So I made a BIG mistake taking IB history HL, should I just drop it, including the full IB diploma and take IB art HL instead? The reason why im doing this is because I could have based my entire college application on the fact that I’m a art student, therefore giving the college the impression of a “special” or “artsy” candid. However, history looks very dull and pretty much useless, I’m also taking IB psychology HL so my social studies is already set. I might also switch English SL to English HL and bio HL to bio SL. Will colleges look down upon this? I will still have 6 IB courses. Currently, I’m a junior, and I just finished my first semester.
People switch their IB courses at the beginning of their junior year all the time - its not a big deal at this stage. But don’t switch to art just because you think colleges will appreciate it more - I’m not sure how you came to decide that fact, unless you’re applying to an art school? If you truly prefer art over history then switch!! Don’t waste your time doing something you don’t want to be doing.
I’m not 100% clear on what you’re asking in terms of dropping the ib diploma… what would you take instead? Most college won’t accept just the IB high-school certificate.
You should go in and speak to your guidance counselor. As far as “will colleges look down on” the changes you outline above, it’s is incredibly variable. Some colleges are much more holistic in their admissions (mainly small LACs) and would probably see the switch to art -if the rest of your app demonstrates a passion for art- as a good thing. Other, more numbers-driven schools, will regard swapping bio for art as a negative. Also, part of the equation is that colleges want to see you have taken a rigorous class schedule. That’s defined by the GC in his/her common app report: they check a box stating what level of rigor (compared to what is offered in the school) you have taken. That’s one reason to go talk to your GC.
Also- I don’t see that you’re dropping your diploma candidacy - is it because you need Bio for the diploma? (I can’t recall the requirements.) It doesn’t look like you’re replacing with a non-IB class. In any case, while being a diploma candidate is a plus, it’s not THAT much better than taking all IB courses. My D had good admissions results even after dropping her IB diploma candidacy.
Also- most of the upper tier colleges want to see 4 years of science. I would make sure you have that. You can look at what colleges expect to see by going to their pages on the College Board’s Big Future web site and clicking “applying” and then “academics/GPA”.
Math? other science? Language? Where are these in your schedule too? I think you are missing too much info.
@fizzy110 Just wondering, how many people do you know who has switched after the first semester of taking IB?
I came upon this decision when I realized on the college app there was a “talent and ability” section and I was thinking of putting down art and sending them my paintings; I can also base my college essay on my art experiences from before, so if I switch from history HL to art HL, I would look like an art student who will focus only on art. Also My GPA is weak (3.3) so if I seem more “art based” then maybe colleges will think I’m more of a creative thinker rather than logical?
Right now, I’m enrolled in the following classes:
IB history HL
IB psychology HL
IB bio HL
IB math SL
IB lang and lot SL
IB Spanish ab initio SL
If I stick with my current schedule, I wouldn’t know what to write for my college essay to make my app more “special”, which is possible if I do art as I explained before.
I’m planning to apply to NYU, USC, Boston university.
What do you think?
@sfal224 10+ including several of my close friends (who are good students), and people in the grade above me last year, it really happens all the time, especially in the first and second semester of IB. The only time when it becomes a problem is when you switch really late in the school year/late in the diploma.
- Talk to a counselor about your situation, the specific schools you listed and any requirements they may have for the major you are interested in. For example, I know that many engineering majors require that you take HL Physics or its equivalent.
- Outside majors such as engineering, colleges don't really care what subjects you take - they want to see a challenging course load and expect you to take classes you enjoy. If you like art more than history, and feel that you will get more out of art - take art! This is a decision that you should be making for yourself and your future.
- In terms of what colleges think - if you are already certain that you will be of pursuing art as a major/concentration in college, taking art may be favorable in demonstrating your serious interest. However at these liberal arts schools it likely won't make much difference.
3.Taking or not taking art will not make you “special”. Your personality, passions, actions, interests and what you do with these make you special. Taking a class will not make you stand out from the crowd.
- I really don't think taking or not taking art will have an affect on how your GPA is perceived - that is just my opinion.
- Just like you, I really love the visual arts, but I personally decided not to take art in the IB. I do invest significant time into this hobby outside of school so I wrote about my love for the visual arts in some of my essays. As demonstrated by me - you can write about art in your essays even if you do not take art - in my eyes it shows that you have a multitude of different interests.
- At my school dropping the diploma means graduating a year early and getting only a high-school certificate that states that you have attended school for 12 years - that is it. At other schools I think the situation is different as they have AP and regular courses, but my school is purely IB so there are not many options for students who don't get the diploma. If your school is like mine, from my college research I know that many schools won't accept just the IB high-school diploma.
Sorry if this post sounds kind of harsh - not intended, I was trying to be as brief as possible!!
@fizzy110 thank you so much! That was very helpful!
No problem I hope everything works out! 
If you’re concerned about admissions, I wouldn’t recommend dropping the diploma unless it’s gotten to a point where studying takes up all of your time and you’re stressed 24/7, or unless your grades have dropped significantly. A lot of schools consider the amount of personal skills and preparation the IB DP offers high school students, so it’s a really big plus to have on your app.
As for switching subjects, @fizzy110 has made all the best points already. Adding to that, think of it this way- by taking IB Art just to get in to a good university you’re putting yourself against a ton of students who’ve gone to arts schools throughout high and perhaps even middle school. Some of those students aren’t necessarily going to be applying for a fine arts major and have equally as, if not more, interesting essay topics about their passion and experiences. I’d say you should only switch subjects if you a) hate IB History and b) absolutely love art. You should also take a better look at the IB Art curriculum because I, like you, was really interested in art and decided not to take it because of the way it’s taught. Remember that grade-wise, you’re also kind of at a disadvantage because you lost a semester worth of class time already and will have to spend extra effort catching up. Consider how that will affect your other grades, too. On that thought, try to minimize the number of courses you end up switching, and if you have to do so, it’d be a lot easier to keep it in the same subject area (like HL to SL Bio or vice versa).
Also, as a personal thought, I don’t think history is any more or less useless than art.