types of classes Options

[sprezzatura]

I just wonder what type of classes you all take...

I am in pre-IB but I am still deciding whether I'm going for the IB diploma or not. My school doesn't have much choices for IB classes, but AP allows me to choose classes that I can do well in instead of forcing me to take classes that show my weaknesses.

Should I go for the diploma?

My school doesn't offer much IB classes and most of them are mandatory* too.
IB Spanish/French/Chinese (SL*)
IB English*
IB 20th Century World History (HL*)
IB Biology (SL*)
IB Physics (SL/HL*)
IB Math (SL*/HL)
IB Theatre (HL*)/IB Art (HL*)/IB Music (SL/HL*) w/ advanced band or choir
150 CAS hours*
Theory of Knowledge (TOK*)
Extended Essay (EE*)

I really want to avoid IB history (the teacher is REALLY harsh), physics, art, TOK, and EE. But I am really fine with English, Spanish, biology, and math because those are my academic strengths.

[*ranniel*]

PreAP for me.

[innovation]

If you want to grow intellectually and are not afraid of a challenge, do the Diploma. Why?

To address your concerns:

A. Regarding science: The IB diploma only requires one science course. Why does your school require two? You can always take SL Physics if you feel that HL is too demanding.

B. Regarding history: Even though your history teacher may be tough, you need that challenge to prepare you for college. You're going to meet professors that pressure you and take classes that stress you out. Avoiding the IB Diploma because of a teacher would be ridiculous--surely, you're a stronger character than that!

C. Regarding TOK: I can honestly say that Theory of Knowledge is the best class I have ever taken. There is no final test, but you discuss so many interesting topics. Essentially, the class encourages you to think for yourself, through logic, emotion, perception, etc. As a result of TOK, I'm a more dynamic, more confident, and more insightful person.

D. Regarding the EE: Through the Extended Essay, IB encourages you to seek your passions. You can write about practically anything intellectual. My friends have written EEs on a wide variety of topics: the chaos theory, the Jewish draft, the science of love, the influence of culture on religion, the effect of the media on eating disorders, and changes in language throughout time. Often, we get so caught up in our GPAs and SAT scores that we forget to explore our own curiosities and passions! The EE provides you with the opportunity to do so. Besides, if you really love your topic, wouldn't you want to learn more about it?

I'm not going to lie. IB is hard. But if you're smart and you think you can handle the pressure, go for the Diploma. If you're afraid of "showing your weaknesses", then perhaps IB isn't for you. IB students are bold and dynamic; they're not afraid to take risks and explore areas of knowledge that they might not excel in, as long as they challenge themselves and learn something. If you do choose to pursue the Diploma, I guarantee you that you'll become a better communicator, thinker, and leader.

[voguelove]

i dont even know what IB is.

i didnt take any honors/AP courses this year but last year, i took..

PE.
honors biology.
algebra.
sewing. (first semester.)
fashion. (second semester.)
current events. (first semester.)
stage craft. (second semester.)
orchestra.
honors communications arts. (which is basically english.)

and then..this year, i took...
history of the western word.
communication arts 2
french 1
child development (first semester.)
health. (second semester.)
orchestra.
earth space science.
geometry.
next year, however..im starting AP courses.
chamber orchestra. (which is basically AP orchestra.)
pre cal/ trig. (thats considered an AP class.)
computer applications. (first semester.)
web design. (second semester.)
AP communication arts 3.
mandarin chinese. (thats considered an AP class as well.)
history of the 20th century.
SAT/ACT prep.
phsycology.

the only reason im going back to AP is because the regular classes are starting to get easy..

[sprezzatura]

^In what way would pre-calc be an AP class? There isn't even an AP test for that.

To monde libre: Thanks for explaining on the IB diploma. I will reconsider my choices when it comes to turning from pre-IB to IB. =)

[ANG33ZY]

reg. and i think ap english next year. omggggg no

[Paulina]

Honors Geometry&English right now. I'm probably going to do AP in my junior year.

[nopattern]

i have a mix...some of my classes are ap/honors and some aren't.

[voguelove]

^In what way would pre-calc be an AP class? There isn't even an AP test for that.

because trig/pre cal is considered a senior class and ill only be a junior next year. thats why it is for juniors. and youre right, there is no test for that.

[GREASEbaby]

taking honors.

[*Statues/Shadows*]

I chose "other," because my answer would be a combination, plus others.

I have 2 honors, 1 gifted, 1 gifted AP, 1 gifted IB/AP..the past two years, I just had half honors and gifted. Next year I'll be in almost all Ap, except one is still also IB and my oceanology class is CP (regular) because I wanted something easy to take with my friends.

Personally, my decision not to take full diploma IB was very easy, because I idiotically didn't take preIB because they made it out to be far more difficult than it actually would have been (which I don't appreciate, since that'd leave me one more elective period open for next year, but too late now). I don't know...the thing is, Mindy is one of those really brilliant people, and while I would never suggest you aren't smart, the workload really gets to a lot of the dploma kids at my school. Even beides the workload, there are a lot of needless other factors involved with it too.

I have a friend who is very much the brilliant kind as well and got the administrators to make exceptions for him so that he can take 7 classes (rather than the normal 6) to include TOK like the full IB kids, even though he didn't want to take full IB. Initially, his reasons for resisting were that he didn't want to bother with History of the Americas, because he thought it'd be more beneficial to take the one year course for which he could take the AP test. However, after a week in there, he decided it wasn't for him (we have combined gifted and regular AP history classes, and honestly, the regular halves are miserably slow) and switched into the IB class after all. With this schedule, he had all the same courses as the diploma kids, except music theory (which the musical kids were forced to take after school once a week). Then, he wound up doing the extended essay anyway because the alternative assignment was a completely unappealing Georgia project, and thus, his teachers thought he should still go for the diploma. Unfotunately, that would involve taking German over the summer to catch up to IB German 5, because he didn't start German until high school and is therefore in German 3 now. Between that and the CAS hours, he still decided not to go for the diploma, even though he had fulfilled all of the other requirements.

Thus, my point is that while you certainly shouldn't abandon IB altogether, you really need to examine your priorities to see whether you want to deal with all the nitpicky requirements. (Also, be warned: TOK is a great and beneficial class, but it's a GPA killer.)

[sprezzatura]

because trig/pre cal is considered a senior class and ill only be a junior next year. thats why it is for juniors. and youre right, there is no test for that.

Well, there are freshmen in my school taking pre-calc too, then they should get like a...7.0 GPA for that...

[voguelove]

Well, there are freshmen in my school taking pre-calc too, then they should get like a...7.0 GPA for that...

whoaaaaa, haha. i know that theres a 7th grader who comes to the high school in the morning for 10th grade math and then goes back to his middle school after first hour.

[sprezzatura]

^There are 6th graders going to high school taking 9th grade math then come back to their middle school.


Some kids are just wayyy too smart.

[flc]

I'm just taking the regular required classes right now. Next year I might take history or English honors, I dunno.

[*xcaitlinx*]

I'm in all honors classes...actually, im in the highest class you can be in for a freshman. my boyfriend is taking algebra II honors right now and he's a sophomore. he'll be in geometry junior year and im taking that class right now...haha.