IB Math Studies

I looked everywhere and found nothing on this topic. If there is a thread about this, please direct me to it.

I am currently a Junior in High School looking for advice. I go to a school which offers IB, and while I am not on track for the full diploma, I am taking advantage of the IB classes offered, as well as multiple AP classes, and I will graduate with the IB English Certificate (if that means anything).

The problem is that I finished all the required Math (Algebra, Geometry, Trig, Pre-Calc) a year early, and this year I took the infamous IB Math Studies class for some reason (I regret this now and hate myself for it). To make up for this wasted year, I will be taking AP Calc BC, and striving for a 700+ on the SAT Math. Is there anything else I can do to compensate for this terrible decision? Thanks for the direction.

I am currently an IB junior (diploma programmer candidate) and I understand your struggle. Last year, when choosing classes, I almost signed up for Math Studies, because I had a couple bad teachers who made me feel like I was terrible at math and completely lowered my confidence level. A friend managed to convince me to take IB Math SL instead, which is the highest IB Math offered at my school, and I’m glad I did. I have an amazing teacher and am now realizing that I’m actually pretty good at math!

Nevertheless, IB Math Studies will probably be the easiest math class you will ever take, which I’m sure you’re starting to realize. That is fine if you are looking to go into a field with very little math/STEM, and if you really shine in other areas academically, but the academies are very STEM heavy and want to see you attempting higher math and doing good at it.

Taking AP Calc is definitely a good idea, as long as you feel confident that you will do good and pass. The academies want to see you taking calculus at SOME level, and you definitely aren’t getting that through math Studies. Striving to do good on SAT’s is also a good idea; test early and often, and try both SAT and ACT. Many people find one easier than the other. Maybe being part of some sort of math honors society or math/ STEM club would look good, if that’s an option.

Another one of my concerns is that taking Math Studies will not prepare you at all for college math. My older brother took Studies and told me that once he got to college and took calculus, he had a really tough time adjusting and even failed the first semester. So, taking Calc isn’t just necessary for your application, but necessary if you want to succeed at college math.

In the end, takin Math Studies probably wasn’t the best idea, but it isn’t the end of the world. You can’t go back and change your decision now, so all you can do is try your best to roll with what you have and improve wherever you can. Strive to make every part of your application stand out, and emphasize your math abilities in other ways. Make sure you emphasize all the other GOOD things on your application, and show that you succeed in other areas too. You want to show the academy WHY they should let you in. What do you have that others don’t have? How have you done your best to make your application the best it can be? How would you succeed at the academy? What do you have to offer the military?

Your decision is already made, so don’t beat yourself up over it too much. Stressing won’t do any good. Instead, use that same energy you would’ve used stressing to improve your application. There’s nothing you can do but move on and improve.

I sincerely wish you the best of luck on your application, and from one IB student to the next, good luck with everything!

36falcon36 said:

The academies want to see you taking calculus at SOME level

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Really?
Wow! Can you please tell the academies that they need to inform their field admissions people about this. I've been interviewing candidates as a Blue and Gold Officer (USNA) and for all the academies for my Senators for over two decades and have never been told this before.

Does taking calculus look good? yes of course but I've seen students who took Statistics (for example) instead and were accepted.

OldRetSWO said:

Really?
Wow! Can you please tell the academies that they need to inform their field admissions people about this. I've been interviewing candidates as a Blue and Gold Officer (USNA) and for all the academies for my Senators for over two decades and have never been told this before.

Does taking calculus look good? yes of course but I've seen students who took Statistics (for example) instead and were accepted.

Click to expand...

Maybe I’ve been misinformed. I’ve always been told that taking calculus is best but I could be totally wrong, thank you for calling that out. I’ll have to be more careful when I give advice like that. You definitely know more than I would.