Need help with S's HS schedule (IB)...

soccerguy315
Fri, 20 Mar 2009 01:27:31 +0000

My questions succinctly are: Anyone know if it’s really true that the IB Chem test is a bear even for the whip-smart competitive types?



HL Chem is a hard test. I can tell you that my class (senior year HS, 2nd year of Chemistry) took a practice IB exam at one point in the semester. The exam was in partners, and open book. The highest score was 90%, or possibly in the high 80s. Now keep in mind, you don’t need anywhere near a 90% to pass an IB test. I’m pretty sure 50% will do it. It is a difficult test… especially Paper 3 (in my experience). I think most of my class passed it though (I didn’t).



How much do colleges really care if you have the diploma versus all your classes being IB, but not in the exact right combo to earn the little paper?
Think: Redlands, Occidental, Colorado College, Ithaca… Merit money is going to be critical, so this is an important question for us.



That will probably very from school to school… you should look at the colleges that you think he might be interested in, and see what their policy is, whether or not they give something extra for having the “IB Diploma” vs. a bunch of IB classes.