AP Stats or continue with IB Math HL?

[Anonymous]

My rising senior daughter is intending to major in business/marketing. She's took the first year of IB Math HL this year as a junior. While she's going to land with a B this semester, it's been a major struggle for her. She's thinking of dropping the 2nd year of this program and taking AP Stats instead for her senior year. Thoughts? Our worry is that colleges might see it as downgrade but it is an AP class and with marketing being her major of interest, an AP Stats class would probably be a better fit, right?

[Anonymous]

Yes, some colleges will see it as a downgrade, but also yes, she should switch. An “A” in a weaker class is worth more than a “B” in a harder class—and that’s assuming she’s able to maintain the “B.”

[Anonymous]

For business, take the stats class. You only need Calc I for business. They should be fine.

FWIW, my kid took IB HL math, AP BC Calc, and MVC, but they are also a dual math/CS major. They never took stats in HS, but they did in college.

And I was a business major. LOL

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For business, take the stats class. You only need Calc I for business. They should be fine.

FWIW, my kid took IB HL math, AP BC Calc, and MVC, but they are also a dual math/CS major. They never took stats in HS, but they did in college.

And I was a business major. LOL

Thank you for confirming what I was thinking! She's not looking to be a CS or engineering major so I figured AP stats would be fine and more appropriate.

[Anonymous]

DS just graduated. IB diploma candidate. He is not going to do STEM in college.

He did IB Math HL junior year and it was challenging for him (that was the second year of the course, did the first year as a sophomore). Nevertheless he insisted on doing multivar and linear algebra senior year, which were even more difficult. I was concerned, and questioned him to make sure he wanted to take on that kind of pain, but he insisted. Ultimately I left it as his call.

He got into a T20. I believe that taking the most rigorous curriculum possible was a factor in that. Make of that what you will.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DS just graduated. IB diploma candidate. He is not going to do STEM in college.

He did IB Math HL junior year and it was challenging for him (that was the second year of the course, did the first year as a sophomore). Nevertheless he insisted on doing multivar and linear algebra senior year, which were even more difficult. I was concerned, and questioned him to make sure he wanted to take on that kind of pain, but he insisted. Ultimately I left it as his call.

He got into a T20. I believe that taking the most rigorous curriculum possible was a factor in that. Make of that what you will.

Does your kid's HS offer IB classes sophmore year? The IB program in our county starts in 11th grade, so any HL classes are taken in 12th.

OP, let your kid choose the option where she will have a more enjoyable school year! AP stats is a good alternative.

[Anonymous]

There are two different IB HL classes, AA and AI

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There are two different IB HL classes, AA and AI

Yes, and one is harder than the other (AA > AI), and not all schools offer AA.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DS just graduated. IB diploma candidate. He is not going to do STEM in college.

He did IB Math HL junior year and it was challenging for him (that was the second year of the course, did the first year as a sophomore). Nevertheless he insisted on doing multivar and linear algebra senior year, which were even more difficult. I was concerned, and questioned him to make sure he wanted to take on that kind of pain, but he insisted. Ultimately I left it as his call.

He got into a T20. I believe that taking the most rigorous curriculum possible was a factor in that. Make of that what you will.

Does your kid's HS offer IB classes sophmore year? The IB program in our county starts in 11th grade, so any HL classes are taken in 12th.

In FCPS you can definitely take IB classes as a sophomore. Furthermore, you can take HL classes in 11th grade, as my DS did.