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

orjr
Fri, 20 Mar 2009 00:19:56 +0000

thanks for the replies. 12 hour work day kept me away from the computer until now.
S’s school has blocked semester schedule so kids take 8 classes, four 85 minute periods per day (each class meets every other day). In grade 9 & 10 in the “pre-IB” track they indeed get a touch of everything. one semester H. Physics, one H. Chem, one H. Bio and one H. Life science. Then for grades 11 and 12 the choices are Bio , Chem, and Physics but only Bio and Chem are available HL. Since the schedule is so rigid, it is only possible to take one year of each science if: A) you don’t do the diploma or B) you take Bio or Chem HL and the other SL and have no other elective outside of the diploma track.

He will likely have a 3.6 - 3.8 cum. uw gpa at the end of all of this, good EC’s and recs, and be looking for a 2nd tier LAC that offers a business major, but also has a good record of med. school preparation and acceptance. He is a kid who tests very well, and is smart, but doesn’t necessarily covet the “A” over the “B”. I would bet on a very good (but not “oh my!”) SAT score, but not NMF - like maybe between 2000 - 2100.

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?
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.

About the “most difficult” - I really don’t know. School is huge public, low income, high drop-out rate, and less than 50% going onto any kind of post HS schooling (including CC) - the IB program is a draw for a segment of kids and they are pushed heavily toward the diploma, but I’m wanting to hear from others how important that designation is??