Choosing HLs and SLs

Welcome, sophomores, and congratulations on making it through the first half of your IB journey! Now, it’s time to begin the name-brand IB program, and the first step is to choose your HL and SL classes. But uh, how do you know what to pick?

Choosing your HLs and SLs can be a stressful process. It’s the first time you really consider the IB exams and start to hone in on getting your diploma. You want to pick subjects you’re interested in, but also that challenge you, but not too much, but also consider homework load, but also- yeah, it’s a lot. Each person is gonna be different in what they want to get out of their IB level courses, so it’s hard to give a kind of one-size-fits-all explanation of how to go about selecting them. However, there are some pieces of advice and questions to consider that might help to make the process easier for you. If you don’t understand the points breakdown of achieving the IB diploma, maybe find that rubric and look it over before reading :)

Play to Your Strengths

If your #1 concern going into IB is to get top scores on your exams, the best thing you can do is to play to your strengths. If you’re great at history, take HL history. If you’re not great at chemistry, don’t take HL chemistry. Pretty simple, right? This is not to say that a class will be easy just because you’ve been good at it in the past. Chemistry at a sophomore level is very different than at an AP or IB level, and it might not be as much of a cake walk as it used to be. However, having a strong foundational knowledge in a subject area makes it much easier to succeed at a higher level as you progress. Conversely, if you’re getting Cs or below in a freshman or sophomore year class, it is not a good idea to take that subject at an HL level or, if possible, to take that subject at all. Obviously, you can’t just elect not to take English, but you can choose physics instead of biology or an arts class instead of psych. 

But Don’t Neglect your Interests

Although it's important to be competent at your HL subjects, it’s also important that you’re at least reasonably interested in them. You can be really good at English and still not like it very much. If you know that you strongly dislike a subject, don’t take it at HL. On the flip side, I’m not particularly good at chemistry. I was good enough to get As as a sophomore, but I knew that taking it at an HL level would be difficult for me. However, it was by far the science that I was most interested in and thus I decided to take it. Sometimes, liking a subject can create enough motivation to study and make up the difference in natural affinity. Long story short, make sure to acknowledge your interests when it comes to selecting classes- after all, it’s a two year commitment. 

Of course, there’s a balance between these two ideas. Many people in my program take English at an HL level, even those who dislike it, because the workload difference between HL and SL is negligible. Some people who like art choose not to take IB arts classes because of the workload. The great thing about HLs and SLs is that they are very customizable, and you can do what you feel is best for your academic success.

There’s No Shame in Choosing the Safe Option

Speaking of prioritizing academic success, let's talk about “easy” classes. Every single IB student is very intelligent and highly motivated. (Whether that motivation strikes the night before a paper is due or allows you to maintain a steady schedule of work, it's still motivation.) Some people feel more academic pressure or competition than others. Some people create that pressure for others. It’s just kind of a reality of IB. Because of this, when HL/SL selection comes around, you might sometimes feel pressured to pick harder courses to keep up with your peers, even if you don’t feel ready for them.

There is absolutely no shame in not taking the absolute hardest class or combination of classes. You need to do what is right for you. Remember, your IB diploma depends on your ability to succeed in your chosen classes. That’s not meant to sound scary, but it is a good reminder not to let ego or peer pressure get in the way of your success in the program.

Let me emphasize: there is a difference between challenging yourself to step outside your comfort zone by taking a difficult course and throwing yourself into a class where you are going to struggle an unreasonable amount. Challenges are good. Setting yourself up for failure, not so much. If you need help knowing the difference, try conferencing with your teacher or school counselor about your strengths and concerns before making the selection. 

Ask Some Questions

Even if you’re not concerned about the academic struggle, feel free to ask your present or future teachers about their subject’s HL or SL classes. I know that I talked to both my bio and chemistry teachers before choosing my science, and it was really helpful to get a better understanding of the way each course was run and the types of content we would cover. Talking to current and former students can also be a good resource, but always take student opinions with a grain of salt, since every student’s experience is different. One of the best favors you can do yourself is to get as much information as possible about a class before you take it, and asking questions is a great way to accomplish that.

4 HLs- Is It Manageable? 

Ah, the age-old question. “Can I take 4 HLs?” The answer, technically, is yes. But that doesn’t mean you should. At my school, signing up for 4 HL courses requires a meeting with our school counselor and direct approval from the teachers involved. It’s also a lot of work. Depending on your combination, it may be better or worse. You can absolutely work with your counselor to create a schedule that will work for you, but it’s not something to be taken lightly.

There are definitely benefits to taking 4 HLs. This is an oversimplified explanation, but you can basically drop your lowest HL exam score. For some people, this allows them to take a more difficult subject that they find interesting at a higher level without fear of not getting the IB diploma. It creates an opportunity to pursue your interests at a deeper level. 

But here’s what taking a fourth HL does not do. It does not boost your GPA. It doesn’t significantly affect your college admissions or, to my knowledge at least, give you any noticeable advantage over your peers. The only real reason to do it is because you are very interested and fairly successful in all 4 subjects, where you would feel like you were missing out on learning opportunities without one of them. 

Bad Reasons to Take Classes

Okay, we’ve talked a lot about factors to consider while choosing your classes. Let’s address some not-so-great reasons to choose an HL or SL class.

The biggest one here is friends. You should not choose your IB classes based on your friends’ choices, especially if you aren’t great at that subject to begin with. Remember, your class selection is fairly important in determining your success in IB. You’re going to have to stick with these classes for two full years- half of high school. Don’t waste that time on a subject you hate just because your friend is taking it. Don’t get me wrong; having a good relationship with your peers is definitely a plus, as you’re more likely to collaborate and enhance one another’s understanding of the material. But that should arise organically because of mutual interest, not because your friend group collectively decided to take HL Math.

On a similar note, it’s not a great idea to choose classes based on the teachers. Here in Florida at least, teachers can get shifted from subject to subject or grade level to grade level pretty easily. This may be a controversial take, but I do think it's worth lending the teachers a bit of consideration. If you know you absolutely did not click with a certain teacher’s methods and there's a solid chance they might teach a class you’re thinking about, my personal advice is to weigh this in your choice, but it should not be the sole reason you do or don’t take the class. Recall the previous ramblings about interest, IB diploma, yada yada, you get the point. Generally, just bear in mind that things can change from year to year or even over the summer. 

The final and most common bad reason for choosing IB classes is ego and social pressure. I feel like we addressed this pretty thoroughly already, but I’m begging you to shake the IB comparative mindset when picking your HLs and SLs. Your interests, comfort level and abilities should come far before the whole “keeping up with everybody else” schtick. 

Best of luck choosing your HL and SL classes! Remember, one of the best things about IB is the supportive community around you. If you’re feeling lost, try talking to a teacher or counselor to help push you in the right direction.