<p>I’m a sophomore hoping to do the IB diploma and registering for next year’s classes (registration is due tomorrow, so this is kind of late >_<). Unfortunately, I’m enrolled in IB Math SL this year but can’t take HL math until senior year due to regulations. Consequently, my options for next year are to take a “slacker” math class such as Statistics, or take IB TOK (AFAIK, it’s a year-long class similar to philosophy that’s required of diploma candidates) instead of math, and try to find a math class outside of school. Taking TOK next year would allow me to take another IB science class in addition to physics (probably biology). I guess it’s not that big of a deal, but I’d rather not spend a period taking a class like statistics. However, I’m afraid that if I take a math class online or at a community college, it won’t be recognized by the colleges I end up applying to. What would you guys recommend?</p>
<p>Edit: “Disqualification” seems like an overly strong word; I just feel that not having a recognized math course next year would be a major setback with regards to college admissions</p>
This would not be true at MIT – many applicants go outside the resources available at their high schools by taking distance courses or by enrolling in classes at community college. After admission, MIT won’t necessarily award credit for those courses, but the admissions office absolutely recognizes them as important ways that applicants enrich the opportunities available to them.</p>
<p>In addition, make sure you take the best class for you I’m not familiar with the IB curriculum, but I imagine that IB Math SL covers what would be the first semester in a traditional 3-semester college calculus sequence. This means: limits, differentiation, apps of differentiation, basic integration, basic integration apps. If you feel comfortable with these topics, jump into Calc 2 at the college. If not, start at calc 1 to review those concepts.</p>
<p>Now, if you took both calc 1 and 2, you could legitimize your calculus class (for credit) by taking the AP Calc BC test so you can start in multivariate calculus (18.02x). You would need a 4 or 5 on BC to skip single-variable calculus at MIT (18.01)</p>
<p>MIT also offers a lot of ASEs (some of them offered to all freshmen, some of them arranged through the individual departments), especially in math. So, even if you took higher level math, you could try to ask the math department for an ASE and potentially earn credit. For certain classes, however (notably 18.03 and 18.06), you’ll still have to do the psets, though.</p>
<p>Thanks for the advice. I talked to my math teacher and she said unless protocol changed, I should be able to take Math HL next year; I’m going to sign up for the class, and if I can’t take it, I’ll sign up for statistics and pursue another math class at the local community college.</p>
<p>Statistics IS a junior year math class. MIT teaches statistics, and I can assure you there is nothing inherently “slacker” about it. I would definitely not worry.</p>