Students choosing subject combination for IB may feel excited at the prospect of studying certain subjects in depth for the first time. Some students may also see the IB as an opportunity to try new subjects and dive into new horizons. However, students must remember that the IB is simply a stepping stone to university – it is not necessarily a place where students can take the opportunity to find what they like to do, given that they need to have a minimum score in their 6 subjects and meet other requirements to attain the diploma.
Students should think about the following when choosing their subjects combination for IB:
Choose subjects that you are already good in for your Higher Levels
Students should play to their strengths and choose subjects that they are good in for their Higher Levels. Students can look at their secondary school transcript and figure out which subjects they are most interested in and score well in to take for the IB HL subjects. Being interested in a subject means that students will find it easier to research on these subjects and write their IAs and perhaps even an EE. Students will also find it easier to study the deep content knowledge they will need to succeed in the final external exams of the IB.
Choose subjects that you are less good in for your Standard Levels
There is a caveat with choosing subjects that you are less good in for your Standard Levels – this does not mean you can simply ignore these subjects until the last minute. Students need to be consistent in addressing their weaknesses for these subjects and doing the necessary work for it. Remember, every subject has an IA, and being weaker at these subjects means that students will have more difficulties completing their IAs and other related tasks. Students should spend some time on these subjects so that they will be able to score well in them.
Make sure that you have enough time for everything else
The IB is a marathon, not a sprint. Students need excellent time management skills to ensure that they have enough time to do their EE, TOK, and CAS, while revising for their subjects and handling the IAs for each subject. The IB is an academically rigorous and demanding programme which requires students to commit a significant amount of time to the programme. If you are struggling so much with a subject that you need to spend a lot of time on it, then perhaps it is not the right move for you to take that subject in your combination.
Think about what you could possibly write an EE in
Ideally, you should write your EE about one of your Higher Level subjects. Remember – your EE could help you professionally as it is a piece of independent research that your university or your chosen field may be highly interested in knowing about. As such, students should think about which subject they would like to write their EE in and make that their Higher Level subjects, as it is unadvisable to write your EE in one of your SL subjects.
Get a 7 for IB Chemistry (HL/SL) with the IB Chemistry Clinic today!
As the name suggests, the IB Chemistry Clinic does not only fix a student’s grades - it helps students with critical components of the IB Programme, namely the Internal Assessment (IA) which is worth at least 20% of a student’s grade and their Extended Essay (EE) in Chemistry.
The IA and EE are a non-negotiable part of the Chemistry curriculum - without them, students will not be able to graduate with an IB Diploma. However, there are many difficulties associated with conducting experiments for the IA and EE - many replications are required and the standard for the final deliverable - the research report - is high. Students need to undertake statistical testing and present their final results coherently and concisely.
Although the IB school provides mentors for the EE and teachers at school can guide students through their IA, attention to each student is often limited in a classroom setting and many students are left to figure things out by themselves. This results in difficulty completing internal deadlines on time, especially when a student needs to juggle all their 6 subjects and the additional components of the IB, along with their CCAs and other commitments.
The IB Chemistry Clinic is here to answer all your questions - whether it is about content knowledge or fixing errors in your experimental setup as you undertake your IA journey, our skilled tutors with a strong background in Chemistry research and 30 years of experience teaching Chemistry are here to help!
Contact us at +65 9616 1651 to book your slot today!
Frequently Asked Questions
How to study for IB Chemistry?
Firstly, knowing the syllabus for IB Chemistry (either HL or SL) will help the student revise. Next, try practising with past year IB papers to get used to the exam format. If there are questions students do not know how to answer, they can revise the concepts regarding the question to help them answer them or clarify with a tutor or teacher.
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