I am having a dilemma with my course selection and I would really like to have your input. My school is an IB school and I am currently on the track to attaining the IB Diploma. The problem is if I continue with my IB Diploma schedule, I would have only taken AP Biology and HL Biology as my advanced science courses (along with IB SL Computer Science). But I would have taken just regular chemistry and physics. I would like to major in biology at a UC school and go on the pre-med track. I’m not expecting to attend the Ivy Leagues. Do you see my lack of variety in advanced sciences as an issue for college admissions? Which schedule do you think “looks better”?
It is really a matter of choosing between the honor of receiving the IB diploma or the rigor of my course selection. These two choices below are the only options I have to fit the HL and SL requirements. Thank you for your time and I would like to hear from you guys soon because my course selection form is overdue… My school counselor is not helpful so I resorted to here.
My schedule junior year:
Accelerated Precalculus/AP Calculus AB
IB SL Computer Science
IB SL Spanish
IB HL English
IB HL Psychology
Regular United States History
Choice 1 - My schedule senior year with full diploma:
IB SL Math
IB HL Biology
IB SL Spanish
IB HL English
IB HL Psychology
Regular Physics or AP U.S. Government
Choice 2 - My schedule senior year without full diploma:
AP Calculus BC
AP Physics A
IB SL Spanish
IB HL English
AP Statistics
AP U.S. Government
My apologies. When I say AP Physics A… I mean AP Physics 1.
Choice 1 with the IB diploma seems more rigorous as long as you take regular physics.
If you choose IB, why would you take math SL instead of HL math if you already have had AP calculus AB?
Also, in the IB schedule, would you have to skip physics entirely, since US government (whether regular or AP) is commonly a high school graduation requirement?
IB is extremely well respected by colleges as it involves a lot of self management skills that are needed for uni. I would say high grades in an IB curriculum are deemed more valuable than high grades in AP.
I agree that taking Math HL (AI or AA) would make the most sense for you.
Thank you for your input! I’m actually not allowed to take Math HL. A requirement to take that class is to take Calculus BC 
Thank you for your input! I’m actually not allowed to take Math HL. A requirement to take that class is to take Calculus BC I am going to take Government/Econ over the summer if I go with Choice 1.
I take it you’re a senior? That’s the issue with the HL math, I would bet, since A&A is a two year course. My daughter is taking it and didn’t have any AP Calc. She also had to make some hard choices regarding science since she wanted to get four years of a foreign language in (and is also taking HL Art). I think the IB diploma has value beyond your courses since there is other rigor that goes along with it. Wouldn’t you also have to take TOK to get the diploma?
Thank you for your input! And yes, I am a senior… I do have to take TOK and complete the CAS project and EE as well.