Is there any place for math/science kid (not TJ level) in IB HS?
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Anonymous
Thank you for posting. Is it possible to include IB Computer Science SL or HL in the course schedule as well? |
Anonymous
Your school offers HL Physics, which is important for those considering engineering and not available at all IB schools. Calc BC is far more advanced than IB Math HL. YMMV |
Anonymous
IB math SL is similar to AB calculus with some statistics IB math HL is similar to BC calculus. |
Anonymous
I'm not sure that it's that cut and dry, but I do know that HL math goes beyond AP calc BC. And Marshall has HL physics. |
Anonymous
m Huh. Why this math track? Ds's projected schedule with 8th grade geometry (according to the school) is Algebra II/ Trig, IB HL math 1, IB HL math 2 & matrix Algebra/multi variable Calc. |
Anonymous
What school is this? A student who goes straight from alg2/trig to HL math is going to miss a lot of content and likely struggle in HL. In an AP school, a student would take precalc in between alg2/trig and AP calc. In an IB school, the first semester of IB math SL covers precalc before diving into calc. |
Anonymous
South Lakes math progression for strong math students w/8th grade geometry is Option 4, with the 4th year being multi variable/ matrix algebra. You either take the IB math HL sequence, or the IB math HL sequence, starting after Algebra II. You don't take both. |
Anonymous
| Sorry! Here's the link: http://www.fcps.edu/is/schoolcounseling/courses/math.shtml |
Anonymous
| Having looked at some course catalogs for AP and IB schools, we will definitely go with AP for our math/science kid. With all the two-year IB courses, you just don't get the same range of options or advanced classes. |
Anonymous
Option 4 has the kids take HL math for 3 years? That has to be a typo. |
Anonymous
Yes and no. This is where the trouble comes in. Comp soci and all of the sciences are in the same group. There are a whole lot of other requirements, and it is a challenge if too much of what interests your child is all in one group. Throw in the limits on what the school actually offers, the sl/hl required mix, and it is not obvious what to do. The big takeaway from all these posts with inconsistent school-specific answers is do your homework. The other thing is think about what happens if your kid doesn't turn out to be exactly who you both thought he would be as high school progresses. Don't choose a program with no flexibility. You don't want to trap your kid d in a math trajectory that turned out to be a bit too hard, or not enough of something else after he discovers what he really loves. We all mean well, but this is really a question to take up with your specific school admins. At least in Arlington, a lot of the science kids opt out of IB. Not all, but many. |
Anonymous
How does one go about doing this in 7th grade? Who do you talk to? How would the MS know what to do and will the HS talk to you when your child is only in 7th grade? Advice please. |
Anonymous
I think this is dependent upon the high school, but in my experience, the three high schools I reached out to about my 7th grader all took the time to talk with me about some possible course sequences. |
Anonymous
| ^^I should have added -- I reached out to the high school's student services office. |
Anonymous
My only experience is with my child in Marshall's IB program. The 2-year math HL course is considered the most challenging of all the IB courses. It covers roughly the same topics as AP AB/BC. The end of year Math HL IB exams are very challenging. I have been very pleased with the IB science curriculum...the HL science teachers at Marshall are excellent. If your goal is to get into an elite college, Marshall's IB program provides the necessary base of knowledge. It is then up to the student set himself apart somehow with awards/extra-curricular activities/research/etc. I know that this year's seniors have been accepted into Harvard, Yale, Dartmouth, Cornell, Stanford, Northwestern, Carnegie-Mellon, etc. Regarding AP at TJ, principal Glazer considers that playing the "AP game" of taking as many AP exams as possible is one of the biggest problems at the school. From http://www.washingtonian.com/2009/09/21/success-factory-inside-americas-best-high-school/ : "He is joined in his battle against AP dominance by some of Jefferson’s veteran teachers and a few alumni who have returned to teach. They say students’ obsession with AP is one of the biggest changes at the school—and perhaps the most harmful. AP curriculum is standardized and limited, says Jennifer Pierce, a math teacher who graduated from Jefferson in 1994. “AP is a baseline for Jefferson students,” she says. “Students are really just regurgitating information.” The majority of the faculty would gladly ban APs from the school, she says." |