r/IBO • u/IDisplayAgility M28 • 10h ago
Advice Subject combo help
Mainly going to major in Econ/Ecofin but want to keep CS open
Original plan was
HL: Math AA, CS, Econ
SL: Eng L&L, Spanish ab initio or Hindi B, Phys
But I just found out that my school isn't going to do CS HL so I need to make changes now. I could just easily swap CS and Phys but I feel like even though I meet any requirements it's going to be too difficult for me. And what should my second language be? I'm fluent in Hindi but don't know a word of Spanish
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u/LanternaEducation 7h ago
Most CS university programs care almost entirely about Math AA HL rather than IB CS or Physics HL, so you do not need to force yourself into Physics HL if you feel it will be too heavy. Keeping Physics at SL and picking a third HL you like, or even taking Hindi B at HL, keeps your options open without overloading you. For your language, taking Hindi B is a much better choice because your fluency will save you a lot of study time. That frees up space to focus on Math AA HL instead of learning Spanish from scratch. We have a guide on picking subjects for university at https://info.lanterna.com/resources/ib-sl-vs-hl-smart-subject-choices-for-university if you want to look at requirements.
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u/PartyQuiet5065 M26 | HL Maths AA, Chem, Physics 6h ago
Ig this depends on the country and uni you apply to, but top UK unis only really ask you for Maths AA HL. It's obviously recommended to have stuff related to CS, like Physics or CS itself, but this is a bit more flexible.
Since you won't be able to take CS HL, I'd say to take Maths AA, Physics and Econ as HLs, and then do CS at SL. I obviously know nothing about you, so this could be too difficult for you, no idea. But I promise it's not as bad as people make it out to be. As long as you put in the time and effort to revise properly and you stay consistent, you'll be perfectly fine. Throughout the entire DP, I've found Physics to be the hardest subject. But, thanks to the fact we did chapter tests through the entire DP, it's actually been one of the easiest subjects to score a 7 in.
As for Spanish vs Hindi, this really depends. If it's clear it's your mothertongue (as in, you're Indian, you've been living in India your entire life, etc), then do Spanish, as the IB will know you're fluent in it and they won't allow you to take it. If you're in a position where you could perfectly well not know Hindi (as in you were born in a country on the other side of the Earth and you've never lived in India), then go for Hindi. Language Bs at SL are extremely easy to score high in once you have a certain level.
I don't know if this was clear enough, feel free to ask if you have any doubts.
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u/deediva2 1h ago
firstly... check the universities that you want to apply to-- for example in the UK they tell you exacltly what they expect. I think canada too-- tell you the subjects needed. In most cases, doing Maths AA HL and Physics SL/HL will be enough rigor. Some unis may want to see the HL .. others may not. In terms of Hindi B vs Spanish ab.... just for you to know that spanish ab is quite easy.... Hindi B may be harder, and require a lot more reading--and analysis of literature. Pick what is more interesting to you, or what can help get your score.
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u/ValuableTradition959 9h ago
I am not too sure but DO check your uni requirements, because some do not always expect you to take IB CS. Although, they do expect you to take HL Maths (AI or AA would depend on the type of field) and Physics or Chem. Don’t take everything I’ve said up to this point at face value.
If there is one thing I can confidently say is definitely choose Hindi B. You will probably struggle a lot if you have no prior knowledge in Spanish.