Lea Chen, senior, IB student, NHS member
How do I know which HLs to choose?
The way the IB curriculum works is that you pick 3 HLs and 3 SLs (or 4 HLs and 2 SLs if you want to go crazy) from one of six subject categories. If you’re a sophomore in MYP, you likely already have a sheet with all the possible subjects you can take at Desert Mountain from our lovely IB Coordinator, Ms. Kamka. Any further questions about IB that aren't answered in this article can be directed to her or Ms. Emond.
HL stands for Higher Level. During this type of course, you will go super in-depth in the subject you choose to study. They are two-year long courses, which means you’re going to be with the same classmates and probably the same teacher in both your junior and senior year. The HL choices are:
HL English [This one is mandatory in order to graduate]
HL Spanish [Only if you are currently level 3 or higher]
HL Art Design
HL Theatre
HL History
HL Math
HL Analysis and Approaches → This class is for people who are interested in a STEM career in the future. Usually, you’ll need a teacher recommendation to be able to take this course, and you must be in Algebra II Honors or higher. Talk to Mr. Rouhani or Ms. Murray if you want to know more.
HL Applications and Interpretations → This class is for people who don’t see themselves in a math-related field in the future, but would still like to take an HL Math course. You must be in Algebra II or higher to take this course. Talk to Mrs. Krumweide or Mr. Ye if you want to know more.
HL Chemistry
HL Bio
HL Biology versus HL Chemistry?
The two HLs that most people can’t decide between are HL Biology versus HL Chemistry. Personally, I am very biased because I’m a sucker for biology and I hate chemistry with a deep burning passion. But, I’ve enlisted an HL Chem student to help explain the class better.
Some comments on HL Biology
HL Biology is taught by Dr. Wells. In a normal year, the course syllabus has one textbook (that you leave at home) with 12 main topics. Six will be taught in the first year (SL students will be in this class) and six in the second year, which is basically reviewing the SL topics but in more depth. You will learn college-level biology content, ranging from cell functions to body anatomy. Like every other IB class, you will conduct an Internal Assessment (IA) during the course. For IB Bio, it is an experiment with a 6-12 page exploration of what you did. Don’t worry, it’s not as scary as it sounds. You’ll begin brainstorming ideas about halfway into your junior year and submit your final draft in the fall semester of your senior year. SL students do the same thing, but in a shorter timeline. If you’ve got a knack for biology, I really recommend this class!
Some comments on HL Chemistry
“If you like math, go into Chemistry. In this class you don’t just memorize material and then, immediately after the test, forget about it. Even in the second semester, we use material we learned about in the first couple weeks of school. Mr. Bogardus moves at a fast pace, but HL-1 is just a slightly more advanced version of Chem 1 Honors. If you have already taken Chemistry, that is a plus, but if you haven’t, Bogardus covers exactly what you need to know for assessments. But if you study, you will get a good grade. The class is very laid back and assessments are tests at the end of the chapter. A typical day is a lecture, followed by a practice on the information you just learned. Challenging but difficult class. You get to design and follow through your own experiment of your choosing. Plus, Mr. Bogardus keeps the class entertaining and fun. The class is considered very difficult, but with studying and listening to the lectures it is very doable.” --Daniel Marchant, senior
Now that you’ve got an idea of what the HL courses are, you can think about how you want your schedule to look when you are a real IB candidate. Remember to go over this schedule with your counselor and Ms. Kamka before you commit to it. And, another thing to consider is that you MUST complete your high school graduation requirements (except for P.E.). Take that into account when choosing your HLs.
Good luck!
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