my exams in May, and I have to say, anything is possible in IB. You can get through your EE, TOK, IAs, and CAS. You just need to have the right mindset! You just have to put your mind to it. </p>

<p>I would say to take IB Music. It’s a class that seems to fit your talents the best, and I think it would serve you the best instead of French ab initio. Though, if you really want an easy IB class (which a lot of kids do because an easy class is always nice) you can do French ab Initio. Just depends on how much you want to challenge yourself. Don’t worry about your sixth subject. Really, if it doesn’t fit, just push it to senior year (that’s what I did with IB Psychology). So don’t worry. It’ll work out! </p>

<p>And I have to say, I’m surprised that you guys have the “class” EE. My school just told us to write a paper. No wonder mine was so bad!</p>

6

<p>One thing to think about is when you will take your IB exams. In my kids’ school, you can take one or two SL exams at the end of the junionr year. From your schedule, it looks like you will take SL math at the end of junior year. If you take IB Music, I guess you would have to take the SL exam in that, too, correct? It is useful to get those exams out of the way a year early.</p>

7

<p>I’m surprised about the EE “class” as well! I had no idea that was even an option in some schools. Luckily for me, my Independent Study teacher will almost definitely be my EE mentor, so I’ll have lots of time to work. :)</p>

<p>Thanks so much for the advice, too. I’m still very, very much on the fence about the elective - I’m still holding out for a one year IB elective that will give me that one final slot in my senior year. My school has a pretty slim offering, though, so who knows. </p>

<p>I’m happy to hear about everyone’s good IB experiences - much better than the horror stories the upperclassmen tell!</p>

8

<p>I thought EE was a required <em>class</em> for the diploma! I didn’t realize schools made kids write the essay without having a class… at my school it’s a semester long, required (but non-credit) course. We take a semester of TOK in junior year plus EE for the second semester. TOK 2 is in senior year. </p>

<p>Have you considered taking IB Environmental Systems as your elective? It’s a yearlong class and from what I’ve heard, it’s more focused on the law/society/policy aspect of the environment rather than actual science - that’s why I’m taking it. (I’m more of an English/History person too).</p>

9

<p>Wow. I feel like our school just epically failed me. Oh well. My EE is done, hopefully I passed it so I can still get my diploma! TOK is a year-long class for us, but even then, my TOK essay was … bad. </p>

<p>I would also look into IB Psychology. I personally think the class is real easy and the IA is super easy, and the exam is really easy. Lots of writing, but as long as you can put down what the grader wants to see on the paper, you can get an easy 7. It’s an interesting class too. </p>

<p>I just have to say that overall thoughts about IB is that it’s just … a pain in the butt. I’m not trying to discourage people from doing the program, it’s great. I think I will fully understand the benefits once I go to college. Right now, I just feel like a lot of the long term projects (IAs, in class projects, what not) are putting a strain on my time. And then, it feels a lot like busy work, but it all works up to the May exam. </p>

<p>I hope you guys get your diploma (and I wonder if I will get mine!). Good Luck, and stick it to IB.</p>

10

<p>Though I’m not sure how it would affect your GPA, French ab intio, while not as difficult as some other courses, is not extremely easy</p>

11

<p>Does anyone know if one can take a two-year IB SL course in one year, finish all the IA’s required for that course, take and pass the IB exam, and still get the diploma (considering that all of the other requirements are met)? I’m having trouble with my schedule because IB Chem conflicts with IB Econ, and I’m worried that if IB Econ doesn’t fit in my senior year schedule then perhaps I could take IB Physics SL (will be offered next year)? I just don’t know if the IB would still give a diploma if I only completed IB Physics SL in just one year but still finished all the IA’s and passed the IB Exam. Can someone clear this up for me? Thanks.</p>