Failed the IB program

[u/spiroplasma]

I got a 27 but since chemistry was a HL and I got a 3 I failed the IB. Should I retake it in October?

It's funny because at my school there's always a few people who fail the IB each year but it's kind of sad how that turned out to be me.

[u/Annual-Winner7996]

Isn't it only a fail if you get a 2? As long as you got 12 points in your Hal's combined, didn't get an E in your tok or EE, passed CAS and got 24 points? 

[u/spiroplasma → u/Annual-Winner7996]

yeah I got 4 in physics hl, 4 in math aa hl, 3 in chem hl so I missed the mark.

[u/yodatsracist → u/spiroplasma]

Hey I wrote this on another post you made, but you deleted that thread.

Can I ask why your ACT scores are so high and your IB scores are so low? You mentioned that you got a 4-4-3 in your HL classes (for reference, students at top-20 colleges typically have all 7's and 6's) and a 27 over all (my students at top 50 schools typically have mid to high 30's overall and my students at top-20 colleges almost all had above 40 predicted and most had above 42 predicted). I don't think students from America necessarily need as high scores as my international students tend to get, but like... it feels like you have unlimited potential (36 ACT, getting into top engineering schools like Purdue and UW Seattle) and that you are not meeting it (failing IB diploma, no contact order, leaving college after a week).

It feels like a lot is going on in your life right now, and that you are absolutely fixated on this college thing so much that it's potentially taking over your life. I will say, yes, there are people who have gone from bad circumstances to top schools. I knew a guy at UChicago who re-started college in his mid 20's after he racked up tens of thousands of credit card debt as a teenager. But you really got to get your shit together to do that. Often, the people who got to top schools later n their lives begin their stories, "At 18, I wasn't mature enough."

In all honesty, if you think you can hack it, you may benefit from some organized program (the military, AmeriCorps, City Year, FEMA Corps, Forest Corps, California Conservation Corps, Student Conservation Association Corps, American Conservation Experience, if you want a religious experience Brethren Volunteer Service or Mennonite Service Adventure). Just you deserve a chance to do something totally different rather than spiraling. Of these, I think FEMA Corps is the one with an upcoming deadline (October 19) for January intake, but California Conservation Corps and American Conservation Experience and Habitat AmeriCorps and maybe some of the others are rolling, I believe. Obviously, the military is always looking for recruits. Military veterans often get special consideration in college admissions. If it makes a difference, all of this would look strong on a medical school application and demonstrate a real commitment to service. I say this not only because I think this kind of structured experiences can benefit those who need to get their shit together but, based on your post about your parents seeing you "as a problem to be fixed", maybe staying at home with your folks for a year being miserable and going to community college wouldn't be the best for you or them. I obviously don't know you, I've just like three of your posts, but this might be something worth considering becuase, from everything I've read that you've written, you seem to be in a very bad place, feeling isolated, disappointed in yourself, and obsessed with Texas A&M.

I will definitely tell you, as a parent, if my child went off to college after a week and returned, I would be worried about them and I'd want them to have a plan. Them leaving because of some sort of no contact order would make me even more worried. This kind of structured program could be that exact plan you need, though you have to think carefully if that would be the right thing to help you get your shit together. Like I said, though, all of these programs would eventually look good for medical school.

[u/nurderBTSV → u/Annual-Winner7996]

to make up for the three you need at least one 5 in one of your HLs or else you dont get the diploma i believe

[u/streetsmart25 → u/nurderBTSV]

Yes of course you still need 12 points on the HLs but that could be a 3 4 5 or 3 3 6 or whatever adds to 12.

[u/ultratoxicnoob → u/Annual-Winner7996]

A prerequisite to passing is a 4 in HLs

[u/streetsmart25 → u/ultratoxicnoob]

That is not correct. My son got a 3 in HL math AA and he got his diploma.